*Another* auto-waterer question

[TerriG]

I have 4 does, 3 bucks, 4 grow-out cages (plus 2 more that I need to finish), and possibly 2-4 more single cages if I decide that I need those.

How many gallons of storage (tank size) do I need for a recirculating auto waterer? I am either looking at 5 gallon buckets, or coolers as my tank. Just not sure how much water I need to plan for.

 

[WallTenter]

That depends -completely- on how often you want to fill it or if you have an auto fill. If you have some sort of auto fill, well then you could water that many on a cup sized container. I recently set up an auto system with 8 cages (three of which were grow outs with ~5 kits each in them. It took about a week to go through 5 gallons in a heat wave. It actually took longer than that but I was also filling up their water crocks as needed (though the kits seem to really like playing with the auto waterer as it's got a good amount of pressure, so there's always excess water refilling the crock below it).

 

[TerriG]

At this point, we will be filling it. We don't have water plumbed out to the rabbitry yet. Right now, we just use 32 oz bottles and 2 liter water(pop) bottles with ball valves. The grow out cages go through 2 - 32 oz bottles in about 24 hrs. If we go much longer than that, they are guaranteed to be empty.

 

[WallTenter]

Then you already have a basic math problem set up...

64oz x 6 (once you get all six grow outs going) = 384oz
and let's say
32oz x 7 (each individual going through one bottle/day, once you get all seven set up) = 224oz
= 608oz
There are 128oz in each gallon of water (x5 = 640oz)

At the rate you'd be going when you have all those cages set up and everybody's drinking full force you'd have to refill a five gallon bucket almost every day.

If you have a way to set it up, I used a ~40gal barrel I got free from a carwash for my poultry water. I washed and washed and washed it to make sure all the chemicals were out, but free is free I love it it works great

 

[TerriG]

Thank you for figuring the math out for me! I never was very good at it, but it has gotten so much worse after having kids. When it comes to building stuff, I am usually great at math. I'm used to working in inches and feet though, not liquid measurements.