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Water Usage
http://byap.backyardmagazines.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=13633		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  anchoredinchrist [ Sep 12th, '12, 04:04 ]
Post subject:  Water Usage
Hey all:

I have a several month old system that is doing great. We have lots of plants growing, fish are happy, and there is hardly any work to do.

The one thing that has shocked me is the amount of water I have to keep adding to the system.
Author:  gazza [ Sep 12th, '12, 06:32 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
How much water are we talking? You can lose quite a bit through evaporation and transpiration, especially during hot weather. My 700 litre tank might go through 100 - 200 l a week in summer.
Author:  anchoredinchrist [ Sep 12th, '12, 06:42 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
Gazza:

Well that is about what I am experiencing. We have two IBCs each with 700L. Combined they easily go through 200L a week.

thanks. I just thought I would check.

We live in cold country. In a few months it will be snowy and frozen outside. Our system is in a greenhouse attached to the end of our house. I was contemplating running a water line to it (filtered of course) so I could add water in the winter. We are for sure going to run the line now. Hauling buckets every week through the snow would not be fun.

thanks for the feedback.
Author:  gazza [ Sep 12th, '12, 18:46 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
Just try not to do what I and so many others have done, and forget the tap is running and overflow your tank for half a day. A tap timer is your safest bet, although I just stick a clothes peg on my finger - when finger is sore, turn tap of!
Author:  mantis [ Sep 12th, '12, 19:09 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
The timer on your smartphone if you have one is good too, but to be sure I have put float valves on all systems
Author:  PLJ [ Sep 12th, '12, 19:14 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
anchoredinchrist wrote:
Gazza:We live in cold country. In a few months it will be snowy and frozen outside. Our system is in a greenhouse attached to the end of our house. I was contemplating running a water line to it (filtered of course) so I could add water in the winter. We are for sure going to run the line now. Hauling buckets every week through the snow would not be fun...
You may find that, over winter, the evaporation and transpiration rates are much lower and less of an issue.
I reckon your proposed water line to the greenhouse would need some serious insulation around it to keep the water fluid, or otherwise you will be hoofing it through the snow, anyway! :wink:
Author:  Charlie [ Sep 13th, '12, 07:27 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
Another way to combat evaporation and transpiration is to cover you FT and shade your GB's.
Author:  anchoredinchrist [ Sep 13th, '12, 07:47 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
gazza wrote:
Just try not to do what I and so many others have done, and forget the tap is running and overflow your tank for half a day. A tap timer is your safest bet, although I just stick a clothes peg on my finger - when finger is sore, turn tap of!


LOL! I told my wife about the clothes peg and she laughed.
Author:  anchoredinchrist [ Sep 13th, '12, 07:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
mantis wrote:
The timer on your smartphone if you have one is good too, but to be sure I have put float valves on all systems



When I first skimmed your post, I thought you meant there is an app on the phone that operates a float valve. :D Don't laugh, there are apps for everything. Maybe I could attache floaties to the phone and it will ring when it reaches a certain height. That may void the warranty.
Author:  anchoredinchrist [ Sep 13th, '12, 07:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: Water Usage
PLJ wrote:
anchoredinchrist wrote:
Gazza:We live in cold country. In a few months it will be snowy and frozen outside. Our system is in a greenhouse attached to the end of our house. I was contemplating running a water line to it (filtered of course) so I could add water in the winter. We are for sure going to run the line now. Hauling buckets every week through the snow would not be fun...
You may find that, over winter, the evaporation and transpiration rates are much lower and less of an issue.
I reckon your proposed water line to the greenhouse would need some serious insulation around it to keep the water fluid, or otherwise you will be hoofing it through the snow, anyway! :wink:


Yes, we are going to install a frost free spout.
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