Water management and Strategies for water conservation

[sarahsunshine]

Tank setup for the horse is a 110 gallon plastic tank.... Filled to the brim in order to keep other critters from drowning in it.... Sigh IF they can get to the edge and grab hold they can get out.... First year I didnt have this set up and I was drowning a rabbit a day.... so sad.

The fish survive totally on what the tank grows or on what insects drop in.... AND what my horse delivers to it through back wash. Horses will drink their fill and on the last sip will open their mouth to rinse out thier toofies. because that water will have alot of green organic material in it. The fish start out living on that..... After that I am careful not to scrub the sides of the tank too hard while cleaning it out. Fish are incredibly adaptable to their environment. They rarely grow larger than their tank of water will support especially if you change the water only on occasion. My fish will get about three inches long and stop growing. So there is enough food in there to support about four fish....

The tank setup is simple.... Tank and tank valve


These are very roebust and as a matter of fact I also use them for chicken water....

deb

Deb - have you tried just getting a long board and putting on the bottom of the tank on one end, and over the side on the other diagonal like? That way no matter at what level the water is at, there's always a ramp for critters to climb out. We use this for amphibian traps so that if a mouse or shrew gets in by accident, they can get out. Just an idea that you probably tried.

 

[Lacy Blues]

Deb,
The more organic matter you add to the soil, the more your soil will hold water. You could theoretically use gravel for your water to percolate through, but the nice thing about the wood chips is that 1) they will hold water better than the gravel and therefore keep the soil moist for longer, 2) they will decompose into soil that you can add to your garden, 3) you don't have to worry about getting tons of pebbles in your soil, 4) they are usually relatively cheap compared to gravel, and 5) they build a really good soil community in terms of mycorrhizae, which can act as a plant immune system and healthier better balanced soil. Of course, gravel works great, but if your issue is to hold water in the soil, I would suggest finding any organic material you can find and composting it/covering your soil with it. DO you have any restaurants nearby that you can get the scraps from to supplement the composted chicken litter? That would be ideal. Adt your litter to the veggie and meat scraps, compost them, leave them and turn them every week or so for a coupe months, and tada - organic material that will hold your water for you.

Also, raised beds may not actually be the best solution. It may be better to dig out a trench, put your organic soil in the trench, and then plant in that. Raised beds may increase the soil temperature and cause the water to evaporate faster. Maybe... Just a thought.

Yep, that's what my desert gardening book says to do.

 

[sarahsunshine]

Another idea for those not avers to compost and keen on saving water is the 'humanure toilet'. Basically it's a bucket that you excrete into, and cover with organic matter (fresh sawdust is best). Put sawdust in the bottom of the bucket, and a toilet seat on top. Every time you make a deposit, cover it up with sawdust. If it smells, you need to add more sawdust. It doesn't smell at all if you make sure it's covered. Empty your bucket onto the compost pile with everything else, and make sure it's covered up with sawdust (Sawdust is your carbon input).

DO NOT TURN THIS COMPOST!

Once the compost pile is full, leave it for a year. If in doubt, leave it for another year.

Put it on your veggies. (Of course, if you are worried, put it on your fruit trees. Also, if you take any serious medication, you may not want to use it as compost.)


We did this last summer and it is AMAZING! Great compost, great bathroom, and no water use.

There is an online book about how to do it properly: http://humanurehandbook.com/downloads/Humanure_Handbook_all.pdf

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: Yep that would work.... IF my horse didn't decide to play with it pick it up and go terrorize the goats with it.... I have had her Pick up Resin Lawn benches and waive it at the other horses.... I can see her snicker at their foolisness. Shes also tried to pull a whole bale of hay up over the fence because what she had for dinner was not enough IN her opinion... She bent 16 gauge 1.75 diameter pipe to do that one....

Keeping the water to the top seems to work best for everyone.... I like deep water because just under the surface about two inches the water is cool.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Decomposed granite is pretty hard digging. except for the gophers, and the voles, and the field mice, and the Kangaroo rats, and the Church mousies and the ground squirrels.... that last one is a real pest here. Not only will they excavate a foundation they will also steal chicken eggs. URRRG

So far the only people I see that are successful at doing a home garden do either raised beds or beds surrounded by a foundation and cinderblock walls. ALL put hardware cloth and a wire cover.

for what its worth though I do have alot of pre composted horse maneur.... I need a tractor to dig it up though

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Another idea for those not avers to compost and keen on saving water is the 'humanure toilet'. Basically it's a bucket that you excrete into, and cover with organic matter (fresh sawdust is best). Put sawdust in the bottom of the bucket, and a toilet seat on top. Every time you make a deposit, cover it up with sawdust. If it smells, you need to add more sawdust. It doesn't smell at all if you make sure it's covered. Empty your bucket onto the compost pile with everything else, and make sure it's covered up with sawdust (Sawdust is your carbon input).

DO NOT TURN THIS COMPOST!

Once the compost pile is full, leave it for a year. If in doubt, leave it for another year.

Put it on your veggies. (Of course, if you are worried, put it on your fruit trees. Also, if you take any serious medication, you may not want to use it as compost.)


We did this last summer and it is AMAZING! Great compost, great bathroom, and no water use.

There is an online book about how to do it properly: http://humanurehandbook.com/downloads/Humanure_Handbook_all.pdf

I have plans for a sawdust toilet for when I get a deck built off my bedroom.... Nice to know you can compost it... I have eigheen acres to choose my compost site too.....

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: OK I probably wont be doing a garden... Good info for others though.

deb

 

[Bens-Hens]

I am just throwing in a post so I can come back to this, keen to catch up when I have more time.

 

[niqueie]

Great info. Thanks for starting the thread!!

 

[perchie.girl]

I am just throwing in a post so I can come back to this, keen to catch up when I have more time.

I look forward to your input Ben.

deb