Water Butt connections

[Potstubsdustbins]

Yes Mate anything less than about a foot long. Pieces this long are usually scrap to a pro so they end up in the bin.

I must go now but will look out for your posts tomorrow.

Colin

[Davyburns]

Cheers Colin

[snakeshack]

I would just get a length of pipe and weight both ends put one end into the old full butt through the top,suck through the pipe to fill it and stick your finger over the end when full then lower the end into the second new butt forming a siphon,the water will flow between the butts as long as there are no air locks to equalize the level,no drilling involved and all you need is enough hose to go between the bottom of the two butts and over the top,bet you can lay your hands on two meters of hose and a couple of weights to keep the ends down

[Davyburns]

That does sound a lot less bother, but it doesn't seem as permanant as Collins way

[snakeshack]

butt (lol) its cheap and if you have to move the butts later you won't have an extra hole you don't need

[Davyburns]

Fair points. If it doesn't suit I can always go back to plan a. Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

I would just get a length of pipe and weight both ends put one end into the old full butt through the top,suck through the pipe to fill it

That's what I do, but you don't need to suck a gobfull of water. Just immerse the whole length of the pipe until the bubbles stop coming, then use your thumb to cover one end until you drop that end into the empty butt

That does sound a lot less bother, but it doesn't seem as permanant as Collins way

I've had my butts linked that way for 7 years now. It works well (you just have to repeat the sucking part if you empty the butts below the pipe level)

~ and you might need a method for keeping mosquitoes out (a bespoke lid, or put in a few drops of veg oil to coat the surface so they can't breathe, or put a couple of goldfish in the butt, which is what I do)

[Davyburns]

put a couple of goldfish in the butt, which is what I do)

My water freezes down to 6" from the top, will they survive? and what about feeding? everyone I ever took home from a fairground, died in a week

[Potstubsdustbins]

My pond freezes regular as clock work the fish just go to the bottom and carry on. If your worried about the ice damageing your butt just drop a half full plastic water bottle in which will take up the expansion.

Davy I would go with the others idea it will cost nothing to find out if it suits you.

Colin

[Two_Sheds]

My water freezes down to 6" from the top, will they survive? and what about feeding? everyone I ever took home from a fairground, died in a week

If the water is deep enough, yes. Current advice is that there is no need to break the ice on ponds.

Feeding? They feed on the mosquito larvae, that's why they're in the butts.
Mine get a little pellet treat now & again when I remember.

photos of joined butts here, fishy closeups too

[Pies]

get two taps that have hoselock connections on them you can then link them together using a short piece of hose

[mothhawk]

~ and you might need a method for keeping mosquitoes out (a bespoke lid, or put in a few drops of veg oil to coat the surface so they can't breathe, or put a couple of goldfish in the butt, which is what I do)

What do you do with the fish if there's no rain for weeks and you need to use up all the water in the butts?

Edit: and does the water stay oxygenated enough?

[Davyburns]

TS, that sounds great, but I have resevations the same as mothhawk, the last thing I want is to have to buy mosquito larvae.
Anyway, I went to the wholesalers today and guess what?? they only have the skinny ones at £25 a pop. so I tried a local Garden center, and they only had the stands, which you got for a pound when you purchased the butt, but as they didnt have any butts, so the stands were 14.99, so I went to a different GC and they had the butts, but not the stands (they too had an offer on the purchase of both) so, is it immoral, or illegal to purloin a wheelie bin for our wonderful freindly local authorities?

[Potstubsdustbins]

Davy I don't know how desperate you are or the distance involved but there is a JTF store in Newcastle tel 0191-293-1555. The stores have just had their gardening stuff in and you will get a butt a lot cheaper than the price your quoting Ring first to check availability as they are a stack em high flog em cheap outfit.

Colin

[Two_Sheds]

What do you do with the fish if there's no rain for weeks and you need to use up all the water in the butts?

Edit: and does the water stay oxygenated enough?

Well it must do! If we've not had rain for a while (which oxygenates the water) I just pour some in from a can.

I don't ever totally empty the butts: I obviously leave enough water in for the fish, and also I don't want my syphons to stop

the last thing I want is to have to buy mosquito larvae.

Stick. Wrong. Of. End.

I have open water butts.
They occasionally get infested with mosquito larvae (as all standing water will).
To kill the larvae, I put some goldfish in the butts.
They survive very well on whatever's living in the butts, and probably have better conditions than in those shallow ponds that lots of people have.
In summer, I supplement their natural food with some pellet food.