IBC Containers

[fiveaday]

We have several IBC containers (2 x 1000l and 1 x 750l) and are looking to finally get them plumbed in and are after some ideas, advice and tips, possibly even some pictures.

We have a 400+ square foot garage which currently drains into a soak away which runs under the garden so we think this should be a large enough surface area to act as a collection medium.



We're really after advice like:

1. Would you stack the two containers ontop of each other?
2. Would this give extra pressure (assuming the top one fed into the bottom one so the weight of the water would increase beyond that of a single IBC)?
3. Would you stack them side by side, but elevate them off the ground?
4. Would you just stack them side by side on the ground?
5. If side by side would you fill one and then overflow to the other when full? or would you have them plumbed so they'd each be filled to the same level all the time?
6. Would / do you rely soley on gravity to feed the water or would you recommend a pump?

For clarity: the garden is on a slight slope so at present the veg garden is under the level (just in some cases) of the bottom of an IBC container on the ground. However, the flower garden maybe above the bottom of the IBC container but below the waterline if the IBC container is full.

Thanks in advance

[bario1]

How are you intending to use the water? If it's just for storage (i.e. filling a watering can) then there's no need for much pressure. If it's for an irrigation system, then the more pressure the better, in which case I would build a sturdy wooden frame about a metre high and stack them side by side on that. I cant see the point stacking them one on top of the other, as I think the small gauge pipe which will connect them will negate the extra weight of water (someone more technically minded might disagree though, I'm no engineer!). I would link them at the bottom so that you always have the maximum reservoir available - with that amount of catchment they'll soon replenish when it rains.

Good luck with it, I'd love to set up something like this.

[fiveaday]

How are you intending to use the water?

Great point bario1.

At present we just plan on running a hose off of it for the garden but more long term I'm sure an irrigation system will follow.

I think the small gauge pipe which will connect them will negate the extra weight of water

I hadn't thought of that, and from a layperson's stand point that makes sense.

The closest reference point I have for anything is from my SCUBA physics laws which if relevant would mean that a 10m column of water would have a 1bar pressure change so with the height of an IBC stacking them may only have a 0.1bar increase in pressure anyway so my gut is that stacking isn't worth it. But I'm open to be proven wrong.

[bario1]

Another benefit of raising the tanks is that you can then run an overflow pipe from them to a water butt at another (lower) point in your garden for multiple access points to water...

[fiveaday]

Clearly your the 'font' of all knowledge. Another great hint, I was going to run the overflow back into the drainpipe and hence then into the soak away, but another butt at the bottom with additional water is a great idea.

[Stan79]

What did the IBC's have in them originally?

[fiveaday]

What did the IBC's have in them originally?

One was used by a mobile car washer, one had a sugar syrup then used to store water and the other by a farmer for fertiliser.

They're getting the pressure washer treatment this afternoon though

[Stan79]

Nice! (why cant i post a message under 10 characters?)

[bario1]

Clearly your the 'font' of all knowledge.

No, not at all, I just quite enjoy the challenges of water management - I set up my own water collection and irrigation system from/for my polytunnel, but it isn't great because there's not enough 'height' in the system to start with... you have the potential for a much more powerful set up if you give it plenty of thought beforehand.

You might find a read through of this thread I started when i was planning mine useful... some grapes on here really helped me get my head around some of the issues.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...tml?highlight=