Hi,
Hello @mybalcony
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's marvellous to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about how to water your plants in the balcony.
I believe the point of contention is the source of water. If you can provide a source of water for your balcony your idea of installing a drip line will be possible. Is there a tap inside the house that you can link to and run a garden hose outside to the balcony? Is there a source of water outside the building that you can tap into? If there isn't any, I'm afraid it won't be possible to install a permanent drip line system.
However, there is another system that you can use that mimics a drip line system and will allow you to water your plants in a similar manner. I'm referring to the Holman Indoor Drip Spike Twin Pack. It allows you to create your own self-watering planters with the indoor drip spike. Gently water your potted plants and give plastic water bottles a second life simultaneously. Adjust how much water your indoor plants receive with flow control drippers.
If adjusted properly a standard 1 litre bottle of water should provide approximately 4 days of watering. A larger bottle of course would provide you with more days of water free maintenance.
Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Adam_W for their recommendations.
If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.
Eric
Thank you Eric.
Good to hear your suggestions.
I wonder if Body Corp will allow installing a new tap in the balcony.
Otherwise to connect to existing bathroom basin tap will encounter issues of access through window or door. Then safety is a concern.
Kathy
It's worth approaching your Body Corporate with that question Kathy (@mybalcony). Let us know how you go.
Mitchell
Good Morning @mybalcony
Perfect question to have for a weekend play around! 🙂 You could try something that has always been in the back of my mind for similar issues. I am BAD in fact SHOCKING at remembering to water plants that are in pots. Seriously you give me a pot plant and I just forget 😕 I even killed a blackberry bush in a pot! lol
The idea I have had is to use a syphon effect from a drum of water, something like 35L drum or a something like willow 60l black dome bin base only
Rest the drum on something solid like 4 of bessa blocks stacked two by two like bricks. Besser Blocks
Then using this clear tubing 10mm Clear tubing run a line of twisted rope/twine 6mm twisted rope (thicker the better) inside the tube. The clear tubing is to stop evaporation and not carry the actual water. Soak/charge the tube with the rope in it first then drain the water out so you have a wet rope inside the tubing. Now you have a syphon ready to go. You attach the pipe to the top of the drum and over a bit making sure that the pipe does not go into the water but the rope does, even tie a rock to the end of the rope so it sits down into the water or the bottom of the barrel.
With the other end, use something like a bamboo skewer and stick it into the pot plant, tie the tube say half way up it and then poke the string into the soil. The water will syphon through it pretty much like a drip feed as long as the pots are lower then the water level in the drum (making sure the rope dosnt dip like a wire on a telegraph pole as it will stop the syphon effect).
I am not sure how fast the syphon will work (this is something I have come up with because I forget to water) If the water runs out and the rope dries then you will have to resoak the rope to make it work again.
By the way 🙂 Welcome to the community page 🙂 There should be loads of potential answers in here. I wander around following projects and it leads me all over the place!
Dave
https://mazeproducts.com.au/product/maze-100lstand-link-kit-diverter/
Will this rain water tank by Maze be suitable @Dave-1?
Hi Dave
I ordered the 100L Maze rain water tank. Thanks for your suggestion.
I intend to connect a hose to my kitchen
tap to fill the tank which is outside the window.
Now i need help getting a plumber.
Will be great if i am allowed to divert from the adjacent downpipe and harvest rainwater instead.
The photo attached shows the downpipe
Hi @mybalcony,
It's great to hear you went ahead and ordered the Maze tank. It should be fine for your purposes, though you must have its output connector joined to your irrigation line.
You'll need to discuss harvesting from the downpipe with your body corporate.
MItchell
Morning @mybalcony
As @MitchellMc said you will need to talk to your body corporate for the downpipe diversion. I would probaly just plan to use the water from your sink as suggested tho as anything to do with the overall structure will be a no usually. Did you end up testingthe theory?
Hi Dave,
I am wondering if this
"Switch Faucet Adapter Kitchen Sink Splitter Diverter Valve Water Tap Connector D" will do the job?
The existing mixer needs to be replaced soon.
Thanks.
Let me tag @Dave-1 to make sure he's aware of your question. I'm sorry but I'm not familiar with the Switch Faucet Adapter. However, if you are changing your sink tap and it has an aerator on it, I suggest using the Pope Indoor Tap Adaptor. It's an easy clip-on system that allows you to attach a standard garden hose to your kitchen tap without having to use large fittings.
Here is a handy step-by-step guide:
If you need further assistance, please let us know.
Thank you Eric
Good suggestion.
Need to check if my kitchen mixer tap is compatible.
I am ordering this online too.
Switch Faucet Adapter Kitchen Sink Splitter Diverter Valve Water Tap Connector D
Mmmm I am unsure of the adapters thread matching either your existing tap (or the new one when you replace it)
Just had a look on the Bunnings website and cant see anything as nice a sthe one you have shown, I would suggest to see what type of thread that one has for the tap spout end and also the new tap you are thinking of thread to see if the are suitable. My first thought was justa rubber connector to slip over the tap not something that would permantly be on the tap (will be a lot less hassel I think your way)
Thanks Dave.
There is a risk of incompatility ... and Amazon is generally helpful with returns.
It costs $11.50 and worth trying.
Connecting to the kitchen sink tap needs the switch diverter. Otherwise disruptive to cooking and cleaning.
I am getting it today and will soon find out.
So happy the tap switch diverter works 😄 20Nov2023
Now can fill the rain water tank with tap water from kitchen sink tap.
Hi Eric
Thank you for the update, I'm glad you got your water source sorted out.
If you need assistance with any other project, please let us know.
Hi Eric,
It has been helpful to learn from the workshop discussions. Appreciate all your suggestions and advice.
Thank you.
😀 "Cheering sounds" No more lugging a watercan around! 🙂
