SCORE for the Homestead!
This past week I was able to land a big score for the homestead and for furthering our overall self reliance...
Six IBC totes for $200!
These normally go for $75-90 each in our area, but I found someone about an hour away listing them for $40 each. A few text messages back and forth and I worked a deal to buy 5 and get 1 free, bringing the cost per tote to about $33!
I originally got these to setup a good sized rainwater collection system on our Outdoor Kitchen, but I was also only looking to get two at most. Jumping on this deal, put me in a happy predicament!
What I Plan To Do
I have six totes in total, (4) 275 gallon and (2) 330 gallon totes. I'll put two totes on the Outdoor Kitchen's roof to collect rainwater and give easy access to for that area. Then, I'll probably put two on my workshop. I'm then going to take one tote and build a Biodigester to produce our own gas to power our outdoor kitchen! Thanks to @deanlogic for turning me onto this! The last tote is (as of yet) unclaimed. My brother jokingly said to make a Redneck Hot Tub, but I've been letting that one stew in my head longer than I should. It would be awesome!
The Next Step
I have to clean these totes... thoroughly. They contained soap, so they're pretty nasty as far as re-usability standards go. Sure, "food grade" totes are best, but those run $100 each in our area! I'm doing research on how best to clean out these containers and neutralize and eliminate the remnants of their prior contents.
Let me know if you have any tips!
Yes... we are very much aware of the issues and concerns of using these totes for water collection and storage. We have the same concerns. This water storage would only be for non-potable uses... unless the crap hits the fan. Then who cares, right? That's why God gave Mr. Berkey the idea for his Berkey filter.
That's all for this post, see you all on the next update! I'd love to hear your cleaning suggestions and ideas for what to do with that last tote!
Nice score! Did you ever think about an aquiponics system? You would have a great start..... I would like to know more about your plans for the biodigester, I have some basic knowledge on the subject and I know it is hard to do in small batches, would be very interested in you put it together.
I've thought about aquaponics, but don't have a sheltered location to set it up in. I really want a greenhouse... maybe next year. And putting an aqua system in there would be nice.
I've been reading on the biodigesters a lot lately. I'm 100% dead-set on building one soon. Solar Cities (link below) has been a good resource so far. http://www.solarcities.eu/education/388
The biggest hurdle I forsee right now, is the coming Fall/Winter season and a lack of heat for the bio system to keep working without intervention. I don't want to pay for heating the system, so need to get creative on placement and/or insulation of it... bearing in mind costs, of course. Many people put them in basements or garages, but we don't have either at our home.
Thanks @svfarms!
Is placing it in thr ground an option?
An interesting idea, but you would have some issues when it came time to pump the sludge (every year or so) and also for the effluent overflow that trickles out continuously.
The more I read, the more It's obvious... these are septic tanks with a gas chamber!
Thats exactly right! I am sure you can figure it out. Good luck, keep us posted
Nice score. I had heard somewhere that if you use a solution of vinegar and water to soak the inside of the tanks, it would help remove the excess soap leached into the plastic. I haven't tried on totes, but on other containers and seems to work fairly well.
I'll have to give it a shot! Thanks for the tip @cecicastor!
By the way,
This is my 1,000th post on Steemit!!! Cheers!!!
Congratulations on reaching 1000! I have a ways to go...
Living off-grid as I do, I collect rain water for all my needs and store it in IBC totes as well. I took mine to a self-serve car wash and pressure washed them clean. Mine had previously housed cooking oils. I then spray painted them dark to help keep the algae at bay.
Awesome suggestion to take them to a car wash! If I can't get them clean enough at home, I'll absolutely do that. Thank you very much!
Great find! Keep us in the loop as you experiment!
I was thinking of painting one black to see the sun would warm the water for our showers.
@originalworks
Will do! Yes, they will be painted black to prevent algae growth (water storage) and promote warmth (biodigester).
Almost any water can be run through a bio-sand filter and then be boiled or distilled for safety. If you have a close by water source then the totes definitely can have other usages.
I am excited for you! Disappointed that they held soap, of all things! At least if you get them clean enough to hold water for watering your garden or taking showers in, (but he even that's necessary?) sounds like a great find! Even so, you can use the plastic for other things too! I've seen people make them into chicken coops and crap like that! Lol
Exciting! Sounds like some sweet projects are on the way. The digester sounds awesome, rainwater harvesting and irrigation is a basic, but if your location allows you to play around with elevations, you could use them for storing energy. The solar pump gets the water up, and when you let it down you could have it drive a turbine. That way your evening watering could also power the lights (and help with other electric needs).
In any case, I'm looking forward to posts about how you install these totes.
Great ideas! I'll be sure to keep you posted. :)
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NICE. That's a score indeed! We are on the lookout for these as well so that we have long-term storage for our (eventual) water catchment system. Still hunting, though we saw a mountain of them behind a local brewery recently that has us waggling our eyebrows in hope. High five!
Oh, so lucky! I've tried here for a while and every factory "has a guy" that gets them first. :-\ No doubt for pennies to turn them around and sell for $100!
This post has received a 1.56 % upvote from @drotto thanks to: @banjo.