Category: DIY (Page 1 of 2)

Building an infiltration trench – a complete guide

February 7, 2017 / nick / 0 Comments

Credit: Rainwater Harvesting

In short, an infiltration trench is a trough in the ground for water to flow into for the purpose of recharging the water table and to provide precious moisture to plants and trees in the area. It is with a built with a passive overflow to reduce ponding and flooding on the property. Depending on available space and proximity to building structures can determine the size and available free volume for the infiltration trench to hold.

In our complete guide to building an infiltration trench, we’ll show you a thorough 6-step process of how to design an infiltration trench, where to build it, how to build it and what to fill it with. Finally we’ll show you a way to make it pretty in the landscape.

Pumps for unloading recycled water

October 5, 2016 / nick / 0 Comments

pumps There are many different manufacturers of pumps that are excellent at unloading recycled water tanks, barrels or bags. They all serve a purpose, but vary by size, weight and capacity. Some pumps may look the same and function the same but are branded differently.

We’ve chosen a few that we’ve seen most often, they’re mostly purchased at Harbor Freight due to price and availability. Many people hauling recycled water wanted to do so on the cheap and Harbor Freight helped to make that possible.

Combat Carbon Atmospheric Levels With Trees

September 29, 2016 / nick / 0 Comments

Tesla posted an article on their Facebook page about Carbon Dioxde (CO₂) emissions passing the 400PPM mark, of which they then followed it up with a battery storage post. News flash, batteries don’t store CO₂. Tree’s do. We should plant more trees.

As seen in the graphic from NASA above, tree’s should be planted in area’s where the red color is darkest. This is where we’ll have the biggest impact.
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Above Ground Irrigation with Recycled Water

August 31, 2016 / nick / 0 Comments

Use a wand when hand watering.

As repeatedly written, it is illegal to plumb recycled water to an existing irrigation system, especially if there is a possibility for recycled water and drinking water to mix. Recycled Water Fill Station users who decide to use their existing in-ground irrigation systems with recycled water risk losing their access to the free resource and could face fines or penalties for taking such steps.

Preventative Maintenance Increases Utility Pump Reliability

August 10, 2016 / nick / 3 Comments

Label on back of pump.

UPDATE: 7/29/2022

If you bought a Pacific Hydrostar Portable Utility Pump – Model 65836 – from Harbor Freight you may have noticed extra parts in the box and a label on the pump that says “Check brushes after every 100 hours of use and replace as needed.”

What does this label mean and why should you care? The motor has something called ‘Carbon Brushes’ inside which help to ‘excite’ the motor to make it spin. These will wear down over time and cleaning them every now and then can keep your pump running smoothly. Read on to find how to perform preventative maintenance on your utility water pump to ensure its reliability in the future.

DIY: Storing recycled water in an IBC tote

July 26, 2016 / nick / 0 Comments

Use a wand when hand watering.

Its late in the day, you just picked up a load of recycled water but you don’t have time to water the yard. What can you do? Unload your tank into a temporary storage tank and water the plants when you have time.

In this guide, we’ll show you what one recycled water hauler built to make his life easier.

DIY: How to hook up an IBC Tote to garden hose

July 19, 2016 / nick / 0 Comments

Source: KellyDrums.com

IBC Totes, 275 gallon totes, 300 gallon totes, carboys or whatever you want to call them. These things.

They’re big, they hold a lot of water, and they’re difficult to hook up to garden hoses. Why? Fittings for them are hard to find at the local hardware store.

Fire up your creativity, we’re going to show you how to hook up an IBC tote to a garden hose.

Are you choking your pump?

July 10, 2016 / nick / 0 Comments

Shut-off valves restrict flow.

I’ve always used a shutoff valve on the hose to my recycled water bladder so that when I’m done filling up I could have an easy way to seal the bag. When unloading, I would just open the valve when connected to my pump. Little did I know that valve was causing problems. The biggest part was I was choking my pump.

DIY: How to Strap Down a Water Barrel

June 16, 2016 / nick / 0 Comments

Single barrel strapped down.

For every recycled water hauler, there comes a time of uncertainty, especially when it comes to figuring out how to strap down a 55 gallon barrel in a truck. When full of water, the barrel will weigh over 450 pounds.

I had the same reservations when I hauled my first load with a 55 gallon barrel. I thought that by strapping the side of the barrel, the strap would be too low and the barrel would tip over. Honestly, there is so much weight when the barrel is full, it won’t tip – unless you drive like an idiot.

So how do you strap down a water barrel?

DIY: How to prime a utility water pump

June 11, 2016 / nick / 0 Comments

Hydrostar Pump from Harbor Freight

For anyone that hauls recycled water, whether it be in a water bladder, 275 gallon tote or a 50 gallon barrel, a pump is a great tool to use to unload water fast. In this post I’ll show you how to prime a pump.

It is very easy to prime a pump, especially when the hose on the suction side of the pump is already full of water. I have removed the vent plug on my Hydrostar Portable Utility Pump and installed a small ball valve to act as an air relief.