I had this 55 gallon drum that I was using for another project that I abandoned, so I thought I'd use it in this system.

The alternative to having the barrel hooked up to the float is using a 'live' hose. Certainly I can leave the hose on 'trickle' so if it bursts when we are away, we don't drain Lake Travis. I am just paranoid about leaving water on when we are away for more than 3 days. Turn it off at the street valve.

This barrel system may not work in the Summer as it only took a week to blow through 55 gallons of water - and the plants are not full grown yet.

The water is not leaking out of the barrel in any place, nor is the hose leaking. Certainly some of the water is evaporating out of the gutter, but I would bet not much. I expect the vast majority of it is transpiring through the plants themselves - which would include loss through the stomata.

The weather has been perfect. Temps only in the high 80's, but mostly in the low 80's. Lots of sun, though.

So it may be back to the hose, or perhaps, I could add another barrel, we'll see.