Water tanks 23kl

[ptrott]

Looking at installing another rainwater tank so we can put the entire house on rainwater instead of just drinking and cooking.
Have to decide between the only two affordable options that don't involve liners, which is corrugated aquaplate and poly.
The existing tank is aquaplate and it has served us well for 15 years and doesn't seem to have deteriorated in that time, but they are significantly more expensive than poly, but still within budget.
We have no experience with poly, so if anyone does have experience, especially long term experience with poly, we would love to hear from you, good or bad experience.
Cheers :-)

[Bohdan]

I have factory made concrete, cast on site concrete and poly tanks in around the 30kl size. If I was to get any new tanks they would all be poly as over the last 25 years the concrete ones have either failed or are starting to show signs of leaks.

The poly tanks are not quite that old but they have performed perfectly and are showing no signs of age. All of my cold water plumbing is poly and that gives some troubles but only where it is exposed to the cattle.

[ptrott]

Thanks for that info. Concrete is not an option here, it is too expensive, and I know that they are problematic.
I really just wanted to hear if anyone had issues with poly tanks that they have had for a long time, and it seems that there have been none, so I might just go with poly and save a grand ;-)
Cheers :-)

[Big Shed]

We have 2 x 20,000l poly (Polymasta brand) that have served us well for the past 16 years and I can see them go on for at least another 16 years.

[cava]

In a bushfire, how would poly perform?

This is one of the prime reasons that we went for concrete.

[Mick C.]

Another option is the likes of a Rhino Tank, Coro Tin Can "shell" with a polly liner. When we finally get to build our acreage house we will be using Rhino Tanks.

[ptrott]

Too many of those fail from condensation causing corrosion of various parts in the roof/truss sections.
Next door neighbours roof fell in last year.
It is all very well using galv parts, and galv screws, but where the screws penetrate the galv steel, and where two bits of galv steel overlap, rust begins apparently.

[rustynail]

The only down side with poly is fire. Other than that, they perform well. Easy to shift and transport. The life can be extended by placing them out of direct sunlight.

[ptrott]

Rustynail, I am thinking of wrapping it in shade cloth and using Band-it strapping to hold it in place.

With regard to fire, it seems that the Aquaplate tanks are coated on the inside with a polyethelene coating that burns/melts to the water line in a fire, so stuffed afterwards anyway.
That makes it a bit easier to go towards poly.

[Big Shed]

When you look at photos taken after a bushfire the corrugated iron/acqua plate ones don't survive too well either, all buckled and ready for scrap.

But yes, the plastic ones look sad too, everything above the water line melted away, but where the water is the rest of the tank still there.

[ptrott]

It just got almost certain for the poly.
Just found a 32kl for $3300 delivered, which is a great price for W.A. Not the colour I wanted, but if I wrap it in green shade cloth it will be the right colour ;-)

[gordo 350]

Poly tanks, concrete tanks,corri tanks. All are equal in respect to fire. Concrete spalls ,plastic melts and tin buckles. Seen it first hand on black Saturday. Nothing is impervious to fire

[rustynail]

When it comes to direct, prolonged exposure to fire, all tanks are at risk. Unfortunately, poly even more so as flying embers alone can hole a plastic tank.

[climbout]

Tanks on trial: performance of rainwater tanks in bushfire conditions | BFCRC Legacy (http://bushfirecrc.com/resources/firenote/tanks-trial-performance-rainwater-tanks-bushfire-conditions)

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[Tonyz]

Haven't done this myself yet, but..... maybe talk with your insurance company about replacement value in the possibility of fire damage.

[Chris Parks]

Poly tanks, concrete tanks,corri tanks. All are equal in respect to fire. Concrete spalls ,plastic melts and tin buckles. Seen it first hand on black Saturday. Nothing is impervious to fire

Anyone who has experienced a wild fire first hand would agree, the only tank that will survive is an underground one.

[tonzeyd]

Concrete is fire resistant, but putting it under extreme heat ie fire, will seriously compromise the structural integrity.

Besides a melted poly tank might help save your house.