Fiskars 5998 Salsa 58-Gallon Rain Harvesting System, Spice Granite

Okay, this will be kinda long, but there are several points I want to make, so please bear with me.

I recently installed a metal roof on my house and have noticed a significant increase in the amount of water running off the roof since then. During heavier rains, the water from one of the downspouts has a tendency to flood back onto the carport, so I thought having a rain barrel at that corner would help catch some of that extra water, in addition to providing me with natural water to use for my flowers.

I researched several different barrels and the first thing I learned was that almost all rain barrels are fairly expensive. But once I got over the initial sticker shock of these glorified trash cans, I saw that the Fiskars brand barrels had pretty good reviews. I found this 58 gallon barrel on Amazon and ordered it; despite its large size, it still qualified for free shipping, which I though was fantastic (thank you, Amazon!).

It is important for these barrels to be installed correctly, and it may take some time to make sure everything is level. I built a small platform out of four 12-inch stepping stones on a brick and sand base. Once I had that level, I placed the barrel on it and went to work installing the downspout catch. That was probably the trickiest part because that tube HAS TO BE level with the intake hole on the barrel in order for the system to work correctly. You will need a 1″ drill bit to make the intake hole for the tube to connect. The directions are sufficient, but they are pretty minimal and rely heavily on pictures with few words. From start to finish, it was probably less than two hours to install the “rain harvesting system.”

A couple of days later, we got our first set of rain showers. I noticed that the tube from the downspout to the barrel was sagging, preventing the water from entering the barrel. This was because when we had cut the tube and installed it, we had left a little extra on it because we didn’t want to cut it too short. But when it started to rain and the water started flowing into the tube, that little extra allowed the tube to sag, preventing the system from working like it needed to since the tube must be level to work correctly. I adjusted the tube to a shorter length, and then also tied a string around the middle of the tube and attached it to the side of the house to provide a support for the tube in case it got too heavy again. This is not an ideal thing to have to do, but I was able to do it in such a way that you can’t really notice it.

The roof on my house is not very large (approx. 1500 sq ft Ranch-style with a 4/12 pitch), so I was surprised how quickly the rain barrel filled up after only a few light showers. Then, when a heavy rain occurred, I was very surprised to see that not only was the rain flowing out the bottom of the downspout like it normally would, but it was actually squirting out of the middle of the downspout where I had installed the catch; that was not good because it was squirting right onto the carport. I quickly attached a water hose to the rain barrel and started draining it so the water could drain into it again also.

I learned two things from that experience:
1) Use the water in the barrel as much as possible, and even if you can’t use it, regularly drain it.
2) When everything is dry, carefully apply caulk around the catch in the downspout to keep the water from squirting out of it.

Now that I have done both of those things, in addition to adding the support string to the hose, I have nothing but positive things to say about the barrel. You can hook a water hose to the barrel or drain water directly into a bucket or watering can. I have hooked up a small hose like you would connect to a washing machine and use that to fill my watering can. I probably use about 10-12 gallons every day to water all my flowers when it is not raining.

If you are considering installing a “rain harvesting system,” I highly encourage you to do so, but be aware of the things I have mentioned so you don’t have similar problems.

I bought one and loved it:
It is a neutral color that blends in well considering it’s large size.
It is made of all plastics, including the spigot, which means less chance of leaks and breaking caused by mixing materials (with varying shrinking, brittleness…)
It comes with a quality installation kit that works on either of the two sizes of rectangular downspouts on my house.
It installs in such a way that there is no chance of overflow.
The lid fits nice and tight so I don’t have to worry about it blowing off or letting mosquitoes in.
It filled up in one night of rain and that was fun.

So, I bought one more,

Problem is that the lid was shaped so badly that it will not fit the barrel at all.

So, I exchanged for another one.

Problem is that it’s lid is also shaped so badly that it won’t fit the barrel.

I’m giving up for now. One barrel will have to do. I’ll keep my open for local barrels so I can check the fit before buying. Returning 65 gallon containers is a pain.

The current price on Amazon ($98)is a good one since I paid more than that at BJ’s.

This is our fourth rain barrel. The others fill from the top through a screen while this system is totally different and actually quite nice.

Random thoughts:
Go to the Fiskar’s web site to view the installation video because it’s much clearer and more helpful than the printed pictue directions that come with the barrel. When cutting the downspout, it’s much easier to remove the rainspout first than cut it in place. I’ve done both. With this installation my hacksaw began to stick halfway through so I finished the job with some metal snips. Using the metal snips was much easier and faster for me.

The directions and pamphlet show the barrel sitting almost flat on the ground. To get good flow the barrel should be elevated. I have mine sitting on cinder blocks,two blocks high, and the flow is more than satisfactory.

Make sure the hose from the downspout to the barrel is short enough. At first mine was too long and it sagged. Shortening the hose made a world of difference.

I really only have a couple of complaints. First the lid is very difficult to snap on, deliberately made that way by Fiskars for safety reasons. I may end up shaving the edges of the lid to loosen it because I like being able to take the lid off easily so that I can see at a glance how much water is in the barrel.

