What material is the tank made from? Will exposure to the sun/heat make it leach into the water? Is harvested water safe to drink or only for garden use?
There must be a pump to shift it to the biggest boi, right? I may have missed it (Toddler was climbing on me), but all I picked up was there was a graded decline to the big cistern.
why not keep the old cistern for the chicken coop? they can drink rain water right? maybe you have to filter it a few times idk but that takes care of their h2o intake
Kevin is so polite when he discusses finances which is quite classy. That being said, as a consumer of lots of gardening and homesteading content, the thing I like most about his channels is that they demonstrate what can be accomplished with a significant amount of money. Sometimes, I will read a comment that hates on the fact that he is spending money on his gardening endeavors, which I find to be completely insane. The guy could have bought a Porsche with his money, maybe even a Ferrari, but instead he has done something completely awesome. That said, a Ferrari would be pretty awesome though, too.
Yeah I mean I don't think people understand how little I spend money on ANYTHING else, like even my clothes are random things I've had for years or gotten from a brand
Exactly what I was thinking. Get a local mural artist out there before you plant and creat barriers around it. Or build a structure that looks like a dwelling and attach a potting shed set up.
Considering the aquifers in the US are getting drained faster than they're replenishing and desalination plants are being built, I'd say he's got the right idea of prepping for a water shortage.
I’m still so impressed by how you’ve improved your property in such a quick timeline. You’re an inspiration Kevin! Thanks for doing what you do and explaining the ins and outs of your journey to an epic homestead!
It's great to see people retrofitting these. We built new in Australia and by law we had to have 20,000 Litres (similar amount to Kevin's 5,700 gallons). I'm also busy planting out as many drought/bushfire resistant species in the landscape as I can. We have to be prepared for dry summers that cycle through every few years when we are not allowed to use water outside, as well as bushfire risks. The only plants I irrigate are potted succulents that are undercover and edibles in the landscape. I can scale down the annual edibles and switch to a small hydroponic set up in dry summers for my leafy greens. The fruit trees need less and less water support as they get established. It's good to see people in other climates also managing their water responsibly.
Part of my job is helping companies apply for grants. Most utilities around the country have grants that go unused. If doing any type of upgrades to your home/land, it can't hurt to reach out to your local utilities to see what grants they have. Could be $50 towards a new toilet/low-flow shower head or thousands as mentioned in this video. I just helped a food processing plant attain a $250, 000 grant for a new compressed air system. The money that is out there going unused is crazy!
Do you have to be a homeowner to apply for these grants? I am in an organic community garden and know that so many of us would love to be able to have a rainwater reclamation system to share among our plots...
We installed three 55 gallon tanks this year and with 1 thunder storm all were filled(was not expecting that). Two of my rain barrels were free, so I 100% agree being honest about the cost to the viewers is very important. Thank you for seeing that point of view as people are starting their gardens and have a very tight budget.
I bought (2) 40-gallon rain faux rocks in 2008 from ECCO at $99 each. They look like a big rocks with a faucet and blend into my Garden. Today's price has almost doubled along with shipping. 13 years ago people thought I must be crazy. I'm in Windermere, Florida zone 9b and it rains all the time, right? We had rain once so far in May!!!! I ran out of rain water last week and I only use it to cool down my Can-O-Worms (red wigglers) and to water my porch veggies and flowers. I wish that I had purchased 4 rocks back then. Being ahead of the problem is better than chasing after it👩🌾👍
We've been waiting for this video!!! Such an awesome project. Having a backup water source is always excellent planning. Is cistern envy a thing? Because we have that. 💦
Good job! Granted it is expensive but since you live in a somewhat dryer area it’s certainly worthwhile to invest the money if you are able. Big plus is the quality of the water you can collect.
If you want to connect a splitter to the spigot you can actually permanently affix the tube to the side of the tank to be able to view the water level anytime. We used a similar tool with a floating plastic bead in the tube to measure water level at a glance. Obv in your situation it's not as important to know the exact amount of water at all times but it's an option.
I live up in Ontario, we just had a week of rain, and then a few more days of rain, and we have more rain coming next week. I think we have all the rain.
Thank you for breaking down the costs! I love the system. I think it also builds in tolerance as community. Droughts are also a thing and I remember in North Carolina when towns ran out of water. If more people were capturing water like this, getting through droughts might be more livable. Even in cities where water use is tremendous.
You could use that tote for aquaponics if you're interested in trying that. Cut it into 2 uneven halves, the bigger one for holding water and fish, the smaller one you fill with clay balls or shale rock or lava rock (no carbonate compounds in the rocks) to grow plants in. The water gets pumped up to the plants, which the bed will act as a filter, and clean water drains into the basin below. That's the basic minimum way, there's a lot more involved set ups that are even more efficient.
