Using a spigot and hose to drain the duck pool

[jennybvcr]

Well we are just learning so much over at our pretend homestead since setting up the duck run. Every amazing "this is going to be so easy" pinterest hack I have tried as been varying degrees of a "nailed it" disaster.

I think we've sorted out the auto-watered with 5 gallon bucket that was draining all over my floor, and the food dispenser that, if it had eyes, would have rolled them at me.

But now we're on to the duck pool. I don't want to just dump it because its inside the run. Yesterday I tried creating a siphon using an old hose and a "fool proof!" hack on getting the water started without sucking on the hose (which my husband very sternly forbade me from doing in my moment of frustration) but needless to say it was a giant hassle and a two person job and I need something I can do myself.

Sooooo I want to install a spigot at the bottom to which I can attach a hose so I can use it to water my garden. Pinterest keeps telling me this is such an easy fool proof plan, but it turns out I must be such a giant fool that even I have failed each of these attempts. I would love input from anyone who has actually and successfully installed a spigot in a kiddie pool and used a hose to drain the pool and water their plants! Photos would be great.

 

[cavemanrich]

The simplest solution would be an Electric Sump Pump. A very small one is not very expensive. It is submersible, so just place on bottom and with attached hose, you will be able to get water to wherever your garden is(within hose reach). Installing a spigot onto a kiddie pool poses the following challenges. The pool wall is thin, so after a while, likely to crack and leak at that point. The pool would have to be considerably higher than garden for the water flow to be worthwhile. You can also use a 12 volt transfer pump that can be operated by a car battery if not near an electric source.

Here is a pix of a small submersible sum pump. 120 volt.

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

 

[pamelajean]

I use the siphon method but just put my hand over the hose end and create an extension with my hand and suck on that. It works well. I'm still inhaling hose air which kind of grosses me out but I try not to think about it and move on...

 

[cavemanrich]

There are alternate ways to get a siphon started. One way is to use a Wet-dry vac. I gave up on using my body parts to to do what a machine can do. I'm not germaphobic, but prefer not to introduce any extras than already present in the ambiance.

 

[jennybvcr]

The simplest solution would be an Electric Sump Pump. A very small one is not very expensive. It is submersible, so just place on bottom and with attached hose, you will be able to get water to wherever your garden is(within hose reach).

The sump pump is a great idea. The garden is up hill from the pool, which is why I had a sneakin' suspicion the spigot plan wouldn't work, but of course they never TRULY lay out how everything needs to be set up because everyone on the internet wants everyone else to think they're smart and good at things.

I use the siphon method but just put my hand over the hose end and create an extension with my hand and suck on that.

Smart!! I'm super not above using my mouth, but I do like the idea of knowing when the water is coming haha. I would be very, very sad to end up with duck pond water in my mouth.

There are alternate ways to get a siphon started. One way is to use a Wet-dry vac. I gave up on using my body parts to to do what a machine can do. I'm not germaphobic, but prefer not to introduce any extras than already present in the ambiance.

I read that if you connect a hose to the end and run water through and then remove, it will cause the suction to start, which is how we did it successfully, but the pool is on the opposite side of the yard from the house and it was just a bit more trouble than it felt worth.

 

[jennybvcr]

I use the siphon method but just put my hand over the hose end and create an extension with my hand and suck on that. It works well. I'm still inhaling hose air which kind of grosses me out but I try not to think about it and move on...

Had a pretty huge fail with this method today. It was v upsetting.

 

[Lil Drake40]

I use gravity. I start the hose in the pool then turn off the water unhook the hose from the spigot drag the hose to slight incline and it drains itself

 

[Beer can]

connect a hose to the end and run water through and then remove

That's how I do it fill the siphon hose with a garden hose. Or take the siphon hose and submerge it into the water to fill, close off both ends and then drop one down.

 

[21hens-incharge]

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...MInrb-kse92wIVhcDACh10fg8bEAQYGCABEgIX7vD_BwE

We did this when we had ducks. It's not huge at all but worked.
If you build up the ground under it or dig down by the spigot it is easier to put a hose on.

With your garden being on higher ground a pump would be best in order to use the water on it easily.

 

[Percheron chick]

I use gravity. I start the hose in the pool then turn off the water unhook the hose from the spigot drag the hose to slight incline and it drains itself

. So easy to do it this way. You might need someone to hold their hand over the hose that is submerged while you disconnect it from the bib. You can use shutoff valves if you have to.