The pieces, in order
- A clean-history tote. For anything that touches food crops, use food-grade history or a new bottle. See food-grade history.
- A firm, level base for a weight of more than a ton when full.
- A bottom valve and a hose adapter. The fittings page covers the sizes.
- A filter between the valve and the line, because emitters clog.
- A header and the drip line. Start with a short run and test.
Pressure from gravity
Water gives about 0.433 psi per foot of height. A tote raised 4 feet above the line gives about 1.7 psi at the valve (4 times 0.433). Most drip emitters are rated for more than that, so a tote on a stand serves a short run of low-pressure line, and a longer or higher run needs a pump. Check your emitter's rated pressure before you decide.
A 275 gallon tote is 46 inches tall and a 330 gallon is 53. The extra seven inches adds about a third of a psi, so the size matters less than the stand under it.
| Height of water above the line | Pressure at the line |
|---|---|
| 2 ft | About 0.9 psi |
| 4 ft | About 1.7 psi |
| 6 ft | About 2.6 psi |
| 8 ft | About 3.5 psi |
What goes wrong
- A tote in the sun grows algae and clogs emitters. Cover it. See desert sun and UV.
- A tote of unknown history puts unknown chemistry on a crop. Do not use it.
- A cracked valve body from an overtightened adapter. Hand-tighten and use thread seal.
- A tote on soft ground that tips. Level and firm the pad.
A small-orchard sketch
Imagine a one-acre block of citrus with a single drip header. A 330 gallon tote on a four-foot stand gives about 1.7 psi at the valve, which is enough for pressure-compensating emitters only if the run is short. A grower wanting the whole acre on one tote will find that a small pump is the real answer, and the tote becomes a buffer rather than the source of pressure.
Check the filter. Algae-fed grit is the commonest cause of clogged emitters, and a filter on a covered tote needs far less cleaning than one on a clear tote in the sun.
Emitter pressure, plainly
Many drip emitters want between a few and a few tens of psi. Low-head gravity systems work only with emitters rated for low pressure. If yours are rated for more, add a small pump or raise the tote.
Questions people ask
Can I use any IBC tote for irrigation?
Only if you know what it held. Chemical or unknown history is not acceptable on food crops; the grader never clears those.
How much water does a tote hold?
A 275 gallon tote holds about 1,040 liters and a 330 gallon tote about 1,250 liters.
Sources. Last reviewed 2026-11-11.