Re: [GBlist] rainbarrels?

["Steven Shepard" <sbtdesigns@earthlink.net>]

The 55 gallon olive barrels also come with lids (covers) that are not
mosquito proof.  If you use these barrels without treating the water with
vegetable oil or screens you will start a Nile Virus ranch in these barrels.


SBT Designs
25840 IH-10 West #1
Boerne, Texas 78006
210-698-7109
FAX: 210-698-7147
www.sbtdesigns.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Brenda Norman" <bnorman@ceiarchitecture.com>
To: <greenbuilding@crest.org>
Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 5:04 PM
Subject: RE: [GBlist] rainbarrels?


> Susannah,
> we have a half-barrel design at our complex, meant to sit vertically
> against a wall, there's two taps, one at the base for a hose, and one
> further up for filling a watering can.  There are some limitations to the
> system, and some things it does very well.
> limitations:
> *not enough pressure to operate a (non rotary/no motion) sprinkler, the
> bottom of the barrel is ~6' above the yard.
> *if the half-barrel is not flush against a wall, it deforms.
> *it's not particularly attractive.
> advantages:
> *it provides ample water for hand watering potted plants.
> *we consider it an emergency water supply (our roof is a 20 year old cedar
> shake roof, when we get the aluminum roof I mentioned in another email, I
> will consider it even safer to use).
> *it may work well with a drip hose system.
>
> This is the first season we've had the barrel, and while it can't be used
> with the sprinkler, I'm hoping it will work with the drip system we're
> planning to get as less pressure is required.  The 1/2 barrel design is
> supposed to make it less conspicuous because it can sit right next to the
> building, however our footing prevents this, so we've had some problems
> with the mid-section deforming because it doesn't have proper support. One
> of the owners objected to it because was 'ugly', so I disguised it by
> placing potted ivy on the top of the barrel, the ivy climbs up a trellis
> hiding the downspout (the downspout trellis is available on-line from Lee
> Valley Hardware
> http://www.leevalley.com/garden/page.asp?page=10442&category=2,33286&abs
> page=1&ccurrency=1&SID= , or go to www.leevalley.com , click the 'garden'
> tab, and look under 'trellises' if the link above is broken) and falls
down
> around the sides covering the rest of the barrel.  Not surprisingly its
the
> same person that objected to the metal roof who had a problem with the
> appearance of the rain barrel.
> Because of the deformation, next time I would go with a full barrel
> vertical design.  Lee Valley (whom I have no association with) also
carries
> these (35" high). I found the second higher tap for filling watering cans
> to be especially useful on our rain barrel (which was provided at a
> subsidized cost from the city of Vancouver), and we never run out of
water,
> even over this last record dry/hot summer.
> There's more than you ever wanted to know about rain barrels...
> Brenda
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: susannah@cyber-dyne.com [SMTP:susannah@cyber-dyne.com]
> Sent: Friday, September 20, 2002 8:42 AM
> To: greenbuilding@crest.org
> Subject: [GBlist] rainbarrels?
>
> Hello folks --
> A garden design client has requested one of those rainbarrel-type water
> cachement systems that collect water from a downspout and have an outlet
> where a garden hose can attach.  I tried to gently point out that in our
> western Oregon climate (no rainfall at all in the watering season),
serious
> water collection requires a bigger reservoir -- like a septic tank -- and
> that the cost of a little system would be more effectively spent
> elsewhere... but it's what the client wants :-).  Does anyone have any
> experience with any of the many off-the-shelf systems?  It would be great
> to hear of ones that are particularly good or bad.  There are two
locations
> available -- one about 3' high and 4' wide, which could accommodate a
> single horizontally-oriented barrel, or two vertical ones, and another
> location for a smaller vertical system -- so, between the two, pretty much
> any system could be worked in.
> Thanks a bunch,
> -- Susannah
>  << File: ATT00000.html >>
>
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>


______________________________________________________________________
This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by REPP/CREST, creator of
Solstice http://www.crest.org, and BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of
Environmental Building News and GreenSpec http://www.BuildingGreen.com
______________________________________________________________________