IBC Weight Query.

[chris]

Looking at getting an IBC for my new plot.

I have a tap available on my plot, but I think it's be more prudent to be saving water. You never know, the water could be turned off in the future, so I think it's a good move.

I have a blue barrel on the plot already, and I had planned on buying some more and linking them up.

That said, rather than doing that, for the same footprint I could have an IBC. My query is, when it's delivered; do you think I'd be able to move it when it's empty? Are they heavy? Could I drag it into position, or would it need two people (or more)?

Thanks.

[PAULW]

Is that an Irritable Bowel Condition chris, be careful lifting and pushing stuff about with that.

[Alison]

Me and OH managed to lift it up our site but it was pretty heavy and I had to put my side down a couple of times so I'd rope a friend in if you can.

[Arthur Pounder]

The 1000ltr tanks seem to be between 60 and 75kgs which, in old money, is approx 130 to 170lbs.

[chris]

Thanks all, shall grab a buddy I think - save me back!

[Hans Mum]

ive got one on my plot (furthest plot away from car park) it took 4 of us one on each corner to carry it up, it wasnt just the weight they are quite unweildy (sp!) worth it though will get another one to link into it if we get another lot delivered

[Newton]

Don't talk in abbreviations now you're a mod......us non mods can't understand you TBH lol.......

What is one of those things anyhow?

[chris]

I've no idea what it stands for, but it's those large water containers - IBCs and Baffled Tanks including white caged tanks, small water tanks

There may be one on my plot that's free - waiting to hear back!

[susieq100]

It took two of us to sort of 'roll it' to its final location and then 3 of us (me and 2 chaps) to lift it onto the stand - mostly because I am a pathetic girlie!

[Snadger]

Intermediate Bulk Contaner. (IBC)

I have one that originally had 1000 litre of citric acid in it.

They are manageable by one person but can be a bit awkward.

Best positioned on a small retaining pad or wall as they need to be off the bottom to get a watering can under and once full of water will weigh about a tonne (at a guess) ..........so needs to be something substantiial.

[chris]

Well, the plot next to mine has one - decided to give it a cheeky lift to see how heavy it was.. I'm pretty sure I can manage it but shall rope someone else in to help me too. (It was empty).

I asked if the water would ever be turned off, i.e. in droughts and my allotment sec informed me no, as allotments aren't classed as domestic water consumers.

Still, I'd like to save water anyway.. have even thought about daisy chainging some hosepipes around my plot, almost like standpipes connected to the IBC so I can save have a "tap" to every 3 odd beds. Probably wont, but I like the idea

I don't know, I'm not near a tap on my other plot, and with a tap at the bottom of my plot I think it'd be too tempting to waste water, y'know?

[taff]

I've got a few barrels dotted round the garden now [blue plastic 120 ltr], where the water butts/barrels are on the patio bit, they're higher than the barrels in the garden, so when they're full, I stick a hosepipe in one end, suck the water through and stick it in another barrel for it to fill, it keeps one full halfway down the garden, one full by the greenhouse so i don't have to walk so far.

[Mikey]

Well, our allotments do shut the water off over winter, but its not generally when you will need it. Having said that they were quite late putting them back on at the beginning of the year, so I held back planting some seedlings until it was back on.

Personally I wouldn't have one on the plot, a smaller tub like the blue barrels can be used to make a liquid feed from nettles or comfrey, but a container of this size I think is too large.

I don't use a hose on the plot I water with a can anything that has been recently planted, but once they are settled in they have to make do with rain. I think it's really wasteful to be watering with a hose, a watering can will direct the liquid exactly where its needed while a hose waters everything including the weeds!

[zazen999]

If I can roll it Chris then you can!

They have a large tap at one end that can be used to drag/roll and the place where it was originally filled can also be unscrewed and used to womanhandle it around.

We put ours on tyres to get it to a useable height, at the back of the shed and I have moved it about to get the last little bit out on my own - and we will be getting breeze blocks to put it on soon as I'm not convinced the tyres will hold the full weight.

We need all the water we can grab during the winter as we have no water on site at all; and ours has been invalueable already...we will fill other blue containers as the IBC fills next winter so that we have stop gaps in case I ever get round to getting a polytunnel sorted out.

[Alison]

Personally I wouldn't have one on the plot, a smaller tub like the blue barrels can be used to make a liquid feed from nettles or comfrey, but a container of this size I think is too large.

Out of curiosity, what makes you think they're too large? I need all that water (and more) to keep the polytunnel going and am thinking of getting a second one to make the best use of winter rain. We don't have any water supply to our site but I'd rather use the stuff out the sky anyway rather than the stuff treated to drinking quality, never seems right to pour that on the soil.