looking for ideas and pics of your setups if you would like to share
thinking of using plastic 50 gallon barrels with a fitting at the bottom that can serve as hose connector or spigot of some sort
what types of fittings do you use?

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thanks q       and good luck finding an ibc tote under $100!!!  seriously good luck...even a dirty one @ $100 is worth cleaning out
definitely like the concept in the video
i wish we could find 55 gal barrels for $5 a piece tho!!!      
cheapest on craigslist is around $25 a piece
an ibc tote would be a lot easier @ 275 gal its equivalent to 5 barrels
i would really want an ibc tote aquaponics system 

p.s.  if you are on oahu ive seen some ibc's sitting unused in a warehouse off of nimitz near kmart, everytime i drive by i picture myself walking in there and making an offer for them  LOL   

thanks q       and good luck finding an ibc tote under $100!!!  seriously good luck...even a dirty one @ $100 is worth cleaning out
definitely like the concept in the video
i wish we could find 55 gal barrels for $5 a piece tho!!!      
cheapest on craigslist is around $25 a piece
an ibc tote would be a lot easier @ 275 gal its equivalent to 5 barrels
i would really want an ibc tote aquaponics system 

p.s.  if you are on oahu ive seen some ibc's sitting unused in a warehouse off of nimitz near kmart, everytime i drive by i picture myself walking in there and making an offer for them  LOL   

CHECK OUT https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=13597.0

Interesting design but I got a few comments.

1) We are in earthquake zone. So, this is not so stable. You don't want all this EMERGENCY water to topple over when you actually need it in a QUAKE EMERGENCY.

2) This is good as one of several other water backup storage methods. I would definitely not rely on this as the only method. Aside from #1 above, I also don't like that there is constant water pressure on the pipes (causing potential leaks).

3) The design is not redundant, so #1 and #2 issue above, is made worse if one failure somewhere (one leak) causes all the water to leak out from the entire system. In fact, statistically, the more pipes and fittings you add, you increase the risk level more and more with every barrel added.

4) So, again, it is a great interesting idea but not as fool proof as I would like, for an EMERGENCY stash. For a convenience stash, fine. I would just have the 55 gal barrels normally, with no holes, no pressure on pipes, and yes we would have to scoop water out by hand but it's more durable that way.

Once you have a more sturdy method (like just 55 gal barrels unmodified, with a tight lid), you can add this above design just as an added convenience factor.

One of the pet peeves I have about roof water systems is the crap that is washed into the supply, so there always needs to be some kind of good filtering method. I am thinking for example bird crap and bird flu, or say pollutants accumulated over months on your roof top.

Ideally there would be an automatic (or manual) switch, where you allow maybe one hour of rainfall to wash the crap out, and THEN you start to collect the water.

    By laying the 55gal drums horizontily, you can, you can store almost 70% as much in the same space.
You'll also get more water pressure that way.
(The pressure  of the height of  water at 1 ft  is equal to the density of the water multiplied by the height. 62.4lb/ft^3 X 1 ft = 62.4 lb/ft^2 (or 0.43 psi).)

Or if you want the actual engineering data...

http://www.pentairpartners.com/productcatalog/pdf/US2014/sec26_Engineering.pdf   

    I would connect the bbls together with a valve on each bbl so disconnecting them from each other for maintenance as well as  in case I get  a leak on one would be easy.
   
    The 275 totes have the same theory.
Mine will be about 7' off the ground fed via gutter.
There is no real "foliage" to fall on my roof but I will have a diverter in the gutter to tote that allows larger solid debris to be sloughed off as well as a diverter screen below to divert any smaller debris and to keep out the bugs.
    The overflow will be above/at the screen.

    Tote will be painted dark to stop sunlight (algae) and then top coated with "cool Roof" type elasto-meric.

    This water will mainly supply my garden, but I do intend to hook it to my toilets also.   
Purely potable water will be stored separately.

i did this
http://m.instructables.com/id/How-to-make-a-rain-barrel-1/
i'd make modifications: change iron with brass, buy a better spigot, make the overflow outlet bigger.
buy barrels from aloha shoyu, $50ea i think.
they are white, paint them black.

   
ill only be using as non-potable/garden water
but if need be, in case of emergency, i would think disinfecting would be easy, just start a fire and boil it, of course there are other ways to make emergency drinking water like iodine tabs, other chemicals, bleach, distillation, charcoal/sand filter, and ozone (seen it on discovery channel's The Colony). 
good point tho bcuz the people of new orleans had a difficult time finding clean drinking water after Katrina caused sewers to overflow

 
ill only be using as non-potable/garden water
but if need be, in case of emergency, i would think disinfecting would be easy, just start a fire and boil it, of course there are other ways to make emergency drinking water like iodine tabs, other chemicals, bleach, distillation, charcoal/sand filter, and ozone (seen it on discovery channel's The Colony). 
good point tho bcuz the people of new orleans had a difficult time finding clean drinking water after Katrina caused sewers to overflow

You could use LifeStraw in a pinch.  Very portable and $20 on Amazon.

After being stupid and paying $100 for a rain barrel at the box store, the next one I made from a garbage can instead.  Purely for watering plants now but if needed will flush the toilet etc.  Wouldn't be thrilled about filtering and boiling it but is there.

After being stupid and paying $100 for a rain barrel at the box store, the next one I made from a garbage can instead.  Purely for watering plants now but if needed will flush the toilet etc.  Wouldn't be thrilled about filtering and boiling it but is there.

ya those fancy ones at homedepot are a rip huh?  and ya was also contemplating those gray husky trash bins, they are well made, with a lid would def suffice

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Here is a link to a local forum that might help...Also I think if you become a member you can be part of a group buy.

http://aquaponicsinparadise.com/APforums/index.php?topic=2160.0

ya those fancy ones at homedepot are a rip huh?  and ya was also contemplating those gray husky trash bins, they are well made, with a lid would def suffice

exactly what I got.  cut a big hole in the center of the lid for inlet and put wire mesh to filter out the leaves and junk. put on a lower spigot and upper overflow tube. whole thing  is fed from plastic rain gutters and for watering the plants so not too concerned about chemical leeching like would if drinking it.  wouldn't a 3 tube Berkey filter and boiling suffice?   I say we go after the big water tanks first

backyard setup similar to this dual rain barrel (hahahaha)(you'll see). fed off non-asphalt roof (more like plastic sheeting, a gazebo)

Here is a link to a local forum that might help...Also I think if you become a member you can be part of a group buy.

http://aquaponicsinparadise.com/APforums/index.php?topic=2160.0

cool link!  plenty to learn.  I'd like to try a fish tank setup some day small scale first.  no can have tilapia though where I'd like to try but read bass is an option.  how does duckweed taste?  haha

    Just finished painting my 175 gal tote black.
Used plastic spray paint, 2 cans was plent for top and all sides.
Will top coat with "Cool Roof " Elastomeric.   

    Ospho'd  the galvanized frame last week and put a couple coats of rustoleum (white) on it.   
Debating wether to set the 4 x 4 posts  below ground or just let it sit on tofu.nn

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Sorry, but where do you get Ospho nowadays? . . . .   

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cool link!  plenty to learn.  I'd like to try a fish tank setup some day small scale first.  no can have tilapia though where I'd like to try but read bass is an option.  how does duckweed taste?  haha

if you're a fish apparently duckweed is like crack  LOL
curious... why cant you have tilapia where you are located?