Irrigation Container

[Matt W]

I have a drip irrigation kit (Christmas gift) and plan to use it for vegetable garden and maybe a few young bamboos. It's for gravity feed, dirty water. I don't have rain gutters above where it's going. So I picked up one of those 275 gallon bulk shipping containers and plan to periodically fill with a garden hose. The question is what could I coat the outside of the container with that would slow the solar deterioration of the plastic and prevent algae growth. Just hoping someone has a chemistry background or has worked with these containers before.

Matt

[dependable]

Don't know the specifics of the container material, but your drip emitters will soon clog w algae, dust, debris in a open gravity feed system. Most drip systems are desighned with a specific range of feed pressures in mind. I would reccomend more reserch before too much investment.

[marcat]

Matt I do not know how well it will stick to the plastic but roofing paint is thick and cheap. The stuff used on mobile home roofs when they leak, tar like stuff and usually silver so its reflective.
MarCat

[Matt W]

Thanks marcat, I hadn't thought about that stuff. It would probably stick if anything would.

dependable, the system I have doesn't have emitters, instead the terminal end is a tiny valve that can be set according to flow desired with the available pressure or opened for flush and I hope will be easy to clean as needed. There is also a filter that I will probably have to clean occasionally. The more light I can occlude the less problems I think and the longer the container will last.

Matt

[Alan_L]

Rachel -- household bleach typically contains chlorine, so they're essentially the same thing. Although chlorine will kill existing algae and will keep it from forming for a day or so, it "evaporates" out of water pretty quickly. That's why it has to be added to swimming pools so often. So not a long-term solution to the algae problem.

[marcat]

There is also Algaecides used in water gardens you might check out.
MarCat

[Matt W]

I found some plastic roofing material to wrap the container in. Got out some tomatoes yesterday. Very pleased with the set up and initial operation of the irrigation system. The milk jug is being used as a calibration device. Seems pretty easy to get 1/2 gallon per hour.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMHb0Kj94eY

Matt