--- title: 5 Ways to Keep Leaves Out of Your Rainwater Tank description: Keeping the water clean inside your rainwater tank is pretty important. We've got a few ideas on how to keep leaves and bugs out of your tank. image: http://blog.enduraplas.com/hubfs/How%20to%20keep%20leaves%20out%20of%20your%20rainwater%20storage%20tank.jpg --- [![Enduraplas® Logo](https://blog.enduraplas.com/hs-fs/hubfs/White-Horizontal-FINAL-3.png?width=200&height=75&name=White-Horizontal-FINAL-3.png "Enduraplas® Logo")](http://enduraplas.com/) # Water Storage & Rain Harvesting **[View Our Water Tanks Here](https://www.enduraplas.com/category/water-storage-rain-harvesting/)****[↗️](https://www.enduraplas.com/category/spray-equipment/)** ## [5 Ways to Keep Leaves Out of Your Rainwater Tank](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/five-ways-to-keep-leaves-out-of-your-rainwater-tank) **\[fa icon="book"\] 2 Minute Read** \[fa icon="calendar"\] Feb 23, 2017 8:28:54 AM / by [Jim Arnot](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/author/jim-arnot) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) ![How to keep leaves out of your rainwater storage tank.jpg](http://blog.enduraplas.com/hs-fs/hubfs/How%20to%20keep%20leaves%20out%20of%20your%20rainwater%20storage%20tank.jpg?width=1024&name=How%20to%20keep%20leaves%20out%20of%20your%20rainwater%20storage%20tank.jpg) Rainwater harvesting systems are a great idea, and relatively simple to set up. But debris and contamination can be a problem. In this article, we discuss why it is important to keep leaves and bugs out of your tank. When leaves collect in your water after falling off the tree, they will decompose and therefore pose as a threat to the quality of your water (not to mention fueling algae growth). Bugs like mosquitoes carry diseases and they also breed in stagnant water. ## 5 Simple Ways to Eliminate Leaves, Bugs, and other Debris getting into your Rainwater Tank: 1. **Avoid Trees Near Your Roof** - Your roof is where you are initially collecting the rainwater, so if you keep trees away from the side of your house they will not overhang and drop leaves on your roof. This may involve keeping the branches pruned back away from the roof. ![Trees Close vs. Trees Away.png](https://blog.enduraplas.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Trees%20Close%20vs.%20Trees%20Away.png?width=1024&name=Trees%20Close%20vs.%20Trees%20Away.png) 2. **Gutter Guard** - This is a [filtration cover](http://www.homedepot.com/b/Building-Materials-Roofing-Gutters-Gutters-Accessories-Gutter-Guards/N-5yc1vZar5e) for your gutter. It lets water through but blocks debris. This system features an easy install and low maintenance.**![Gutter Gaurd Example.jpg](https://blog.enduraplas.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Gutter%20Gaurd%20Example.jpg?width=1024&name=Gutter%20Gaurd%20Example.jpg "Gutter Gaurd Example.jpg")** 3. **First Flush Filtration System** - This is setup between the downpipe and the rainwater tank (after your gutters catch the water). This lets your first rain come and wash all the debris away before you start collecting water. Note: If you have trees continually dropping leaves on your roof and have no other form of filtration this system may fail to keep all debris out of your tank. ![First Flush System \[Example\].jpg](https://blog.enduraplas.com/hs-fs/hubfs/First%20Flush%20System%20%5BExample%5D.jpg?width=671&height=335&name=First%20Flush%20System%20%5BExample%5D.jpg) 4. **Layered Filter Bucket** - This is a bucket also where the water will be channeled through between the downpipe and the rainwater tank. It is commonly constructed using a 5-gallon pail and filled with 2 layers of pea gravel, 2 of sand, and 1 of activated charcoal. The water passing through these layers will be filtered. ![Filter Made From Five Gallon Pail.jpg](https://blog.enduraplas.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Filter%20Made%20From%20Five%20Gallon%20Pail.jpg?width=671&height=335&name=Filter%20Made%20From%20Five%20Gallon%20Pail.jpg) 5. **Nylon Filters** - Easily made from women's stockings, these nylon filters can be applied between sections of pipe joining together before the pipe reaches the [storage tank](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/what-size-rainwater-harvesting-tank-should-you-buy). The nylon is inserted into the pipe long enough to form a small sack and then wrapped around the outside of the pipe before connecting it to another pipe. **![Filter of Nylon.jpg](https://blog.enduraplas.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Filter%20of%20Nylon.jpg?width=1024&name=Filter%20of%20Nylon.jpg)** I hope this has given you what you were looking for about keeping your harvested rainwater clean and free of debris. Anything we didn't cover? Ask us with a comment in the section below. I'd really love to help. [![New Call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2396114/4208b16e-b891-40a4-b2a6-9509b0852f10.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2396114/4208b16e-b891-40a4-b2a6-9509b0852f10) Topics: [Harvesting Rainwater](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/harvesting-rainwater) ![Jim Arnot](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/4f1fa2328489b724587b2cac4a2d3600) #### Written by [Jim Arnot](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/author/jim-arnot) ### Get Monthly Helpful Tips - Recent - Popular - Categories ### Lists by Topic - [Harvesting Rainwater (7)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/harvesting-rainwater) - [Buying a Water Tank (5)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/buying-a-water-tank) - [Installing a Water Storage Tank (5)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/installing-a-water-storage-tank) - [Buying a Rain Harvesting System (2)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/buying-a-rain-harvesting-system) - [Eliminate Algae Growth in Water Tanks (2)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/eliminate-algae-growth-in-water-tanks) - [Customer Stories (1)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/customer-stories) ### Posts by Topic - [Harvesting Rainwater (7)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/harvesting-rainwater) - [Buying a Water Tank (5)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/buying-a-water-tank) - [Installing a Water Storage Tank (5)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/installing-a-water-storage-tank) - [Buying a Rain Harvesting System (2)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/buying-a-rain-harvesting-system) - [Eliminate Algae Growth in Water Tanks (2)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/eliminate-algae-growth-in-water-tanks) - [Customer Stories (1)](https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/topic/customer-stories) see all ### **See the Original Algae Resistant Water Tanks**   [![SHOP WATER TANKS](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2396114/255fd29d-9ba3-4621-8561-3a8e27184859.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2396114/255fd29d-9ba3-4621-8561-3a8e27184859) ### Recent Posts ## Get Monthly Helpful Tips Sign up to our blog to learn the best answers to popular questions about Water Storage & Rain Harvesting! Engineered for Endurance® Copyright © 2026 Enduraplas. All Rights Reserved. \[fa icon="chevron-up"\]Back to top ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Jim Arnot", "url" : "https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/author/jim-arnot" }, "datePublished" : "2017-02-23T14:28:54.000Z", "headline" : "5 Ways to Keep Leaves Out of Your Rainwater Tank", "image" : [ "//blog.enduraplas.com/hubfs/How%20to%20keep%20leaves%20out%20of%20your%20rainwater%20storage%20tank.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.enduraplas.com/water-storage-rain-harvesting/five-ways-to-keep-leaves-out-of-your-rainwater-tank", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.enduraplas.com/hubfs/Teal-Icon-FINAL-RGB.png" }, "name" : "Premia Group" } } ```