Good call on shading the tank—I had an algae bloom once and it was nasty to clean out. About the first-flush diverter though, is it really necessary if you have good gutter guards? I mean, wouldn't decent leaf screens already keep most of the junk out? Genuinely curious, because I'm planning my setup now and trying not to overcomplicate things...
Good gutter guards definitely help, but first-flush diverters catch finer stuff like pollen, dust, and bird droppings that screens might miss. I’ve seen setups without diverters do fine, though the water quality usually isn't as good. Depends how clean you need the water—are you using it just for garden irrigation or planning on household use too?
I agree, first-flush diverters really do make a noticeable difference, especially if you're aiming for household use. I've managed a few rental properties with rain harvesting setups, and tenants definitely notice the water quality when diverters are installed. Gutter guards alone are decent enough for watering gardens or washing cars, but if you're planning on using the water indoors—like laundry or toilets—you'll want that extra filtration step.
One thing to consider is maintenance. Diverters need regular checking and cleaning, otherwise they clog up and become less effective over time. I've had tenants neglect them, and trust me, it's not fun dealing with backed-up systems later on. So factor in how hands-on you're willing to be with upkeep.
Also, think about your roof material. Metal roofs generally produce cleaner runoff compared to asphalt shingles, which can shed granules and chemicals into your water supply. If you've got shingles, I'd definitely recommend the diverter route... just my two cents from experience.
Good points here. I'm curious though, has anyone noticed a big difference in the amount of debris collected by diverters depending on surrounding trees? At my parents' place, they have tons of pine trees nearby, and even with gutter guards, needles still seem to find their way in. Wondering if certain diverter brands or setups handle that better... would hate to install something only to realize it's not suited for our specific situation.
Yeah, pine needles are notoriously tricky. My neighbor has a similar issue—tons of pine trees around his property—and he tried a few different setups before settling on something that worked decently. He ended up going with a diverter that has a larger mesh size specifically designed for needles, combined with a first flush system. The bigger mesh lets the needles slide off easier, and the first flush catches most of the smaller debris that sneaks through.
From what I've seen, brands like Leaf Eater or Rain Harvesting seem to have decent needle-specific options. But honestly, no setup is 100% foolproof with pines. You might still need to do occasional maintenance, but it should be way less frequent. Definitely worth looking into those needle-specific meshes before committing to anything expensive. Good luck!
