Watering systems - what do you use?

[Diamond]

I have to admit, filling up the traditional 1-quart water bottles every morning is getting to be a chore, and its not even summer yet!

My husband and I were discussing automatic watering systems. We've had problems with drip irrigation (think small valves) due to our well water having sediment in it that clogs up micro-type systems. SO a direct line/nipple valve system might not work too well here without some innovative thinking.

So we were wondering what folks out there are using to take some of the chore out of watering rabbits. One suggestion we received was to have a reservoir with a float valve set up. Lines could run from the reservoir to the rabbit cages; sediment would hopefully settle in the bottom of the reservoir and not clog up the valves. The float valve would refill the reservoir as the water got used.

That's just one idea, I am wondering what else is out there and how things work? And where is a good place to buy supplies for setting up auto watering systems?
:bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop: :bunnyhop:

 

[akane]

We have colonies so big 5gallon chicken waterers and some of the bigger pens or cages have 1 gallon dog bowls. Also great for winter cause you just set it all on heating pads and fill every other day with no worries.

 

[skysthelimit]

I haven't figured it out yet, still carrying two jugs of water every morning. There is no electricity in the barn, the only source of water is at the back of the house, opposite and north of the barn. I would like to afford wiring the barn and sending out water pipes to it as well.

I still might try putting a 5 gallon bucket on top of the stackers, and seeing if the hose will reach from the back to the front of the barn, but I don't what I'm going to do about winter time.

 

[Secuono]

I have tiny pails to fill, dead of summer I'll be out there 3+ times a day, I'm sure. Thought of the water...but each of my pens would need their own bucket.

 

[A&BRabbitry]

I have a gravity fed watering system myself. I have a garden hose ran to a 5 gallon bucket in the top of my rabbit shed. Inside of the bucket I have installed a toilet float valvle to fill the bucket and 1/2" pvc lines run around my rabbitry with watering nipples installed at each cage. This works great through the warm months when they need the most water. Late fall though I drain my lines and use a plastic chew proof crock that is quite inexpensive from Klubertanz and ice can be knocked out quite easily without any damage to the bowl. Unless your able to provide heating in your building or can afford to install heating cables in your waterlines for your automatic system your like me and stuck with the crock for winter.
Anyone who does not currently have a rabbitry equipment supplier or local dealer do yourself a favor and look up klubertanz.com. I constantly use them as a source for rabbitry supplies when local supplies are out of stock or I need large quantities.

 

[Diamond]

Thanks A%B..... I checked out the website and requested a catalog to be sent(the product links weren't working).

Your gravity feed system sounds like what my husband was thinking about. It would be problematic come winter, but fortunately we haven't many really hard freezes here in western Oregon. Just enough to catch everyone by surprise and create inconvenience......

 

[curlysue]

Currently using the water bottles.Our hard water quickly clooged up the top fills i bought except the ones from california with small metal valves love those they almost never leak.shipping them heres expensive.

 

[grumpy]

Install a sediment filter on your service entrance line to the house. It helps not only the rabbits but you and your family as well.

My rabbitry is set-up with two large tanks that are gravity fed in the summer and pressurized in the winter. My tanks are in an insulated, heated water closet that keeps the reservoir's warmed to 90-degrees. The circulating pumps are submerged in the tank and attached to the exit nipple on the bottom with a simple return line into the top of the tank.

Grumpy.

 

[Diamond]

Install a sediment filter on your service entrance line to the house. It helps not only the rabbits but you and your family as well.

My rabbitry is set-up with two large tanks that are gravity fed in the summer and pressurized in the winter. My tanks are in an insulated, heated water closet that keeps the reservoir's warmed to 90-degrees. The circulating pumps are submerged in the tank and attached to the exit nipple on the bottom with a simple return line into the top of the tank.

Grumpy.

So basically the pressurized system is for keeping the warm water circulating in the winter to prevent frozen pipes? Great ideas.

 

[skysthelimit]

Install a sediment filter on your service entrance line to the house. It helps not only the rabbits but you and your family as well.

My rabbitry is set-up with two large tanks that are gravity fed in the summer and pressurized in the winter. My tanks are in an insulated, heated water closet that keeps the reservoir's warmed to 90-degrees. The circulating pumps are submerged in the tank and attached to the exit nipple on the bottom with a simple return line into the top of the tank.

Grumpy.

Sounds pretty high tech. I'm as low tech as possible here, since it isn't really my house so I can't put anything permanent in that I can't take with me when I move.

 

[grumpy]

Install a sediment filter on your service entrance line to the house. It helps not only the rabbits but you and your family as well.

My rabbitry is set-up with two large tanks that are gravity fed in the summer and pressurized in the winter. My tanks are in an insulated, heated water closet that keeps the reservoir's warmed to 90-degrees. The circulating pumps are submerged in the tank and attached to the exit nipple on the bottom with a simple return line into the top of the tank.

Grumpy.

So basically the pressurized system is for keeping the warm water circulating in the winter to prevent frozen pipes? Great ideas.

Yes, it works well to about 12-14 below zero. The valves will freeze shut when the temps get that low. But, water still circulates in the lines. Two or three degrees above that, and the valves will "thaw" out and operate.
Grumpy.