Really enjoyed that! Had a look at the hose lock pump via your link, so thanks, but I couldn’t find detail on how far the pump will deliver water. Can I ask what is the maximum length of hose you attach to water crops? Fascinating that your old cottage was built with an underground water storage tank! How was that water meant to be recovered (presuming this was before electric pumps)? Very well executed presentation as always, particularly liked the tip about the water level gauge - the devil is in the detail!!
Thanks so much! We pump the water around 85 metres and it's absolutely fine for running a sprinkler. The pump can develop 3.5 bar of pressure whereas minimum mains pressure is 1 bar. I suspect that the cistern tank would have had a hand pump. The well is big enough for a bucket & rope 😉
That is an impressive distance. I am furiously taking notes as we intend to do the same as you (buy a modest plot of land and grow our own crops). Thanks for the swift reply and keep the episodes coming. All the best, Martin.
@@EnglishCountryLife yep the ones I’ve been lucky enough to find had 97% corn based ethanol in them from making our local bluebottle gin they only use a couple a year so it’s a long painstaking wait but worth it for the food grade Ibc tank enclosed in galvanised steel 👍🇬🇬
Thanks for this great, specific advice. I particularly liked your tape stripe indicator when painting IBC totes and seeing the connectors and water pump.
Put IBC tanks on top of each other and link up creating more pressure at the bottom or put on blocks so they are about four feet above the floor level this also will increase pressure no need for pumps not sure about the distance/ flow / pressure rate would need to calculate these, painting these and masking tape a level indicator into it was a simple but clever , thanks for a great video
Glad you liked it Paul. We did a calculation on getting decent pressure to the field (bear in mind it's completely flat here). We had to raise the tank over 20 feet to get anything close to mains pressure. We could get flow with less of a raise, but not enough to run a sprinkler
@@EnglishCountryLife thanks i live in norfolk and have the same sort of problem but my tanks were only for a large pond and garden so no need for long lengths , thanks again and i now have subscribed
A really useful video Hugh / Fiona. We're currently in the process of rethinking our water needs on our smallholding after a horrendous rain-free summer here in SW France. Things are getting a little desperate in respect of access to water for crops, and this video gave us much food for thought.
THIS!!! PERFECT!!! I have one IBC that (with little brother's help) I set up this summer, and I have another that isn't yet set up. I'd been trying to think of a place for it that wouldn't reduce my already limited growing area, but would still be positioned to catch rainwater - I don't have to, I can just attach it to the existing tote and place it in a heavily shaded area where nothing grows! Also, mine is covered with a tarp because everyone I talked to said the paint doesn't stay on - I think they were using regular paint, now I know to get what you use (or similar, depending what's available in the US). For now I just have mine up on three pallets & fill buckets/watering can (I just bought a new one and it looks just like yours), because I have such a small area - but I'm looking at buying a small parcel (7500 sq. ft. / just under 700 sq. meters) that's seven miles (11+ km) away to plant an orchard, and since the larger plants will need more water, I'd prefer a more automated setup. NOW - there is no water/power to the parcel I'm looking at, so if you could do a video on solar options for that pump, that would be fantastic! Thanks so much!!!!
Awesome, information packed video, thank you! How long does the bitumen paint last? You mentioned it lasts a really long time, could you please specify?
Interesting and useful video, we currently use a submersible pump in our well and have two man made water overflow pits at the end of our field that we utilize. Our plan is to install a similar system to yours though with the price of IBC tanks going through the roof it may be cheaper to build a swimming pool for water storage! You can get IBC reversible tank covers, silver one side/black the other, not sure how efficient they are though. Thanks again for sharing this info.
@EnglishCountryLife yes ,agreed, but at least the pressure will be higher then practically nothing at ground level, saving a bit of power required from the pump.reducing the working load of the pump and hence its reliability and longevity of the pump .