Rainwater Harvesting and Composting are two passions of mine. The rainwater harvesting I’m learning more and more. Here in Colorado there is a Water Rights limit of only 110 gallons for a residential home. This video is definitely a pipe dream, but I love it!
If you were ever interested in nerding out and having constant access to how much water in your storage you could branch that spigot and add a pressure transducer at the bottom. Water height = measured pressure / (density of water*gravity) Then from height you know your volume. Or just permanently add that clear tubing and attach it to the outer wall. That could also potentially give you an idea visually of how clean that water is that’s sitting in there.
I don't have a garden or house at all but I absorb every video and will know how to do everything once I have both. I will admit I prefer the homesteading videos since I love home improvement. Thanks for all of the in depth and honest content!
I live in south FL where we get tons of rain six months a year, and then scanty rains Nov-May. The metro area I live in has outrageously high water/sewer fees. They charge 2x water usage for sewer, and my avg monthly bill is $120. If the systems you installed are able to furnish potable water (via filter system) to the house it would quickly pay for itself in this area.
Rain water harvesting is a must where I live in South Africa because the summers are so dry. I've done quite a bit of research on rainwater harvesting and I was wondering why the installers didn't prepare a base for the tank using concrete, sand or crusher dust? My understanding is that this is essential to ensure the tank is level and to prevent stones from penetrating through the tank wall from all the weight.
I'm totally with you - collecting the water - rain and gray - will be our small contribution to the planet. It sure doesn't hurt with the water bill savings when you can water from the collection tanks! My little 55-gallon rain barrel will be joined soon by a 100 gallon water bladder (no idea how long that'll last, but it's a cool thing). I get way more rain in coastal Delaware, and I'm trying to convince my family to look into gray water for the sinks and showers. #fingerscrossed. Thanks for sharing the cost - very informative!
a trick is to have a wire or rebar (something metallic) that you lay down by the underground rainwater pipes. That way you can use a pretty cheap metall detector to survey your ground of pipes and stuff before you dig. This is obvisouly only useful if you ever feel that you will start to lose control of where you have all your pipes :)
so glad you included cost. you are right, to many u tubers just blow off the cost of what they do and never consider the viewers. thanks for the details and willingness to share
Trench looks a bit shallow, hopefully it won't crack. I'd also fill in the pavers underneath the smaller tank with gravel or something; rats and other critters love those types of places. Looks great though!
This is freakin' awesome. I'm interested to see what you do for moving the water around, and I'm looking forward to seeing how much water you can get in the tanks. One thing most people don't consider about water is how much energy it takes to pump it and treat it from the original source to your house. This is a great way to reduce your environmental impact.
Nice Kevin, I can tell you are stoked about that. I LOVE how it is is just hidden behind the fence from the front view for some better curb appeal, its so satisfying for some reason lol. I definitely won't need that bc i live in texas where we get 50 in of rain a year, and the wet season is actually in summer. But I feel your pain since I used to live in Saudi Arabia were some years we didn't even get any rain at all lmao.
Thank you for the breakdown! Definitely happy you did that and the fun tip on the grant. Can't wait until it does rain again, blessing us with a rainy fall/winter. 👏🏼❤
Great video! Exciting project. I am glad you discovered the grants. I just asked about how much water are able to harvest in San Diego, so I was interested to hear more about your water capturing journey. So relevant in San Diego!
For those who can't afford it yet, don't forget there are many potentially free ways to store rainwater. One would be using buried logs as a sponge to soak up and store rain, such as in a hugelkultur. Another would be a swale dug on a slope to allow water to seep into the soil instead of run off
Nice. I am in the southwest desert. I put gutters with down spouts, and 4x50 gallon barrels for my first step. I use the catch to water a few citrus trees and a raised bed for veggies.
YOU CAN ADD THE CHIKEN COOP WATER BY ADDING A SMALL 30 GAL DRUM TO 'RECEIVE' THE RAIN-W / USING A TRASFER PUMP WITH A FLOAT VALVE, ONCE ITS FULL FLOAT CLOSE THE CIRC. AND WATER IS PUMPED OVER THE LOCATION YOU NEED. MOST PUMPS ARE 20 FT VERTICAL LIFT
bro... you must be SOOO happy you installed this with all the rain this year. SUUUCH a huge fan of your channel. Would love for you to come visit our 1 acre home food forest
I think the key for some folks is self reliance. I'd sleep good every night knowing I have a system that can provide for my family in case of extreme emergencies.
That is Awesome, Kev! Best thing ever for your garden so, $$ wise worth it , IMO! "Blessings of Bounty and May Your Gardens and your Life always Bring You Joy, Inspiration and Abundance!" - Hope( & Mark)!
Awesome video, love your money break downs helps figure out if things are doable. Got to hook up my other rain barrel to collect some more water. Using it to water my indoor plants and going to start using the water for the garden.