My only other complaint is that the spout hole is too high on the barrel. There’s quite a bit of water still in the barrel when the water level is just below the spigot. To remedy this situation I drilled an inch diameter hole closer to the bottom of the barrel, attached a brass hose connection,and sealed it with automotive glass sealer silicone. On the first insallation attempt I used a product I had on hand that didn’t seal properly. I like having the lower spigot now.

The newer models of the Fiskars rain barrels have a screen in the diverter piece that attaches to the downspout. I don’t have that feature so have had to place a piece of screen in the rain gutter to catch leaves and gunk. I suppose one could also fasten a screening medium of some type at the end of the hose emptying into the rain barrel. Better yet, I could just purchase the screening diverter from Fiskars.

Overall I like this rain barrel. It’s more attractive than my other barrels and is solidly constructed. Also our plants seem to like rain water better than our treated well water.

Fantastic. I love this product I purchased 2 and am seriously thinking of getting another 1 or 2. I have 6 down spouts and could harvest a great deal of water for my gardens. I have several gardens and am a Master Gardener, so I plant from seed in my tiny green house for our group sale each spring. These barrels are a “God-send”.
I am a 75 year old lady and I assembled then without any help other than instruction book.

I absolutely love this product. It’s large size allows me to water my large garden, 6 blackberry bushes, 1 blueberry bush & 3 flower beds TWICE.

It’s appearance allows it to blend into the house & not be noticed.

It was fairly easy to install; it may take two people.

I love this barrell & am begging to get a second!

My wife and I have lots of flowers, shrubs, bushes, & trees around our house and here in Texas, it can go for weeks at a time with no rain, so we decided to invest in a couple of rain barrels. After a week or so of research on different manufacturer’s rain barrels, we decided on the Fiskars 5998 58 gal. model. The majority of reviews we’ve read about the 5998 were very positve and now we know why!

Our 2 rain barrels arrived quickly from Amazon and were in perfect condition. I installed both barrels in our back yard next to different down spouts. I built a base using 2 cinder blocks, one 24″x24″ concrete pad, and 2 16″x8″ concrete toppers for the cinder blocks. I started first by digging about 1″ into the ground and about 30″x30″ wide area. I put down about 1″ of paver sand and leveled the area. Next, I laid down the 24″x24″ concrete pad. I then positioned the cinder blocks side by side and about 4″-6″ apart, with the openings facing up. I placed the cinder blocks towards the back of the concrete pad. That way, I had room on the pad to sit my watering can when filling it. I then placed the concrete toppers on the cinder blocks to cover up the openings. I built 2 seperate bases for each of my rain barrels. In addition to the spigot that Fiskars provides with the barrels, I also installed a 3/4″x3/4″ spigot directly below the existing spigot, in the area near the bottom that looks as if Fiskars knew some of us would want to do so in order to utilize all of the water in the barrel. I picked up all of the hardware for the spigots and base building material at Lowe’s and The Home Depot. After installing the barrels as per Fiskars’ instructions, the rain barrels sitting up on their bases are a beautiful sight! They really compliment our home and give us a good feeling of being responsible green citizens.

Here’s a funny, bone-headed story. After installing the barrels, we couldn’t wait for it to rain. After waiting over a month during summer time here in Texas, it finally rained and it rained good all through the night! In the morning, I excitedly charged over to the barrels to see how much water was collected, and much to my suprise, both barrels were empty! Confounded and disappointed, I checked all of the connections for leaks, checked to make sure the Diverter Pro was installed at the right level, and even wondered if rain water even drains down those gutters. After some more head scratching, I finally discovered that I had inadvertantly left all 4 spigots on and all of the rain water had drained out as fast as it had gone into the barrels! Duh!! I couldn’t do anything but laugh & my wife is still laughing at me! The lesson of the story here: when you are finished with your installation, last but not least, check and make sure your spigots are all in the off position! I’ve made the bone headed mistake of leaving them open so that you don’t have to!

We’ve since had some good rain storms and the barrels filled quickly and work great!

After searching the net for some time regarding the purchase/installation of a rain barrel, I really hit the jackpot with this one! Not only was it a nice subtle color (some of us like earth tones), but it was super easy to install. The price was unbelievably reasonable compared to others, and it worked without a hitch after the first rainfall. I am totally impressed with the force of the water that comes out of the spigot; no trickle trickle, but on par with my outdoor faucet–REALLY!…takes no time to fill up my 2 gallon watering can. Have already recommended it to others.

We ordered this rain barrel right before we had our gutters installed, and the guys that put in our gutters had an easy time. Be sure that the hose is level… other than that, it’s simple & has collected enough rain for us to water all of our potted plants. I love that the diverter comes with it, and I really love that I don’t have to think about whether or not it will work~ no flooding, no problems!

I had my doubts when the two boxes taped together arrived from Amazon. Everything was undamaged upon opening. This thing is built well, looks nice and has all the components to connect to your downspout. The lid does fit snugly and I like that. Install was pretty much a breeze. I am going to caulk around the gutter water hook-in, I can how water pressure could force water out around the cut-in. I hope the plastic spigot holds up. You will need a screwdriver, 1 inch hole maker for your drill and a hacksaw to complete the install. Sounds worse than it is, I did have to purchase the 1 inch cutter. Amazon had it for just over $5. Overall, I’m pleased.

Works as intended. Nice to have rain water for my plants. This is the only rain barrel (that I am aware) that does not overflow when full. Great design.