@EnglishCountryLife Don't really need a forklift. It's not so heavy when it's empty. Construct a strong bench as high as you can. The extra space below the bench can house the pumping gear or anything else for the matter. Mind you need to work out the weight of each tank when it's full so that the bench can withstand that weight.
Great video on harvesting. On the other side of the coin there's water conservation, mulching springs to mind. Admittedly not particularly useful on high foliage crops such as squashes, but for crops with little coverage it would make a considerable difference.
Oh yes, we are great believers in mulching - we mostly use woodchip several inches deep on things like asparagus but we use shavings and manure in the fruit cage and straw on the berries
Fantastic video - I’ve just installed a 4 IBC system to our barn in Shropshire ready for next summer. Was worried about pressure so will look into pumps - would love to hear your thoughts on solar to power it - it feels counterintuitive to use mains power when we’ve saved the water.
Hi, thanks for your very informative video (I’m now a subscriber). We have a drainpipe running from our garage roof down into the garage, directly next to our washing machine. I was wondering if we could install a slim tank behind it and use the rain water for the machine. I think I’d have to get an 18v pump. The house water pipe currently runs to the machine and also supplies the garden tap. I’m wondering if I can somehow plumb the tank into that pipe, after the cut-off tap so I can switch back and forth between the two supplies depending on how much water is in my tank. Does this seem like a good idea (does it make sense?!), do you know if it can be done? TIA
@@22jo222 Many people now run "grey water" & rain water systems so yes, this is doable. I would definitely run the rainwater through a filter to ensure you don't bring abrasive particles into the washing machine pump.
I've never heard of it being toxic or that it holds much nutritional value tbh. For plant food I generally use comfrey & nettles. I'll look more into moss though - its a good thought!
We would love to, but to get useable pressure it needs to at least 30' high - which is higher than the roofs! For sprinklers etc. higher still www.longhorninc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/waterpressure.pdf
We would love to know if you've considered keeping any other livestock? And had tips or thoughts on that. And also what your composting set up is like - we find ours (mostly garden clippings and chicken poo/bedding) doesn't decay as fast as we need it... So we could definitely improve our set up!
We would love to have pigs - if we could just talk our neighbour into selling us a few more acres! We must do a composting video - chicken poo & shavings go into the fruit cage as is here!
Really enjoyed that! Had a look at the hose lock pump via your link, so thanks, but I couldn’t find detail on how far the pump will deliver water. Can I ask what is the maximum length of hose you attach to water crops? Fascinating that your old cottage was built with an underground water storage tank! How was that water meant to be recovered (presuming this was before electric pumps)? Very well executed presentation as always, particularly liked the tip about the water level gauge - the devil is in the detail!!
Thanks so much! We pump the water around 85 metres and it's absolutely fine for running a sprinkler. The pump can develop 3.5 bar of pressure whereas minimum mains pressure is 1 bar. I suspect that the cistern tank would have had a hand pump. The well is big enough for a bucket & rope 😉
That is an impressive distance. I am furiously taking notes as we intend to do the same as you (buy a modest plot of land and grow our own crops). Thanks for the swift reply and keep the episodes coming. All the best, Martin.
@@067captain Thanks Martin - feel free to ask any questions!
Well you covered it all fantastic video.thank for this
Thank you - glad you enjoyed it
Fantastic video really engaging hosts
Thanks Nathan, that's really kind of you 😊
Finding Ibc tanks are like finding hens teeth here 👍🇬🇬
Really? Three or four places round here have them - although the price seems to have gone up
@@EnglishCountryLife yep the ones I’ve been lucky enough to find had 97% corn based ethanol in them from making our local bluebottle gin they only use a couple a year so it’s a long painstaking wait but worth it for the food grade Ibc tank enclosed in galvanised steel 👍🇬🇬
Thanks for this great, specific advice. I particularly liked your tape stripe indicator when painting IBC totes and seeing the connectors and water pump.