You are wise because the drought will be so hard for your state that restrictions will ensue. Because you have a tank you could fill it ahead a quarter with tap water and add with any rain you get. You would then have insurance to be able to grow your vegetables and your fruit trees with your stored water for a time.
The tanks generally come in trade sizes. The 500 gallon looks to be a 4' diameter, 6 foot tall tank. Edit: Yes, he has the Norwesco tank linked in the description. It's a 4' x 6' tank.
You don't seem to be slowing down on developing the property and the garden. Really great and don't forget that rainwater can pick up nitrogen when it falls through the air especially when there is lightning about. And you're right it's the best water for the garden!
That’s cool about the lightening, I didn’t even think about how the charges in the atmosphere could possibly change the charges of the water and its bonding with the N in the air Science is dope
Definitely epic, my folks did the grey 25 yrs ago in north county and It could only be the laundry. It did a great job keeping that part of the property looking green year round. Now I live in Vegas and nobody even has gutters.. it’s a weird thing!
Good work mate, its good to see. Ive been taking your advice with the potato planting i uploaded a short video for my sister to see how easy the no dig method is
I love what you are creating and that you take us along for the ride. Question: Are you aware of any problems storing water in this manner for long stretches of time? i.e. infestation, etc., I was just wondering.
Great information and much thanks about being transparent about the costs (although I am getting tired of that word “Transparent”). But it does show that often times there is some sort of rebate or grant that is available if you just look for it.
My rainwater system currently consists of two garbage cans totalling about 60 gallons LOL. But every little bit does help - so if you're like me and aren't ready to build a massive system just yet, don't be discouraged. Start with whatever you can and work your way up.
Hi Kevin, I love the idea of collecting rainwater (also here in San Diego), in your opinion, do we really get enough rain each year to make it worth the investment for all of these tanks? I’m not a native San Diego in but I’ve lived here for about six years, and I feel like we get 2 weeks of heavy rain in January, and 1-2 weeks in October and that’s it
Here's something most people don't realize: in a wildfire or other natural disaster situation, the entire grid can go down and that includes not just power but cell towers and even water. That was the situation in the fires up here last year where the supply lines melted, and I vowed to be self-sufficient after that, to the tune of a bank of IBCs. (No room for a 5000gal behemoth, and much cheaper.)
Norwesco! Grant money! You clever lad 🤣. I looked into rain barrels and found a cheap, local source for two 55 gal barrels….but wait….”recycled plastic” is NOT a storage barrel for a veg garden. (Research!) Norwesco has durable, food safe containers. Because I get 45” of rain per year, my needs are lighter. A 165 gal Norwesco is available at < $400 and is a tall, narrow container which may be a bit easier to fit into a yard as well as a budget. Kevin, I really appreciate this video and your continuing inspiration. Well done!
I wonder how thrilled they are to look out their upstairs window at the behemoth! Between all the work and the filming for the tv show, they gotta love him. Not.
@@epichomesteading Bwahahaha! That's what my neighbors say about us. Would not surprise them at all to see us rolling a cistern the size of their house off a flatbed! That said, they see weird stuff get delivered all the time and then never see what we do with it, so they'd love nothing more than to house sit for us just once to see what the inside of our house looks like. The best was when we had a delivery ship early and arrive while we were out of town. It required a signature so we arranged for them to sign for it. It was labeled on the box "ballistic materials" with warnings printed on tape all over it. They never asked... just shook their heads!" Those Page's are at it again!
@@karenpage9383 I bet they don't mind it as much as you think. It's not a TV crew filming. It's two guys in a garden that happen to have cameras. Sometimes they have friends over for big projects.
@@HomesteadDreaming Actually, there has been a film crew there for a tv show they were filming. He's been quiet on the subject for awhile unless I missed the update, so either they dropped the project or they are continuing to film periodically as the homestead continues its transformation. I can't remember if it was HGTV or TLC or what, but he was pretty stoked about it shortly after moving in. Kevin, wanna give an update??? 😁
Sadly, here in my state in Australia, the grant levels suck, which is surprising considering we are the land of drought and flooding rains lol. I want to set up an IBC system, more so because our area uses chloramines in the drinking water, and I want a better water source for the garden.
Hey Kevin. Great video! Did you have to have special permits for any of your rain collection units? I live in NorCal and have been interested in rain harvesting on a much smaller scale but very interested in leading all about it. My county has super expensive water rates as well so anyway I can save on water the better. Interesting that San Diego County has grants! Very cool! We had grey water in Placer County. I’m not in that county now and in a development so not likely to happen here. Thanks for the info! Awesome video and congratulations on your growing success and beautiful garden.
Waiting for a word about that "cheerful'" Birdie. Will we be able to order the custom colors here in the USA? Thank you for your efforts to bring them here at such reasonable prices.
