advice re rainwater tank

[macklin]

There are weep marks down the side of the tank (3 of them) brown and white
also I think the previous owner has tried to cover them with something ????

Question.
1 ---what can I use to stop the leaks,

2 ---Also how can I calculate how much water the tank holds, as nobody told us when we bought the property

3 ---is there a web site we can go to for info on the upkeep of a rainwater tank.

Thank you for any help

John Macklin

[Sir Stinkalot]

What is the tank made of?

As for the capacity
πr² x height = m³
3.142 x radius² x height (all in meters) = m³
1m³ = 1000l

[ozwinner]

Hi

Work out the cubic metres of the tank, one cubic metre is 1000 litres.
What are the tanks made of.
If they are concrete, dont worry about the leaks, as concrete is self sealing.

Al

[ROB NZ]

We have 3 round reinforced concrete tanks, 2 @ 5000 gallons and 1 @3000 gallons. (Apols for the ancient measurements).They are free standing, i.e. not dug into the ground, and were made off site, and trucked in. One is at least 30 years old, the others between 15 and 25 years old.

If your leaks are really just a bit of weeping, don't worry. Ours have been like that from time to time over the years.

The white stuff on ours seems to be a lime-like encrustation. The brown is probably algae. Concrete tanks seem to be self sealing over time as Ozwinner says. We have never had any trouble with ours.

If the cracks are significant, you could try Aquella. I believe it to be a British or French product. The advertising used to say it had been used for sealing the tunnels of the Maginot line.

We used it at work many years ago to seal the inside of a concrete lift shaft where the lowest part of the overrun pit was below the water table, and where in winter we sometimes got a 2-300mm of water after a week of heavy rain. After the second application it was most succesful.

I have also seen it in use recently in an inspection tunnel at a major hydro station here in N.Z.

I know of no website about water tank maintenance, but the latest improvement contraption available in N.Z. is a syphon system which, when the tank reaches maximum fullness, begins to operate, and sucks from the very lowest level of the tank, all the non-aerobic crud, dead birds and leaves which adds so much flavour to our water. ( The syphon stops after it has removed about 300mm of water and sludge).

Hope that helps.

Cheers,
Rob

[kiwigeo]

1 ---what can I use to stop the leaks,

Ive used a paint on product here in SA called "Gripit"....is non toxic and safe for use on water tanks and fish ponds.

[macklin]

thank you for all replies. Yes the tank is made of concrete.

As a matter of interest why can't I read these posts off line, I can with everybody else. I have win xp with internet explorer and outlook express.
there have been occasions when I have wished to read/ print off line. Like now for instance


Thank you for your replies

John Macklin

[ozwinner]

thank you for all replies. Yes the tank is made of concrete.

As a matter of interest why can't I read these posts off line, I can with everybody else. I have win xp with internet explorer and outlook express.
there have been occasions when I have wished to read/ print off line. Like now for instance


Thank you for your replies

John Macklin

Your not wearing your foil hat are you???

Al

[macklin]

I dont understand the foil hat

thank you

John Macklin

[echnidna]

Al don't understand either John.
Or is it that the foilie don't understand Al. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[macklin]

I saw, and went to the previous post about foilies, but I am dambed if I can see the relevance to my original post. Please let me in on the joke ????? so that I can have a good laugh. At the present moment I can do with one

John Macklin

[craigb]

I saw, and went to the previous post about foilies, but I am dambed if I can see the relevance to my original post.

Why do you assume that any replies you may get here will be relevant to your question ? :confused:

As to the good laugh, you be the judge:

A bloke goes to see a psychiatrist wearing clingwarp shorts.

The shrink says: "Yes, I can clearly see your nuts"

Boom Boom