Thank you - easy enough when you know how 😉
This has been very interesting and helpful! Thank you!
Really glad that you thought so!
Put IBC tanks on top of each other and link up creating more pressure at the bottom or put on blocks so they are about four feet above the floor level this also will increase pressure no need for pumps not sure about the distance/ flow / pressure rate would need to calculate these, painting these and masking tape a level indicator into it was a simple but clever , thanks for a great video
Glad you liked it Paul. We did a calculation on getting decent pressure to the field (bear in mind it's completely flat here). We had to raise the tank over 20 feet to get anything close to mains pressure. We could get flow with less of a raise, but not enough to run a sprinkler
@@EnglishCountryLife thanks i live in norfolk and have the same sort of problem but my tanks were only for a large pond and garden so no need for long lengths , thanks again and i now have subscribed
@@paulwalker4118 We can wave at Norfolk across the Wash 😁. Welcome
Excellent information … most logical explanation I’ve seen so far. Thank you both 👍
Glad it was helpful!
A really useful video Hugh / Fiona. We're currently in the process of rethinking our water needs on our smallholding after a horrendous rain-free summer here in SW France. Things are getting a little desperate in respect of access to water for crops, and this video gave us much food for thought.
Really glad it was helpful - its been the driest Summer in memory here
THIS!!! PERFECT!!! I have one IBC that (with little brother's help) I set up this summer, and I have another that isn't yet set up. I'd been trying to think of a place for it that wouldn't reduce my already limited growing area, but would still be positioned to catch rainwater - I don't have to, I can just attach it to the existing tote and place it in a heavily shaded area where nothing grows! Also, mine is covered with a tarp because everyone I talked to said the paint doesn't stay on - I think they were using regular paint, now I know to get what you use (or similar, depending what's available in the US). For now I just have mine up on three pallets & fill buckets/watering can (I just bought a new one and it looks just like yours), because I have such a small area - but I'm looking at buying a small parcel (7500 sq. ft. / just under 700 sq. meters) that's seven miles (11+ km) away to plant an orchard, and since the larger plants will need more water, I'd prefer a more automated setup. NOW - there is no water/power to the parcel I'm looking at, so if you could do a video on solar options for that pump, that would be fantastic! Thanks so much!!!!
So glad it was helpful Karen. We will add solar to the list!
Awesome, information packed video, thank you! How long does the bitumen paint last? You mentioned it lasts a really long time, could you please specify?
It should last around ten years before needing another coat
Great idea. I used a similar at an allotment. I've noticed IBC tanks are getting really expensive sadly
Hi Lee - everything seems to be getting pricey sadly 🙁. So long as you cleaned them yourself, they used to be dirt cheap!
Videos on solar set ups would be really usefull. Very usefull content by the way all the best 👍
Thanks Paul h we are working on a solar setup video for next year!
Thanks guys really looking forward to that. All the best Paul
Interesting and useful video, we currently use a submersible pump in our well and have two man made water overflow pits at the end of our field that we utilize. Our plan is to install a similar system to yours though with the price of IBC tanks going through the roof it may be cheaper to build a swimming pool for water storage! You can get IBC reversible tank covers, silver one side/black the other, not sure how efficient they are though. Thanks again for sharing this info.
Glad it was interesting Trev - we seem to think alike 🙂
You can raise the ibc tank at a higher level so gravity will improve the water pressure at the output.
We can, but unfortunately even if raised to the roof line it doesn't get close to mains pressure
@EnglishCountryLife yes ,agreed, but at least the pressure will be higher then practically nothing at ground level, saving a bit of power required from the pump.reducing the working load of the pump and hence its reliability and longevity of the pump .
@@karnagantan7739 It's a fair point. Sadly we don't have a forklift.
@EnglishCountryLife
Don't really need a forklift. It's not so heavy when it's empty. Construct a strong bench as high as you can. The extra space below the bench can house the pumping gear or anything else for the matter. Mind you need to work out the weight of each tank when it's full so that the bench can withstand that weight.
