One for the nerds

[Lynnzer]

An inline filter is something I really want to get right. As soon as I finish the design and manufacture (as in cobbled together) I'll post more details.

 

[Lynnzer]

OK then. Here's the result so far.
The 1st problem was to find a plastic tube of the correct circumerance to fit the 68mm downpipe. There were none on the shelves of my local Asda with whatever would have been in them.
I did have a tube of salt from them that was just a bit too wide so I cut the tube ends off, then cut straight down, top to bottom. That left me with a flexible plastic sheet. I rolled it into the end of the 68mm downpipe to mark the edges to cut to size. That done I stuck the edges together an made the tube. To hold it reasonably firm I placed cross pieces at the bottom superglued in place. I also superglued the edge inner seams with gel superglue so that it went into the join.

I had a sheet of fine fish safe mesh so I cut a bit of that to shape and superglued that inside the tube and above the cross pieces. That gave sufficient strength.

The next bit was more time consuming. I had to do a 180 degree cut down the 68 mm pipe to take out a semicircle. I couldn't rush it as I hadn't enough pipe to do it again if I got it wrong.

Then when the section was free I superglued - gel again, the filter tube to the inside of the crescent section of pipe. There's no need for it to be floating free, as it were, as it's still easily accessible by just opening the downpipe section.
That was the next bit. I couldn't find any suitable hinge to fix one end of the cross section so that it could swing open and shut. So I just used Gorilla duct tape to join them; only at one edge naturally or it wouldn't open otherwise.

With that in place I cut out various bits of filter sponge, foam etc and placed them into the filter tube.
I haven't any activated charcoal yet but as soon as I get some it'll be put in at the bottom of the tube filter material.

I haven't a latch of any sort fitted yet to keep the filter attachment tight to to the existing downpipe but that'll be no big problem. I will probably use an elastic band between a screw on each section to pull it tightly together. As it was a DIY trial sort of process the cutting is a bit rough and ready but it'll work well neverthless. After all, water falls straight down so the small gaps won't be a problem
Take a looksee.

 

[Fishfinder1973]

I had a house within sight of the highrises downtown in a major city. My rainwater was good. I let it rain for 10 minutes, then collected. I'll rig a system later this Spring to collect rainwater off my garage roof, even though I am kind of close to the sea. It'll be an experiment.

Here's the problem. What do you do when a drought hits? I don't mean camels dying in the back yard drought, but 3 or 4 weeks in summer where nothing falls? I don't know where you are, but it all sounds British, so maybe you'll face dry conditions less than some of us, but I had serious trouble maintaining my water changes a couple of years. You probably won't have a long winter, which is good rainwise, but you're bound to get hit with dry spells along the way.

Oh we get dry spells over here Gary.I live in the west of Scotland and come summer we can go 5 or 6 weeks without rain (a new phenomenon).Used to be that we got rain almost on a weekly basis,but not anymore.
The weather in Britain is becoming more tropical believe it or not.We don’t get “regular”rain these days.What I mean by regular rain is constant rain that’s not too heavy.These days it’s dry weather followed by a severe deluge that sends rivers over their banks,then dry for a spell again.
Winters are becoming milder by each passing year.Back when I was a kid we had snow every winter that would last up til spring,but those days passed more than 30yrs ago.We hardly get any snow now and last winter we only had 3 frosty mornings.This is a bad sign for the future considering it’s Scotland we are talking about.
Has the weather in Canada remained the same over your lifetime Gary,or are you noticing any changes?
I’m a roofer and a flat roofer to boot,so I rely on the weather and the way it has changed is dramatic.

 

[Colin_T]

Here's the problem. What do you do when a drought hits? I don't mean camels dying in the back yard drought, but 3 or 4 weeks in summer where nothing falls?

We have 19000 liters of storage in our tanks, we have just been through a draught of sorts, no rain in 5 weeks. The tanks got down to about 2/3rds capacity. We are fine but we do monitor it.

LOL I laugh at all you lot and your 4-5 week long droughts. Try going 8-9 months without any rain. And we have places in Australia where it doesn't rain for years, literally 4 or 5 years without a drop.

 

[Colin_T]

I haven't a latch of any sort fitted yet to keep the filter attachment tight to to the existing downpipe but that'll be no big problem. I will probably use an elastic band between a screw on each section to pull it tightly together. As it was a DIY trial sort of process the cutting is a bit rough and ready but it'll work well neverthless. After all, water falls straight down so the small gaps won't be a problem
Take a looksee.

Velcro straps

 

[Lynnzer]

I thought about that earlier today and I know I have some in the garage. Along with a million other things.... I need to sort out and look for them

 

[GaryE]

LOL I laugh at all you lot and your 4-5 week long droughts. Try going 8-9 months without any rain. And we have places in Australia where it doesn't rain for years, literally 4 or 5 years without a drop.

I have a vision of some poor Australian setting up a water collecting system for his fish, and then waiting 5 years for a water change...

I'm going to see who can arrange to send those regions some nice fresh Canadian snow.

 

[Colin_T]

Snow would have been nice a month ago when it was 40C+ degrees.

 

[StevenF]

What is the roof made of?
If it's a new (less than 12 months old) galvanised tin, don't collect water off it for 6 months because it will contain zinc that can poison the fish. Anything else is fine.

Plants and fish need zinc to live in small quantities. Steal is often coated with zinc to prevent corrosion. The zinc coats itself with zinc oxide with is not water soluble. sulfur dioxide on hth nitrate levels in the rain can make it acidic may wash a small amount of the roof. but even with acidic rain the zinc coating can last many decades. So waiting 6 months after zin coated metal roof is installed wouldn't make any difference.

you measured a PH of 7 meaning your water is not acidic and likely zinc will only be pressent in trace quantities Parts Per Billion levels in the water. Aaccordingto a quick google search zinc can is toxic at about 11 parts per million. About 500 times more than plants need.

Normally rain water will have a GH and KH of zero. You might want to get a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter. I can read down to 1 one part per billion or 0.001 PPM I would expect your water in the barrel will measure less than 1 PPM.

 

[Lynnzer]

My activated charcoal should arrive today. Hopefully a bit of rain will follow it.
The last thing to do now is something I would like ideas on.
I would like a UV light in the actual drainpipe itself, before the filter. Does a UV light need to be submersed or can it just protrude dry into the pipe?
Then there's the small matter of the switch.
It would need to be one that opens the circuit when a set of points gets wet as I intend to have the contact points where the gutter meets the downpipe. I want it to switch off when there's no rain.
I have access to a 240v socket in the kitchen that I can run a lead from via a ventilation cover on the wall right alongside the top of the drainpipe. Ideas please guys 'n gals
I keep dropping a link to my current aquascaped tank as it's now complete, less replanting some floating grass.
Here it is again. It's this tank especially that I need rainwater for to keep pH and GH down to acceptable levels.

 

[drlyleech]

Interesting concept, I may looking this. I now have very alkaline water where I've moved to. Never had an issue before. Guess that's the result of moving to a mountain area. I have two streams on either side of my house that runs constantly. Was wondering of tapping into that somehow?

 

[itiwhetu]

Interesting concept, I may looking this. I now have very alkaline water where I've moved to. Never had an issue before. Guess that's the result of moving to a mountain area. I have two streams on either side of my house that runs constantly. Was wondering of tapping into that somehow?

Good idea

 

[Lynnzer]

Now have several 5 ltr bottles filled and stored in the garage.
The filters do a good job as the roof moss and other stuff doesn't get beyond the first sponge.
I have ordered a 7W UV light today to place in the barrel itself and to be switched on for a couple of hours after each rainfall.