Been thinking about putting together a rain harvesting setup at my place—nothing fancy, just something practical to water the garden and maybe cut down on the water bill a bit. I've seen a bunch of DIY videos, but honestly, I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the bits and pieces involved. Like, do I really need a fancy filter or can I get away with something simpler? And what about tanks—plastic vs metal, pros and cons?
Also, gutters and downspouts...are there specific types that work better for this kind of thing? I mean, I don't wanna spend a fortune, but I also don't wanna end up with something that's gonna leak or rust out in a year, you know?
If anyone's done this before, it'd be great to hear what worked well for you or if there's anything you'd avoid next time around.
Honestly, you don't need to go crazy with the filters—unless you're planning to drink it, a simple mesh screen to keep leaves and bugs out usually does the trick. As for tanks, plastic is cheaper and won't rust, but metal lasts longer if you get a good quality one. I went plastic myself (budget reasons), and it's held up fine so far. Gutters-wise, aluminum is your friend—affordable, lightweight, and doesn't rust easily. Just make sure they're installed properly or you'll be chasing leaks forever...trust me on that one.
Totally agree on aluminum gutters—seen way too many DIY setups leak because of sloppy installs. One thing I'd add: consider a simple first-flush diverter. Keeps the initial dirty runoff out, saves you hassle cleaning the tank later...worth the small extra effort imo.
Good call on the diverter—I put one in after my first tank turned into a mosquito breeding ground (lesson learned the hard way...). But honestly, aluminum gutters aren't always the villain. I've seen some PVC setups leak just as badly if they're not sealed right. The key is taking your time with the joints and using a good quality sealant. Trust me, nothing ruins your weekend faster than chasing down mystery leaks in the rain.
Good call on the diverter—I put one in after my first tank turned into a mosquito breeding ground (lesson learned the hard way...).
Yeah, sealing those joints properly is definitely key. I went with PVC gutters myself—cheaper and easier to handle solo—but had to redo a couple sections after the first heavy rain. Also, about filters: I skipped the fancy ones and just used a simple mesh screen. Works fine for garden watering, but if you're thinking of anything more sensitive (like veggies), you might wanna step it up a notch.
