I’ve definitely been there with the “good in theory” setups. Tried to rig a rainwater catchment on my shed roof once using a tarp and some bungee cords—looked like a sailboat in a windstorm, and by the next morning, half the water had pooled and stretched the tarp so bad it was basically useless. Ended up just buying a cheap rigid cover and calling it a day. Sometimes you gotta admit defeat and move on.
The insulation trick is a solid one. I’ve wrapped tanks in old moving blankets before, just to see if it’d help, and it actually made a noticeable difference during that brutal July heatwave last year. Still got a bit of that “pond funk” after a while, but it bought me some time before things got gross. I’ve wondered if anyone’s tried burying their tanks a bit, or at least partially—seems like the ground would keep temps steadier, but I’m not sure if that’s more trouble than it’s worth.
One thing I keep running into is figuring out what’s actually safe to use for greywater storage. I know some folks just use whatever barrels they can get their hands on, but I’ve heard stories about certain plastics leaching weird stuff into the water, especially when it gets hot. Anyone ever run into issues with that? I’ve always played it safe with food-grade barrels, but I’m curious if that’s overkill or if it really makes a difference in the long run.
Also, on the algae front—has anyone tried those little aquarium UV sterilizer wands in a bigger tank? I’ve only ever seen them in fish setups, but I keep wondering if they’d scale up for backyard tanks or if that’s just wishful thinking.
Burying tanks is one of those ideas that sounds like a hassle until you actually try it. I helped a friend partially sink a 275-gallon tote a couple summers back—just dug out about half its height and backfilled with gravel for drainage. The difference in temp swings was pretty noticeable, especially during those hot spells. It kept the water cooler and slowed down the algae bloom, but digging that hole was no joke. If you’re dealing with rocky soil or high water tables, it might not be worth the sweat.
On the greywater storage front, I’m firmly in the food-grade camp. There’s a reason certain plastics are rated for potable use—some of those blue barrels people grab from car washes or factories can leach all sorts of stuff when they heat up. I’ve seen barrels warp and get brittle after a season in direct sun, and you end up with weird smells or even oily films on the water. Maybe it’s overkill if you’re just watering trees, but if there’s any chance of splashback onto edibles or pets getting into it, I’d rather not gamble.
As for UV sterilizers, I’ve tinkered with them in larger setups. The little aquarium wands don’t really have enough power to make a dent in anything bigger than a fish tank—they’re designed for slow flow rates and clear water. Scaling up means either running your water through a much beefier inline UV unit (think pool-grade) or just accepting that some algae is inevitable unless you keep things shaded and covered. Honestly, I’ve had better luck just painting tanks black or wrapping them in old billboard vinyl to block sunlight.
Funny how these “simple” green plumbing projects always turn into engineering puzzles... but hey, at least there’s never a dull moment.
Burying tanks really does make a difference with temp swings, no doubt. I’ve seen folks skip the gravel layer and end up with standing water around the tank—never ends well, especially if you get a lot of rain. On the food-grade plastic, I’m with you. I’ve cut open some of those blue barrels after a season and the inside can look pretty sketchy. For UV, unless you’re running a slow trickle and pre-filtering, it’s just not practical for most home setups. Shading or painting tanks is way less hassle in the long run. These projects always seem simple until you’re knee-deep in mud or troubleshooting leaks...
I’ve cut open some of those blue barrels after a season and the inside can look pretty sketchy. For UV, unless you’re running a slow trickle and pre-filtering, it’s just not practical for mos...
I get where you’re coming from on skipping UV, but I’ve actually seen a couple setups where it made a difference—especially if folks are using rainwater for anything beyond irrigation. It’s a pain to maintain, yeah, but sometimes shading or painting just doesn’t cut it if you’re worried about algae or bacteria. That said, I totally agree about the gravel layer. Had a job last year where someone tried to save a few bucks and ended up with a swamp around their tank after the first big storm. Not worth the headache.
sometimes shading or painting just doesn’t cut it if you’re worried about algae or bacteria
Yeah, I’ve noticed that too. Even with dark paint, I still got some funky stuff growing in my barrels after a few months. UV is a hassle, but if you’re using the water for laundry or flushing toilets, it’s probably worth the extra step. On the gravel—totally agree. Skipping proper drainage is just asking for trouble (and mud everywhere). Not fun to fix later.
