Anyone built a ferro-cement water storage tank?

[TxGypsy]

Has anyone built a ferro cement water storage tank? Is there a limit on how large you can build one? What is the formula for figuring out how many gallons a round tank will hold? I'm especially interested in ferro cement because you can build a top onto your tank and enclose it. Where I'm at it would evaporate or the wild critters would slurp it up if it isn't enclosed(I'm providing them with their own little watering station so I'm not willing to share my personal supply). Any pointers and links are appreciated!

[Wildcrofthollow]

I have not built one, but it is on my to do list.

The book i have is: Water Storage by Art Ludwig

Good book, lotsa info, and would easily answer all your questions i think.

[Rocky Fields]

Hey.

Is there a reason you don't use a cheap poly tank for water?

[fantasymaker]

I built a regular concreate tank yep it has some rebar but nothing particularly ferrocemet about it.It works fine.

Gallons in a round tank,
Radius in inches squared times pi times inches hi divided by 231
RXRX3.14XHT/231

[Bearfootfarm]

http://www.1728.com/diam.htm

This formula will tell you the volume of a cylinder

[SolarGary]

Hi,

A formula:

Volume in gallons = (5.87) (Diameter^2) (Height)

Where Diameter and Height are in feet, and Diameter^2 means Diameter squared.

For example, an 8 ft diameter by 6 ft high tank would store:

Volume = (5.87)(8^2)(6) = (5.87)(64)(6) = 2250 gallons


Some build it yourself tanks here:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects...ng.htm#Storage


Gary

[highlands]

Here are two good resources:

http://ferrocement.com/

http://www.ferrocement.net/

I just build a ferro-cement barrel vault roof on our tiny cottage:

http://sugarmtnfarm.com/blog/2006/12...ction-pan.html

Think of it as a inside out ferro-cement water storage tank - I'm keeping the water out!

I have also built several animal shelters with ferro-cement. Works well. Inexpensive. Durable. Pig tough!

Cheers,

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/

[TxGypsy]

Originally Posted by Rocky Fields

Hey.

Is there a reason you don't use a cheap poly tank for water?

Ship me some of the cheap tanks!!!! They aren't cheap here. They average about a dollar per gallon of storage capacity. I get all my rain in about 2 months time so I need a LOT of storage space in order to collect all I can.

[TxGypsy]

Thanks for the links highlands.....great web site! Thanks for the formulas everyone. I'll try to figure them out in the morning when my brain is fresh.

[Rocky Fields]

Good clean used poly tanks go for about 20 cents per gallon in my neck of the woods. I occasionally can get 55 gallon poly vinegar drums for $5-$6 each.

I saw this on ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/Poly-Tank-3000-G...QQcmdZViewItem

This guy has a new 3000 gal poly tank starting at $800 and says he has six of them. They are floor mount and the guy lists his phone number in the description. I know it would cost a bit to ship from Mass.

[NELSELGNE]

http://www.solarhaven.org/WaterStorage.htm

http://www.sofpool.com/containment.php

[Telerural]

I built a small ferro cement rain water cisten last summer for gardening. Lots of work alone but gained a lot of skills to build a big one when we make the move to a rural homestead. I used "Rainwater Catchment Systems for Domestic Supply" by Gould and Nissen-Petersen ISBN 1 85339 456 4.
As I recall the height should not exceed about 7 feet. This book has all the info you could want to build any number of systems. My 475 gallon tank with pump & plumbing cost about $800 US. Used a Northern Tool + Supply shallow well pump ($149 US). You will need a cement/mortar mixer or lots of friends to mix the mud! One critical consideration is climate. I live in cold New England and I built my tank in the cellar to preclude freezing. Much more work that way but no need to drain in the fall.