It's also worth saying that in some places like here in Australia and my own country England that water prices are actually really expensive. But it's definitely worth weighing everything up. Wish more people would collect water in the UK we get so much of it.
You should turn your old water ibc’s into aquaponic systems! That way you can start growing your own tilapia!! I think it should only cost a couple hundred more dollars to get completely setup
anyone who has a pool and works on their own equipment will understand what you're saying because water flow works the same way. This was a great video. It is really nice to see your journey and how you are becoming self sustainable. on another topic, have you looked into the Tesla battery for your solar panels?
Are you going to utilize the rain barrel system to provide the chickens water? I know it might be a pain but you can use another barrel for their coop. I love their water system it keeps the water cool and circulating all the time.
As expensive as it is I would still do it. With as little rain as you get and while tap is cheaper I'd keep it filled 80% and use the rest. I have a tank just a 5000lt. I would prefer a pump on it and im looking at doing it now. With a poly tank I just tap the side to check the level. Works for me😉. I'd love another one on the other side of the house for the gutters there but I'd need a slim line one as there isn't much room. I'm on the coast of Queensland Australia and as much rain as we get im still not comfortable with not having our own water storage. If you go to properties out in rural Oz its paramount you have 2 or more per structure. You've done a great thing here in my book. Awesome work. And how cool are those grants!!!😍😍
Wow! That was something I've not seen before! Big Daddy Cistern! That is so amazing! Insurance is right, you never know what the future will bring. Silly question....could you paint it? What about placing a tall trellis around it with vining plants to help disguise it? Glad you got those $10 000 grants! Our province gets 1110 ml (44") average rainfall AND 333 cm (131") average snowfall. I guess we take our abundant water supply for granted.
Any questions on rainwater capture? Let me know and I'll do a Q&A episode.
What material is the tank made from? Will exposure to the sun/heat make it leach into the water? Is harvested water safe to drink or only for garden use?
Do you have to deal with any regulations on holding water on your property?
Why so large scale? I live in Lake Elsinore CA and we've only gotten 4 inches this year. We cap at 7 to 8 inches a year total.
There must be a pump to shift it to the biggest boi, right? I may have missed it (Toddler was climbing on me), but all I picked up was there was a graded decline to the big cistern.
why not keep the old cistern for the chicken coop? they can drink rain water right? maybe you have to filter it a few times idk but that takes care of their h2o intake
Kevin is so polite when he discusses finances which is quite classy. That being said, as a consumer of lots of gardening and homesteading content, the thing I like most about his channels is that they demonstrate what can be accomplished with a significant amount of money. Sometimes, I will read a comment that hates on the fact that he is spending money on his gardening endeavors, which I find to be completely insane. The guy could have bought a Porsche with his money, maybe even a Ferrari, but instead he has done something completely awesome. That said, a Ferrari would be pretty awesome though, too.
Yeah I mean I don't think people understand how little I spend money on ANYTHING else, like even my clothes are random things I've had for years or gotten from a brand
Ferrari would be awesome until you need to change the oil :)
I think the giant rain barrel needs some artwork! Like a mural with the logo or something!
Yes! Fabulous idea!
Exactly what I was thinking. Get a local mural artist out there before you plant and creat barriers around it. Or build a structure that looks like a dwelling and attach a potting shed set up.
@@jenedge5579 jungle mural!
I bet he plants lots of plants around it instead.
The cost breakdown explanation at the end. Kevin's prepping for a zombie apocalypse pandemic here. LOL. I'm here for it.
Exactly !!
After zombie apocalypse, neighbors come over, “We haven’t been looking at that dam thing outside our windows for nothing” 🧟♂️💧
Yeah what kind of cost break down was thst ? He didn’t mention how much anything cost really...
@@xXelitegpXx He was out 2000 and the city paid for 10,000. So it was 12,000...
Considering the aquifers in the US are getting drained faster than they're replenishing and desalination plants are being built, I'd say he's got the right idea of prepping for a water shortage.
The transparency is much appreciated. I hope more people take advantage of the grants like you do. Looking forward to your first rain collection! 😁
I totally agree. I was so appreciative of that info.
I’m still so impressed by how you’ve improved your property in such a quick timeline. You’re an inspiration Kevin! Thanks for doing what you do and explaining the ins and outs of your journey to an epic homestead!
It's great to see people retrofitting these. We built new in Australia and by law we had to have 20,000 Litres (similar amount to Kevin's 5,700 gallons). I'm also busy planting out as many drought/bushfire resistant species in the landscape as I can. We have to be prepared for dry summers that cycle through every few years when we are not allowed to use water outside, as well as bushfire risks. The only plants I irrigate are potted succulents that are undercover and edibles in the landscape. I can scale down the annual edibles and switch to a small hydroponic set up in dry summers for my leafy greens. The fruit trees need less and less water support as they get established. It's good to see people in other climates also managing their water responsibly.
