How high is practical for hose irrigation with 330 gallon IBCs?

Discussion in 'Back to Basics' started by Zimmy, Jan 9, 2018.


  1. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!

    I have acquired a few 330 gallon IBC totes. I am breaking in a new garden plot, line of young fruit trees, and livestock pen that I want to provide water to. My closest hose bib is across a fairly busy dirt road and I neither want to expose the hose to road traffic nor drag 150’ of hose back and forth daily.

    None of these distances are over 50’ from where I want to put my tiny water tower. How high do you recommend I place it? I know someone here has been through a similar challenge. Ground level totes have crappy flow when not full. I can build a structure of any practical height.

    What do y’all think?
     
    Motomom34 likes this.
  2. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    How much water pressure do you want? There is an online calculator, for example, where you put in either desired pressure to get the height (assume bottom of the tote) or height and get pressure.

    Water Pressure Calculator | Calculator@TutorVista.com

    That isn't in PSI but could be converted.

    Another example from Understanding water pressure & water tank stand height | Rainharvest.co.za

    "The water pressure available in a gravity-tank fed system is directly related to the height of the water storage tank. To calculate the available pressure simply measure the distance, in metres, from the bottom of the water tank to the outlet of the tap or shower and multiply by 0.1. This will calculate the pressure in bar…

    For example : 0.1 Bar (1.45 psi) is equal to approx one metre of height between the bottom of the water tank and the outlet of the tap or shower.

    1 metre height of water = 0.1 bar
    2 metre height of water = 0.2 bar
    3 metre height of water = 0.3 bar
    4 metre height of water = 0.4 bar
    etc."
    Things will change a little with outflow pipe diameter as well.

    Another good explanation is in the second post here:
    Building a water tower - Need idea's/forums to calculate pressure - Small Cabin Forum
     
  3. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!

    I know it’s basically 17 Psi per 33’ of altitude. That’s a calculation that I have used fairly regularly in work over the years.

    I just don’t know how much is really required to water as required. I’ve led a pampered life of an amazing 110 psi of city water pressure.

    I don’t want that much but I don’t know how well things work with less for lack of experience.
     
  4. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!

    Good link though. Thanks
     
  5. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Forget about height. Use a drip hose or ditch irrigation. For sure, flow will not be too awful fast, but how critical is speed? Your ibc can be just a few inches higher than the dirt, or ON the dirt if you'd druther. The thing to watch is that the ditches slope the right way ---

    So far as filling the stock tanks, simply stand the ibc above the tank rims. Won't take a lot more than that to be able to fill stock tanks fairly quickly.

    You do have a fork lift, no?
     
    sec_monkey, chelloveck and Zimmy like this.
  6. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!

    Forklift, no. But I have access to a tractor with forks. No big deal. A real Community is a wonderful thing.

    I plan to fill with hose occasionally as needed.

    I’ll plumb a feed line if I have to
     
    chelloveck likes this.
  7. Altoidfishfins

    Altoidfishfins Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Read somewhere awhile back that pressure is .43 PSI for every foot. So a 100 ft lift would give you 43 PSI. Should be easy to figure it from there.
     
    Zimmy and sec_monkey like this.
  8. Tempstar

    Tempstar Monkey+++

    Every 2.31 feet equals 1 psi, minus head loss from hoses and fittings. 10 feet will give you 4+ psi which is plenty for just irrigating, but won't ran a spray nozzle. As Ghrit says, use drip or soaker hose irrigation to both stretch the time between fillings and lower the psi required to do the job. I would still go 10' to overcome piping losses and insure water reaches the far end.
     
    Zimmy and sec_monkey like this.
  9. Gator 45/70

    Gator 45/70 Monkey+++

    With 110 # of water pressure I could bore a 1'' shaft using PVC under a road.
     
  10. TnAndy

    TnAndy Senior Member Founding Member

    Dig up or bore under the dirt road and run yourself a water line extension. I've put in literally miles of line here on my place, the utility map runs to 5-6 pages now. Having water where and when you need it let's you move on to other more pressing issues.
     
  11. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!


    That’s the general plan. But I plan to trench across in the dry season.
     
  12. Thumper40

    Thumper40 Monkey

    Anyway You can run it under the road through a dranage culvert or something? Anyway the calculation for hydrostatic pressure is pretty simple. P=W in pounds per gallon*Depth in feet*.052

    Say youre water is the typical 8.34 pound per gallon freshwater. If you have it suspended 10 feet above its exit point you are looking at 4.33 psi at its lowest point.
     
  13. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    Which is more important to you pressure or volume theres a difference .
     
  14. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    A couple of thoughts for your consideration....

    Do you get enough rain to not have to water (except in the start up phase?)
    Sometimes I think we get caught up in 'how to make things better' rather than examining 'how does mother nature work in my area'

    I am a big fan of not having to do extra if your area will support not watering, let the plants adapt. I realize most people want to maximize their space so in a small space gardening is more intensive but it you have more acreage and you are thinking long term you might want to let your plants and trees adapt. THis also means you will lose some as mother nature weeds them out.

    If we ever do have a survival situation, i personally dont want to be risking myself by having to spend hours nurturing delicate plants.
    Having said all that, I might be off base for what you are trying to accomplish, if so I apologize. I assumed you were planning long term and I just have some very different thoughts on long term. I've done intense gardening in small spaces and truck gardening so depending on the goal and the area you are covering these are two similar but different types of gardening... management wise.
     
  15. arleigh

    arleigh Goophy monkey

    If you use a large trunk line from the reservoir the distance to your plants and then smaller lines to distribute to the plants you won't need much pressure .
     
  16. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!


    Great questions and ideas.

    I’m looking for pressure, not volume. Enough to distribute reliable drip irrigation for as long as it works at about 100’ of drip irrigation and fresh water for a Shetland pony daily. Probably gonna add a sheep, ass, or calf to keep the Shetland from being lonely.
     
  17. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!

    My thoughts exactly. I’m planning the irrigation here to help get future grapes and fig, and existing young plum and jujube trees to get established. I’d also like to start some pear and peach. Pear, peach, fig, and plum do extremely well here but could use a hand getting established. Jujube is an experiment. I’m optimistic but not expecting much.

    I don’t want maintenance trees. Just plan to help to establish trees and yearly garden needs
     
    Ganado likes this.
  18. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    Wow, learn something every day. I had no idea that these grew on trees...

    [​IMG]
    [LMAO][lolol][peep]:lol:[ROFL]

    BTW, I have a very high opinion of my own sense of humor. ;)
     
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  19. Zimmy

    Zimmy Wait, I'm not ready!

    I only have the red apple flavored ones. Let me know if you find the other colors.
     
    Ganado and DarkLight like this.
  20. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Had to work at it, but finally the light came on. Me iz ol an zlow zumtimes.
     
    Zimmy likes this.
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