Bill Kuhn

So, I have a good bit larger system, as we live on our rainwater, but I use an in ground first flush diverter that comes from Australia that I found online. It is just two caps for a piece of 12" PVC pipe, on one end, there is a tiny drain hole on a piece of PVC that can be removed to let out the debris, on the other end, there is an inlet hole that gets plugged with a ball when the tank is full. When the rain starts, the 12" pipe fills up, then the ball plugs the hole and the rest of the water gets sent to the tank. When the rain stops, the first flush slowly drains out the tiny hole in the other end. The 12" PVC holds 6 gallons per foot, so you can make your first flush tank however big you want it. This works really well, and doesn't require much attention. I am guessing you will never get to where you do not have any fine stuff going into the tank, that is why there are so many tank cleaning businesses all over Australia...
http://www.rainharvest.com/rain-harvesting-pty-first-flush-diverter-for-in-ground-systems.asp

Here in the mountains east of Albuquerque, we need a greenhouse to extend our growing season on both ends, as it is otherwise too short for most peppers or tomatoes. And then, because we cover it with solex, which only transmits 71% of the light, we get to grow cool weather crops like kale and lettuce in intense summer sun. Without it, they just bolt. Permaculture for food is kind of tough in the high desert mountains, unless you live on pinon nuts! And, to reduce water use (a VERY big deal for us), we use Sub-Irrigation Planters (see globalbuckets.org). Really simple, clean, productive, and successful for us so far...