Holy moly $10,000 in grants. How are more people not making the most of that?
Part of my job is helping companies apply for grants. Most utilities around the country have grants that go unused. If doing any type of upgrades to your home/land, it can't hurt to reach out to your local utilities to see what grants they have. Could be $50 towards a new toilet/low-flow shower head or thousands as mentioned in this video. I just helped a food processing plant attain a $250, 000 grant for a new compressed air system. The money that is out there going unused is crazy!
@@mrsmoe100 are you dealing with grants in San Diego? I'd be interested in learning more about these grants but have no idea where to start.
That is crazy! I'd be all over those grants myself🤣
Do you have to be a homeowner to apply for these grants? I am in an organic community garden and know that so many of us would love to be able to have a rainwater reclamation system to share among our plots...
Most people rent and aren’t wealth land owners *** check your privilege
We installed three 55 gallon tanks this year and with 1 thunder storm all were filled(was not expecting that). Two of my rain barrels were free, so I 100% agree being honest about the cost to the viewers is very important. Thank you for seeing that point of view as people are starting their gardens and have a very tight budget.
I just found out my city in Kansas is paying $75 a rain barrel up to 2 rain barrels. Completing my form now.
Hey I’m in Kansas care to elaborate? I’m new to all of this.
To check the water level you can also just knock on the side of the tank. It's a thud where there is water, and sounds hollow where it's empty
Kenyan here, (East Africa) just from doing this to check on the house water storage 🤣🤣
And here I was just wanting to get lil barrels for rainwater to water my plants. #goals
I bought (2) 40-gallon rain faux rocks in 2008 from ECCO at $99 each. They look like a big rocks with a faucet and blend into my Garden. Today's price has almost doubled along with shipping.
13 years ago people thought I must be crazy. I'm in Windermere, Florida zone 9b and it rains all the time, right? We had rain once so far in May!!!! I ran out of rain water last week and I only use it to cool down my Can-O-Worms (red wigglers) and to water my porch veggies and flowers.
I wish that I had purchased 4 rocks back then. Being ahead of the problem is better than chasing after it👩🌾👍
Definitely puts my buckets and totes to shame.
We've been waiting for this video!!! Such an awesome project. Having a backup water source is always excellent planning. Is cistern envy a thing? Because we have that. 💦
Glad you like it!
Good job! Granted it is expensive but since you live in a somewhat dryer area it’s certainly worthwhile to invest the money if you are able. Big plus is the quality of the water you can collect.
If you want to connect a splitter to the spigot you can actually permanently affix the tube to the side of the tank to be able to view the water level anytime. We used a similar tool with a floating plastic bead in the tube to measure water level at a glance. Obv in your situation it's not as important to know the exact amount of water at all times but it's an option.
Good tip--but those clear tubes will get algae growth.
I appreciate you being up front and honest about the cost of a system like this :)
Keep in mind as water supplies dwindle the price will go up. Also having water separate from the normal supply is always a good backup
I live up in Ontario, we just had a week of rain, and then a few more days of rain, and we have more rain coming next week. I think we have all the rain.
Gimme some please!
@@epichomesteading I will point some fans at the clouds. Hopefully that does the trick.
I am over in Hastings Ont - can you send some? I am desperate O_o
I live in the Pacific Northwest on the “wet coast”. We barely ever need to water our garden. Days on days of ☔️ 🙂🇨🇦
I'm in NJ and we just went 17 days without rain. I know that's nothing for California...
Thank you for breaking down the costs! I love the system. I think it also builds in tolerance as community. Droughts are also a thing and I remember in North Carolina when towns ran out of water. If more people were capturing water like this, getting through droughts might be more livable. Even in cities where water use is tremendous.
Great setup. I'll trust rain water over city water any time. Here's to a lot of rain 🌧
You could use that tote for aquaponics if you're interested in trying that. Cut it into 2 uneven halves, the bigger one for holding water and fish, the smaller one you fill with clay balls or shale rock or lava rock (no carbonate compounds in the rocks) to grow plants in. The water gets pumped up to the plants, which the bed will act as a filter, and clean water drains into the basin below. That's the basic minimum way, there's a lot more involved set ups that are even more efficient.
My system - $5 55 gal barrel, $30 spigot conversion kit with diverter, $5 hose (2nd hand). That's it :P
Rainwater Harvesting and Composting are two passions of mine. The rainwater harvesting I’m learning more and more. Here in Colorado there is a Water Rights limit of only 110 gallons for a residential home. This video is definitely a pipe dream, but I love it!
If you were ever interested in nerding out and having constant access to how much water in your storage you could branch that spigot and add a pressure transducer at the bottom. Water height = measured pressure / (density of water*gravity)
Then from height you know your volume.
Or just permanently add that clear tubing and attach it to the outer wall. That could also potentially give you an idea visually of how clean that water is that’s sitting in there.
