Having installed an IBC water tank, and wrapped it to prevent light entry, I have been pawing the internet looking for a simple and cheap DIY solution for seeing how much water is in remaining in the tank.

I found several methods using strings pullies and weights, floats and poles and

electronic circuits, all of which had some kind of problem for me - either

finding the parts or breaking the cost barrier.

Then today an idea just sauntered into my mind without even knocking and gained my

full attention right away, it's so simple I am sure you will have already

worked it out from the photo!

Supplies

What I used; ( all laying around my shed)

1-inch ball valve2 x 1-inch male / male thread adapter (already present along with the IBC cap adapter)
1 x 1-inch x 1/2 inch male / male reducer (what suited my tube and parts)
I x 1 inch galvanised T(the brass one I brought when the idea hit me was the wrong one haha)
1-inch ball valve
1 x Clear plastic tubing ( length from tap to 12 inches above the top of the IBC
bits of pipe and irrigation fitting - to make my tube light work.
Heat gun
Spanner and grips
Thread tape

Step 1: Putting It Together...

Pretty simply construction

Tape the threads (not required, but I didn't want any drips wasting my water) screw all the parts together, holding the first male /male (brass in my case - entering the black cap adapter on the IBC) with a spanner to prevent it turning

while threading the T on into an upright position as shown.

Add all the other parts, and find a way to connect your tubing to the top of the T, I heated my pipe bits with the heat gun to attach to the 1 x 1/2 adapter in the top of the T and to fit the irrigation reducer.

Wind on the ball valve.

Then I pulled the plastic tubing vertically above the tap, keeping enough tension on it to keep it straight before tying the tube off onto the IBC cage with a half hitch knot.

Hows it works?

In case you haven't figured it out yet, turn the fitted ball valve off, turn the IBC main valve on and the water has nowhere to go but shoot up the clear tube to the height to approximately the water height in the tank. (I recall there is a fancy scientific name for this principle but it escapes me as usual..)