@@karnagantan7739 Trust me, I can't lift them very high. They weigh over a tonne full. I'll stick to a pump 🙂
Is that a steeldive? I have one and love it :)
@@NahYeahMate This one is a Seiko "Black Monster" 😉
@@EnglishCountryLife I went for the fake because I can't afford the genuine haha. Great taste mate :)
@@NahYeahMate It's very old 😉
Great video on harvesting. On the other side of the coin there's water conservation, mulching springs to mind. Admittedly not particularly useful on high foliage crops such as squashes, but for crops with little coverage it would make a considerable difference.
Oh yes, we are great believers in mulching - we mostly use woodchip several inches deep on things like asparagus but we use shavings and manure in the fruit cage and straw on the berries
Fantastic video - I’ve just installed a 4 IBC system to our barn in Shropshire ready for next summer. Was worried about pressure so will look into pumps - would love to hear your thoughts on solar to power it - it feels counterintuitive to use mains power when we’ve saved the water.
Hi Andrew, there's a link in the description to the updated version of the pump we use - its been a huge asset and so simple to set up!
What's the filter you've got added coming into the water hose pump?
It's a prefilter to avoid damaging the pump. It comes with the hozelock pump
Can i ask what the mesh was you used to stop debris from going into the downpipe please. Thanks
Hi! It's a piece of stainless filter screen mesh rolled up. This is the sort of thing
amzn.to/4er3Oov
Hi, thanks for your very informative video (I’m now a subscriber). We have a drainpipe running from our garage roof down into the garage, directly next to our washing machine. I was wondering if we could install a slim tank behind it and use the rain water for the machine. I think I’d have to get an 18v pump. The house water pipe currently runs to the machine and also supplies the garden tap. I’m wondering if I can somehow plumb the tank into that pipe, after the cut-off tap so I can switch back and forth between the two supplies depending on how much water is in my tank. Does this seem like a good idea (does it make sense?!), do you know if it can be done? TIA
@@22jo222 Many people now run "grey water" & rain water systems so yes, this is doable. I would definitely run the rainwater through a filter to ensure you don't bring abrasive particles into the washing machine pump.
@@EnglishCountryLife Thanks for your reply and advice.
Hi you have two input feeds into
the starter IBC tanks,how are they linked to fill the others?
All the tanks are linked via the bottom tap. There is a 4 to 1 hozelock connector (pictured in the thumbnail) that links tgem
@@EnglishCountryLife thank you.
I wonder if the moss runoff could be processed to provide some kind of fertility, or if it's phytotoxic.
I've never heard of it being toxic or that it holds much nutritional value tbh. For plant food I generally use comfrey & nettles. I'll look more into moss though - its a good thought!
How much money would you predict you save? Where we are we havent had a hosepipe ban for years.
We've honestly not calculated it, but if you think its 500 litres a day its a heck of a lot of water over the years
I've just checked. It's £1.95 a cubic metre. Say £1 a day. At least £150 a year
@English Country Life thank you I can't install an underground tank but a few of those tanks I might have a go
I just found your videos and I think there very good. Have you considered lifting the IBS up higher so you can use gravity and ditch the leccy pump
We would love to, but to get useable pressure it needs to at least 30' high - which is higher than the roofs! For sprinklers etc. higher still
www.longhorninc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/waterpressure.pdf
How about making harvested water safe to drink?
I can certainly do a video on water purification if that's of interest?
We would love to know if you've considered keeping any other livestock? And had tips or thoughts on that.
And also what your composting set up is like - we find ours (mostly garden clippings and chicken poo/bedding) doesn't decay as fast as we need it... So we could definitely improve our set up!
We would love to have pigs - if we could just talk our neighbour into selling us a few more acres! We must do a composting video - chicken poo & shavings go into the fruit cage as is here!
👍🏽