Smart!
Yes. Thank you for updating us on this and the honesty about the cost. This is so interesting.
I don't have a garden or house at all but I absorb every video and will know how to do everything once I have both. I will admit I prefer the homesteading videos since I love home improvement. Thanks for all of the in depth and honest content!
I think he should get some kind of water rain capture guiness record, geez.
I live in south FL where we get tons of rain six months a year, and then scanty rains Nov-May. The metro area I live in has outrageously high water/sewer fees. They charge 2x water usage for sewer, and my avg monthly bill is $120. If the systems you installed are able to furnish potable water (via filter system) to the house it would quickly pay for itself in this area.
Rain water harvesting is a must where I live in South Africa because the summers are so dry. I've done quite a bit of research on rainwater harvesting and I was wondering why the installers didn't prepare a base for the tank using concrete, sand or crusher dust? My understanding is that this is essential to ensure the tank is level and to prevent stones from penetrating through the tank wall from all the weight.
I'm totally with you - collecting the water - rain and gray - will be our small contribution to the planet. It sure doesn't hurt with the water bill savings when you can water from the collection tanks! My little 55-gallon rain barrel will be joined soon by a 100 gallon water bladder (no idea how long that'll last, but it's a cool thing). I get way more rain in coastal Delaware, and I'm trying to convince my family to look into gray water for the sinks and showers. #fingerscrossed. Thanks for sharing the cost - very informative!
a trick is to have a wire or rebar (something metallic) that you lay down by the underground rainwater pipes. That way you can use a pretty cheap metall detector to survey your ground of pipes and stuff before you dig. This is obvisouly only useful if you ever feel that you will start to lose control of where you have all your pipes :)
Good tip!
so glad you included cost. you are right, to many u tubers just blow off the cost of what they do and never consider the viewers. thanks for the details and willingness to share
Trench looks a bit shallow, hopefully it won't crack. I'd also fill in the pavers underneath the smaller tank with gravel or something; rats and other critters love those types of places. Looks great though!
The gravel is a good idea, nice point
This is freakin' awesome. I'm interested to see what you do for moving the water around, and I'm looking forward to seeing how much water you can get in the tanks. One thing most people don't consider about water is how much energy it takes to pump it and treat it from the original source to your house. This is a great way to reduce your environmental impact.
Rain water is much better for your garden! 💜 I have cistern envy!!!
Nice Kevin, I can tell you are stoked about that. I LOVE how it is is just hidden behind the fence from the front view for some better curb appeal, its so satisfying for some reason lol. I definitely won't need that bc i live in texas where we get 50 in of rain a year, and the wet season is actually in summer. But I feel your pain since I used to live in Saudi Arabia were some years we didn't even get any rain at all lmao.
Thank you for the breakdown! Definitely happy you did that and the fun tip on the grant. Can't wait until it does rain again, blessing us with a rainy fall/winter. 👏🏼❤
Great video! Exciting project. I am glad you discovered the grants. I just asked about how much water are able to harvest in San Diego, so I was interested to hear more about your water capturing journey. So relevant in San Diego!
Here's hoping San Diego gets one of those random summer storms so we can see this bad boy working.
Love everything you're doing here on the new property! So inspiring, hope to do the same some day.
For those who can't afford it yet, don't forget there are many potentially free ways to store rainwater. One would be using buried logs as a sponge to soak up and store rain, such as in a hugelkultur. Another would be a swale dug on a slope to allow water to seep into the soil instead of run off
That is amazing all the paper work effort that you did to get this system. Thanks much for explaining how you made this happen.
I really appreciate your honesty about the cost of a system like this. I live in a super dry part of Cali too... the water struggle is real!
Thankfully your area allows for rainwater collection. This is something anyone needs to consider when looking for property or moving.
In Scotland we'd call that amount of water a swimming pool 😂😂😂😂
I thought you’d call that an average days rain 😂
@@JonShep93 hahaha, 😂😂 we collect that amount in minutes here. ☔☔☔☔
Nice. I am in the southwest desert. I put gutters with down spouts, and 4x50 gallon barrels for my first step. I use the catch to water a few citrus trees and a raised bed for veggies.
I’ve been excited for this one! So interesting and LOVE how it sits right under the new fence level
Can't wait to see you get some rain! You are going to need it seeing the heat ramping up in the west.
Damn! Those grants came to save the day 🤑💰
dude great video, half of the battle is being prepared and with this addition you are ready to grow
awesomeeee! thank you for the price transparency & letting us know to look out for local grants!!!❤️👍🏻👍🏻
We just added more tanks to our system. Waiting for it to rain now! Great video, thanks.
The clear tape rope method is genius!
Right? The first time I saw someone do that, I felt like Gru in Despicable Me: “ Light...bulb...”
Good stuff Kevin. A clean water reserve is a great resource!
