[batman911]

Weight of water is 8.35 per gallon. 100 gallons would weigh 835 lbs plus the weight of the container. Do not recommend storing in attic.

[glgene]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Seems that cellar doors were mentioned too...I challenge you...who knows the words?

I remember the words, Gracie. Something like...

"Playmate, come out and play with me
And bring your dollies three
Climb up my apple tree

Shout down my rain barrel
Slide down my cellar door
And we'll be jolly friends
Forever more..."

I sang the song, with my sister, in a youth talent contest, when I was about 6 years old. The audience laughed, because part way thru the song...I began to scratch my butt. I guess I was nervous in front of an audience! <g>

Gene

[Ohiogirl]

I went to my rain barrel seminar in Ohio, watched an installation, and ordered 1 60 gal rain barrel for my Ohio backyard. Once it's set up, assuming it works well, I plan to order at least one other for my CYV backyard. You can set up 2 with a linking hose at one downspout also. According to the rain barrel guru, drip hoses with automatic battery timers are readily available at Home Depot or Lowe's. The barrel I ordered has 2 spigots - on the lower one I will put a y-shaped adapter for 2 timed drip hoses. Water is automatically diverted back to the downspout after the barrel is full, and one good rain will more than fill one barrel.

This should work for the planting beds in the CYV backyard. I am also going to attend the water workshop that I understand is happening in The Villages on April 22nd (need to check the date), and ask more questions specific to Florida. Once it's set up it should be fairly maintenance free, or at least that's my hope.

Will update again once I get it setup in Ohio and again in the fall if I decide to put one in the CYV, which I fully expect to do. They are covered and said that mosquitoes are not a problem. Best way to control algae is to add goldfish! In Ohio they need to be drained and stored for the winter, but shouldn't need to be in Florida.

[JoeB1]

Go to Woodlanddirect.com and you'll find what ever you need. I had two wood grain brown 50 gal containers side by side. One feeds the second. I obtained the water by cutting out a piece of down spout and adding a Rain Reserve Rain Diverter Complete kit from the same web site. The supplied instructions are very easy to follow and you can do it all in about an hour. I put the containers up on cement blocks so I had some flow. The overflow was drained away to the original down spout.
We did not get the volume of rain we get her in TV. I bet that 100 gallons would fill in just 10 minutes at the rate I've seen here. Then it has a spigot on both containers and you can do what ever you want. I watered my plants in CA, but it would be very easy to set up a drip system or feed a hose and deliver anywhere you want. Hey, it's free water and you can water all you want without worry of anyone making a stink.

[Ohiogirl]

Hooked up the rain barrel here in Ohio this past weekend. Rained overnight (and now). Went out at 7:30 am and rain barrel is full and the diverter is properly diverting excess water to the lower downspout! I planted my little vegetable garden yesterday and the herb and perennial/rose gardens are already in place. Now I won't have to drag the hose around the house when the dry periods come. Here in Ohio, since rain is sporadic, won't bother with a timer, will just handwater with a watering can when needed.

In our CYV in TV, will put either one or two barrels at the backyard downspout by our master bedroom - can't even see that area from the lanai or the side patio. May set that one up with a timer (or not) and soaker hoses going both ways from the barrel(s), which hopefully will take care of all the irrigation needs for the bedded areas. May only use the timer in May and September when we are in Ohio and assume that the rainy season will take care of June, July and August. We'll have a caretaker when we're gone for 5 mos., so if there's an unusual dry spell during the rainy season, can have the caretaker switch the timer back on. Feels good to know that we are both conserving water and saving money. And we did it ourselves!

We still have to dig and plant about 40 feet (finish the back wall and do one of the side walls) of landscaping. Already have about half the back wall done (3 palms and a mandevilla vine), want to extend the bedded area all the way around the CYV backyard. Need to do that anyway to reach the beds that are already planted.

Need to redo the existing irrigation system to move the grass sprayer heads . We are not confident of our abilities to do this and will either use the irrigation installer co. (can't remember which one that was at the moment) or an independent contractor. Anyone know of a good worker for this in TV?

[Ohiogirl]

bump (not sure if I'm doing this right)

[patriciathorney]

cute song! they mention the rain barrel! this is absolutely great!