Water management and Strategies for water conservation

[Triple Willow]

Funny, just before I came in the house and started reading this thread today I had got an old 100 gallon stock water tank (Rubbermaid) and put it under the corner of my coop/run metal roof where most of the water runs off. I plan to put another one the other side. I'm hoping to use that to water my chickens and dogs and whatever else I put out there. I had planned to take this water tank and string up a tarp to collect water. No doubt the roof will collect a lot more water. I don't believe it will be too dirty. Sure will be better that hauling water or running a water hose down there for me to run over with the lawn mower.

Cool thread Deb!

 

[sarahsunshine]

We used water collected from the metal roof of a 10x10' building most of last summer. I think it tasted much better than our chlorinated city water! It was great to not have to haul water any great distance for fermenting feed, or watering chickens, or bathing in.

 

[perchie.girl]

What about putting in some of those fish that clean the sides and bottom?

Algae eaters... are warm water fish most require water temps 70 and above. I can run Plecostomous in with the Tilapia here in Southern CA. They can with stand 50-55 degrees Tilapia can go that low but not well. So I would have to relocate my Pleco in the house for the winter. Unless I can figure a way to keep the Tilapia tank warm.... I would be keeping the 110 gallon tank for the breeding pairs of Tilapia then put the Pleco in there for the winter.

For what its worht Plecostomous get to be about a foot long. AND they have barbs on their dorsal fin and pectoral fins... Very difficult to move with a net. You practically have to herd them into a container with a lid to capture them. But they are very very good at the house keeping business. so much so you have to supplement them with fresh spinach and Zuchinni weighted down with a fishing weight and abit of nylon line. Kind of like a Zuchinni Lolly pop.

I am an odd ball. I love fish that are goofy and unnusual so I didint have the regular schools of fish... I had Plecostomous Banjo Cats Bumble Bee cats Leaf fish .... and Geophagus Jurapari.... The last was an New world Chiclid their faces are soo goofy .


deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Funny, just before I came in the house and started reading this thread today I had got an old 100 gallon stock water tank (Rubbermaid) and put it under the corner of my coop/run metal roof where most of the water runs off. I plan to put another one the other side. I'm hoping to use that to water my chickens and dogs and whatever else I put out there. I had planned to take this water tank and string up a tarp to collect water. No doubt the roof will collect a lot more water. I don't believe it will be too dirty. Sure will be better that hauling water or running a water hose down there for me to run over with the lawn mower.

Cool thread Deb!

thanks...

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

We used water collected from the metal roof of a 10x10' building most of last summer. I think it tasted much better than our chlorinated city water! It was great to not have to haul water any great distance for fermenting feed, or watering chickens, or bathing in.

Rain water also has higher nitrogen levels too. Thats why its good for house plants and the garden. Bee voiced a condern about water coming from Galvanized roofing. I would say unless it very old and corroded it should be fine.

deb

 

[Triple Willow]

Sounds like you know about fish Deb!

 

[niqueie]

Deb, I have an 80 gallon aquarium with 8 tilapia breeder fish. They are mostly 4-5 inches. 1 is 6-7 inches. I am having to suction out the gravel water poo twice a week because they are so poopy. I have 2 gravel bed filters that pump water from under the gravel to the top of the tank. Then I have 2 small aquarium sized hang over edge filters with carbon filter inserts. They are rated for a total of 40 gallons. Then I added a couple weeks ago a 400 gallon pump that pumps water into a 1.5 gallon bin with a stand pipe at a 1 gallon depth. I put in gravel and a towel and some sponges into the bin to add additional filtration. I still need to do water changes 1-2 times a week. Is there something I can do to limit the water change needs to 1-2 a month. These fish seem like the elephants of the fish world. Constantly pooing. Wish I could feed them FF.

 

[sarahsunshine]

Rain water also has higher nitrogen levels too. Thats why its good for house plants and the garden. Bee voiced a condern about water coming from Galvanized roofing. I would say unless it very old and corroded it should be fine.

deb

I would also suggest that it depends whether it is painted or it is plain galvanized. I would worry a little about aluminium. If you have a 'first flush' system I would be very surprised if there was an issue. The stuff that is sitting on the roof for ages will be taken off in the first 1-cm, and the rest barely touches it. Personally I would be more concerned about anything sitting too long on vinyl siding. aLso, a very new roof might need a little 'off-gassing' to get the main toxins released.

Ours was less than 3-4 months old... so maybe it should have off-gassed more... but the chickens and FF sure liked it!

 

[sarahsunshine]

Deb, I have an 80 gallon aquarium with 8 tilapia breeder fish. They are mostly 4-5 inches. 1 is 6-7 inches. I am having to suction out the gravel water poo twice a week because they are so poopy. I have 2 gravel bed filters that pump water from under the gravel to the top of the tank. Then I have 2 small aquarium sized hang over edge filters with carbon filter inserts. They are rated for a total of 40 gallons. Then I added a couple weeks ago a 400 gallon pump that pumps water into a 1.5 gallon bin with a stand pipe at a 1 gallon depth. I put in gravel and a towel and some sponges into the bin to add additional filtration. I still need to do water changes 1-2 times a week. Is there something I can do to limit the water change needs to 1-2 a month. These fish seem like the elephants of the fish world. Constantly pooing. Wish I could feed them FF.

There is a fellow here in town (a high school teacher has it in the kitchen lab at school) who has as system set up with his talapia. No gravel, and a pump on gravity feed that feeds an aquaponics system that grows helpbs and tomatoes for the kitchen. The poop fertilizes the tomatoes, and the water gets recirculated after going through the aquaponics back into the fish tank. He feeds the talapia and that's it! Amazing system... perhaps you want to set up something like that? the cost is in the lights and fish food only!

 

[niqueie]

Yes. That is the set up I have. But I have my breeders separate so that I can watch them closer. My grow beds are over the big 600 gallon tank and don't allow me to easily assess my fish daily. I can feed them easily in the 600 gallon tank just not keep track of babies. Hence the 80 gallon breeder tank. I exchange the poopy breeder water into the large 600 gallon water. And fill the 80 gallon tank from the large 600 gallon tank so luckily I'm not losing any water at the tank cleaning times.