I've been watching for about a year and a half and amazed by the progression. Yeah I follow your on IG too
YOU CAN ADD THE CHIKEN COOP WATER BY ADDING A SMALL 30 GAL DRUM TO 'RECEIVE' THE RAIN-W / USING A TRASFER PUMP WITH A FLOAT VALVE, ONCE ITS FULL FLOAT CLOSE THE CIRC. AND WATER IS PUMPED OVER THE LOCATION YOU NEED. MOST PUMPS ARE 20 FT VERTICAL LIFT
The cost of tap water in San Diego recently increased and will continue to go up over time. Probably not 10x though. Nice setup you got there
I can't wait until the fence video!
Super jealous of the new homestead hoping I can do the same when I retire
bro... you must be SOOO happy you installed this with all the rain this year. SUUUCH a huge fan of your channel. Would love for you to come visit our 1 acre home food forest
no matter what, rainwater will green your plants in a way that no tap water can, period... solid stuff...
I think the key for some folks is self reliance. I'd sleep good every night knowing I have a system that can provide for my family in case of extreme emergencies.
Excellent, thanks Kevin. I'm going to check out my local council, see if they offer grants for water collection.
That is Awesome, Kev! Best thing ever for your garden so, $$ wise worth it , IMO! "Blessings of Bounty and May Your Gardens and your Life always Bring You Joy, Inspiration and Abundance!" - Hope( & Mark)!
Thanks for the transparency with your channels. Greatly appreciate it.
Great and interesting video as always 👍
Awesome video, love your money break downs helps figure out if things are doable. Got to hook up my other rain barrel to collect some more water. Using it to water my indoor plants and going to start using the water for the garden.
Since there is no water yet; consider installing floating filter/strainer to reduce debris coming out from the water outlet
Thanks for the cost breakdown at the end Kevin!
You are wise because the drought will be so hard for your state that restrictions will ensue. Because you have a tank you could fill it ahead a quarter with tap water and add with any rain you get. You would then have insurance to be able to grow your vegetables and your fruit trees with your stored water for a time.
The tank measurements would be great. i am especially interested in that 500 gallon. I've been anxiously awaiting the tank and fence videos. Thank you
The tanks generally come in trade sizes. The 500 gallon looks to be a 4' diameter, 6 foot tall tank.
Edit: Yes, he has the Norwesco tank linked in the description. It's a 4' x 6' tank.
@@spirituallyinsane Thank you. I should have looked.
@@grandpaslakehouse-homestea6113 no stress. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Finally- looks awesome!!! Now I understand a lot more on this.
You don't seem to be slowing down on developing the property and the garden. Really great and don't forget that rainwater can pick up nitrogen when it falls through the air especially when there is lightning about. And you're right it's the best water for the garden!
Agreeeed!
That’s cool about the lightening, I didn’t even think about how the charges in the atmosphere could possibly change the charges of the water and its bonding with the N in the air
Science is dope
@@radiclelife science rocks! Lightning is often referenced in the nitrogen cycle diagrams 🙂
@@TobyRobb yeah? I must’ve learned from a very basic model then 😒 thank you tho, I love connecting these kinds of pieces togrther
Definitely epic, my folks did the grey 25 yrs ago in north county and It could only be the laundry. It did a great job keeping that part of the property looking green year round.
Now I live in Vegas and nobody even has gutters.. it’s a weird thing!
Lol!! We have one of these to complement our 800 foot deep well here in Oceanside. It’s a strangely comforting feeling having that giant tank.
Got to love it, you always come on here with good news thanks bro ❤💚🍃
Good work mate, its good to see. Ive been taking your advice with the potato planting i uploaded a short video for my sister to see how easy the no dig method is
I love what you are creating and that you take us along for the ride. Question: Are you aware of any problems storing water in this manner for long stretches of time? i.e. infestation, etc., I was just wondering.
Unsure!
Great information and much thanks about being transparent about the costs (although I am getting tired of that word “Transparent”). But it does show that often times there is some sort of rebate or grant that is available if you just look for it.
My rainwater system currently consists of two garbage cans totalling about 60 gallons LOL. But every little bit does help - so if you're like me and aren't ready to build a massive system just yet, don't be discouraged. Start with whatever you can and work your way up.
Hi Kevin, I love the idea of collecting rainwater (also here in San Diego), in your opinion, do we really get enough rain each year to make it worth the investment for all of these tanks? I’m not a native San Diego in but I’ve lived here for about six years, and I feel like we get 2 weeks of heavy rain in January, and 1-2 weeks in October and that’s it
Here's something most people don't realize: in a wildfire or other natural disaster situation, the entire grid can go down and that includes not just power but cell towers and even water. That was the situation in the fires up here last year where the supply lines melted, and I vowed to be self-sufficient after that, to the tune of a bank of IBCs. (No room for a 5000gal behemoth, and much cheaper.)
