Garden Hose Pump For A Rain Barrel – A Comprehensive Guide For Water Conservation

Using a garden hose pump for a rain barrel is an innovative way of conserving water. Due to the instability of a consistent water supply and the forever rising household expenses, people have opted for other methods of curbing their monthly utility bills.

Nature showers us with rain as free water; so, instead of allowing the clean clear water to wash away, collecting it can be useful. There are numerous ways of using this water. If it is connected properly with pumps, you can use it as a feed to your ablution facilities, to water your garden, washing and cleaning the yard, and many more.

In extreme circumstances, this water can also be used for human consumption if boiled. Using natural water on some of your plants with a garden hose rain barrel pump will be of much benefit. In this blog post, we give you information on how to connect, use, and maintain your rain barrel hose pump. Have a look at the information below to learn more.

What To Consider Before Pumping Water From A Rain Barrel?

Before pumping water from a rain barrel, there are a few things that you should consider. These considerations would also depend on what you want to use the barrel water for. If it is to water the garden, you must first think about what types of plants you’re growing as not all of them like rainwater.

You can use the rain barrel water on your lawns, ornamental plants, and trees. However, using it directly on your fruit or vegetable plants is not recommended. In this case, it would be best to water the soil that your plants are growing in than directly on the plant itself.

However, if you want to use the garden hose pump for a rain barrel for this and other purposes, then you can opt to purify the water. Rainwater provides plants with nitrogen, enhancing their leafy green foliage. It is good for both indoor and outdoor plants as it has an adequate ph level ranging from 6.2 to 6.8. This helps plants to above nutrients from the soil more efficiently.

What Hose Should I Use to Pump Water from a Barrel

When it comes to a garden hose rain barrel pump, using your normal garden hose is ideal. Most of the barrels come with standard size spigots adaptable to your hose. Also, using a soaker hose can be a hassle-free way to water your garden. All you need to do is to connect it to the hose pump and lay it on the ground, close to the plants you need to water.

Using a perforated hose will allow the water to soak into the ground slowly feeding into the plants. This is a safe method of watering the plants that are not in favor of rainwater.

The water pressure in your home does not really matter, however, if you are using a high-pressure hose, then you will need to supply high pressure to the barrel. For most uses, the garden hose serves its purpose when sourcing water from a rain barrel.

Tips To Connect A Garden Hose Pump For A Rain Barrel

There are many different brands of rain barrel hose pumps available at the local hardware stores. Choose one that is of good quality and is also conducive to the barrel that you have.

Listed below are a few steps to follow when installing:

Determine what type and size barrel will be suitable for domestic use. 55 gallons is usually enough for household use.
Find a suitable place to install the barrel, ideally, the barrel should sit on firm ground. It is recommended that you build a foundation approximately 500m above the ground to secure it.
Make sure to have all the tools that you will need. These include duct tape, a pump, a garden hose, garden shears, a tape measure, a drill, and a spade-sized drill bit.
You should measure the depth of the barrel from the outside using the tape measure and add it to the length of the pump’s location from the top.
Thereafter, you will need to use the spade-sized bit to drill a ¾-inch hole in the lid of the barrel.
Then, slide the hose through the hole until it reaches the floor of the barrel and use duct tape to hold it in place.
After that, you can attach the threaded end of your hose to the pump.
You can now use your rain barrel as you please.

Take a look at the water pump setup in this video. 

Rain Barrel Maintenance Tips

During storage, water can get dirty and become contaminated. To maintain the freshness in the water, there are certain chemicals that are acceptable to purify it. This includes a small amount of chlorine, bleach, and also a host of purification tablets that you can acquire at local home and garden stores. It is, therefore, necessary to clean your barrel in order to maintain it and keep it in a good condition as proper maintenance equals a longer lifespan.

Below are a few tips on how to maintain your Garden Hose Pump

• A rain barrel is usually quite heavy so the best time to clean it would be after you have used up most of the water.
• To clean, you should first open the valve and allow for the remaining water to drain out.
• Thereafter, disconnect all attachments to free the barrel from any pipes or gutters that it is attached to.
• The barrel should now be light enough for you to move around easily.
• Turn the barrel over and remove all unwanted leaves or dirt that has accumulated.
• Using liquid soap and some bleach, soak the barrel for a few hours as this will allow for the dirt to loosen.
• You will find that it may be difficult to reach the bottom of the barrel. You can use a hard broom to scrub off the dirt. If you do not have a big enough gap to push a broom through, find something that will work. A mop or a cloth tied at the end of a long stick will do the job.
• Next, you should rinse out the barrel thoroughly with clean water. You can now turn the barrel over and wash the outside.
• It is important to check for holes and cracks at this stage as you can easily repair them if you find any damage. Sand down the damaged area with rough sandpaper and seal it using patches and waterproof sealant. Allow it to cure for 12 to 24 hours. After it has dried completely you can replace the barrel to its original place and reconnect all pipes for water collection. Add in the purifying tablet and you’re good to go.

Conclusion

Using a garden hose pump for a rain barrel is an eco-friendly way of conserving rainwater as there are many uses for it. This is a cost-effective and hassle-free way of maintaining your landscape. If you live in an area where you have a lot of rain, the barrel to collect water will be ideal.

Your water supply will be plenty as in the event of a drought or shortage, you will be one step ahead. As discussed above, rainwater should not be poured directly on fruit and vegetable plants. However, if you use the recommended method of watering your garden then you should have a positive outcome.

Also, maintaining the barrel regularly will give you much cleaner water. The cleaning process will be quicker and easier as it will not accumulate too much dirt over time. Check for cracks and holes regularly, and if any, repairing the barrel timeously will be more cost-effective rather than replacing it. Click on the link for steps on building a rain barrel. 

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