[Pil-pc-oceania] Water tank options

[Robyn Williamson]

Sue

Just make sure the concrete slab you put the tank on is swept  
completely clean before the tank is put in position.  I am told that  
even little pebbles can work their way through the plastic because of  
all the weight and can create holes in the bottom.

We had a PhD in hemp do an excellent presentation at the last  
Permaculture North meeting.  He passed around a sample of a concrete- 
like substance made from the short fibres inside hemp stems mixed  
with lime and a bonding agent (as opposed to the long fibres used for  
textiles which are taken from the outside of the stem). It looked and  
felt like concrete but was about one-tenth or more of the weight.  He  
said if we're ever allowed to grow hemp in this country it will be  
great for water tanks and affordable houses too.  Hemp fibre is only  
available from Thailand and China at this time.  But maybe in 20  
years time when your plastic tank has reached its use-by date we'll  
be able to grow our own tanks and houses ... that is if we're still  
here then, hey.

Luv & peas,
Robyn

CONTACT DETAILS:

Robyn Williamson
APC9 Secretariat
Ph/Fx:  (02) 9629 3560
Mobile:  0409 151 435
http://apc9.org.au


On 24/11/2007, at 9:02 PM, mossmans wrote:

> I am just purchasing a plastic 50,000 l tank which will land at  
> about 5,300.
> couldn't afford concrete. (mind you I did purchase it as a show  
> special from
> the Murrumbatement Agriculture field day, - most field days do offer
> specials)
> I am hoping that it will be resilient enough to last the 20 years  
> they say
> and eventually perhaps ferrocement around it using it as a mould,  
> with reo
> bar.
>
> If there is a fire, then the plastic will melt and perhaps the  
> whoosh of
> water will help with the fire if it is from that direction.   
> Perhaps one
> would need more than one tank for fireproofedness anyway.
>
> Check out Darren Dohertys photos.  He has built tanks in Vietnam  
> using reo
> and rendered cement, Perhaps we need a master class on building  
> tanks???
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pil-pc-oceania-bounces at lists.permacultureinternational.org
> [mailto:pil-pc-oceania-bounces at lists.permacultureinternational.org] On
> Behalf Of jedd
> Sent: Friday, 23 November 2007 6:48 PM
> To: 'permacultue discussion list'
> Subject: [Pil-pc-oceania] Water tank options
>
>  How do we feel about concrete water tanks?
>
>  I was kind of against them, but was assured they had a similar
>  cost-per-litre thing going on when compared to plastic, etc, and
>  what you lost in portability you gained in fire-proofness.
>
>  I have a couple of 27k plastic tanks that were, a few years ago,
>  around $A2,500.  A friend had a 120k concrete put in about 5
>  years ago, and that was around $A8-9k, so I was assuming that
>  a 120k concrete now would be around about twelve grand.
>
>  I've been quoted night on $A18k .. which is worrying as it's way
>  more than the same cost (using plastic) of several smaller tanks.
>
>  Thoughts from people who've been down this path?
>
>  Jedd.
>
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