My guy bought a whole water tower. Hahaha! Lezzgooo
Norwesco! Grant money! You clever lad 🤣. I looked into rain barrels and found a cheap, local source for two 55 gal barrels….but wait….”recycled plastic” is NOT a storage barrel for a veg garden. (Research!) Norwesco has durable, food safe containers. Because I get 45” of rain per year, my needs are lighter. A 165 gal Norwesco is available at < $400 and is a tall, narrow container which may be a bit easier to fit into a yard as well as a budget. Kevin, I really appreciate this video and your continuing inspiration. Well done!
I wonder what your neighbors were thinking when you brought those in haha
I wonder how thrilled they are to look out their upstairs window at the behemoth! Between all the work and the filming for the tv show, they gotta love him. Not.
"here he goes again..."
@@epichomesteading Bwahahaha! That's what my neighbors say about us. Would not surprise them at all to see us rolling a cistern the size of their house off a flatbed! That said, they see weird stuff get delivered all the time and then never see what we do with it, so they'd love nothing more than to house sit for us just once to see what the inside of our house looks like. The best was when we had a delivery ship early and arrive while we were out of town. It required a signature so we arranged for them to sign for it. It was labeled on the box "ballistic materials" with warnings printed on tape all over it. They never asked... just shook their heads!" Those Page's are at it again!
@@karenpage9383 I bet they don't mind it as much as you think. It's not a TV crew filming. It's two guys in a garden that happen to have cameras. Sometimes they have friends over for big projects.
@@HomesteadDreaming Actually, there has been a film crew there for a tv show they were filming. He's been quiet on the subject for awhile unless I missed the update, so either they dropped the project or they are continuing to film periodically as the homestead continues its transformation. I can't remember if it was HGTV or TLC or what, but he was pretty stoked about it shortly after moving in. Kevin, wanna give an update??? 😁
Sadly, here in my state in Australia, the grant levels suck, which is surprising considering we are the land of drought and flooding rains lol.
I want to set up an IBC system, more so because our area uses chloramines in the drinking water, and I want a better water source for the garden.
I would like to see an update on your dragonfruits!!!
Appreciate the honesty Kev - keeping it real
Hey Kevin. Great video! Did you have to have special permits for any of your rain collection units? I live in NorCal and have been interested in rain harvesting on a much smaller scale but very interested in leading all about it. My county has super expensive water rates as well so anyway I can save on water the better. Interesting that San Diego County has grants! Very cool! We had grey water in Placer County. I’m not in that county now and in a development so not likely to happen here. Thanks for the info! Awesome video and congratulations on your growing success and beautiful garden.
Didn't, no!
Thanks for responding! Have a fabulous day!
tapping on the tank is an easy way to find the level, it will make a thud noise when you get to the water level
Waiting for a word about that "cheerful'" Birdie. Will we be able to order the custom colors here in the USA? Thank you for your efforts to bring them here at such reasonable prices.
I must say, after your last video, my moruga scorpion germinated. You're a blessing.
It's also worth saying that in some places like here in Australia and my own country England that water prices are actually really expensive. But it's definitely worth weighing everything up. Wish more people would collect water in the UK we get so much of it.
You should turn your old water ibc’s into aquaponic systems! That way you can start growing your own tilapia!! I think it should only cost a couple hundred more dollars to get completely setup
anyone who has a pool and works on their own equipment will understand what you're saying because water flow works the same way. This was a great video. It is really nice to see your journey and how you are becoming self sustainable. on another topic, have you looked into the Tesla battery for your solar panels?
Once battery costs come down, I'll consider
Great presentation of the work! Looks fantastic.
Are you going to utilize the rain barrel system to provide the chickens water? I know it might be a pain but you can use another barrel for their coop. I love their water system it keeps the water cool and circulating all the time.
As expensive as it is I would still do it. With as little rain as you get and while tap is cheaper I'd keep it filled 80% and use the rest. I have a tank just a 5000lt. I would prefer a pump on it and im looking at doing it now. With a poly tank I just tap the side to check the level. Works for me😉. I'd love another one on the other side of the house for the gutters there but I'd need a slim line one as there isn't much room. I'm on the coast of Queensland Australia and as much rain as we get im still not comfortable with not having our own water storage. If you go to properties out in rural Oz its paramount you have 2 or more per structure. You've done a great thing here in my book. Awesome work. And how cool are those grants!!!😍😍
Wow! That was something I've not seen before! Big Daddy Cistern! That is so amazing! Insurance is right, you never know what the future will bring. Silly question....could you paint it? What about placing a tall trellis around it with vining plants to help disguise it? Glad you got those $10 000 grants! Our province gets 1110 ml (44") average rainfall AND 333 cm (131") average snowfall. I guess we take our abundant water supply for granted.
I will be landscapign it!