Cisterns

[Randy Rooster]

Wondering if any one here has made or installed one and if they have any tips. I dont want a bunch of 55 gallon drum as a cistern, I want a 2000-3000 gallon tank. The problem is that shipping from the companies I find online about doubles the cost of the tank. Any suggestions are welcome.

[Micahn]

Well my mom has one that is I would say about 70 years old and still holds water just fine. She got the home from my grand farther when he passed away. Any way now days it is only used to water the garden and flowers and such. It is about 10 feet deep and I would say it is maybe 15 feet across. All of the roof is drained into it when it rains. When I was a kid that is what was the only water they had. If it rain low my grand farther would call a guy and he would come with a water truck to fill it up.

Anyway it is made of concrete, I see no reason at all that someone could not built one themselves or have it built sort of like a swimming pool. The hardest part would be making a lid for it. My mothers is concrete as well but one could be made out if tin roofing as well I would say.

[fantasymaker]

Are you wanting to build or buy? Thecheepest way to buy one is to headon down o your local farm suppy store and see what they have. Is there a TSC (Tractor Supply Corp) near you? Or perhaps a rural king? Farmers use these tanks to holdandtransport chemicals.
Would a swimming pool work for you? It seems like this is about the right time to find them on sale.
If you are going to build a good water proof(7 bag mix) concrete will make a fine one ,in your calculations remeber a wide low one is easyer to build.

[littlebitfarm]

My cistern is just poured concrete. Roughly 10 by 16 by 6 (too lazy to get a tape measure to see for sure) and holds about 8000 gallons. Cost me $1600 when I had it done 17 years ago. Sits level with ground and served as my back patio until I built a sun room over it a few years ago.

8000 gallons, fed by my gutters (1400 sq ft house + 2 car garage) in Illinois is enough for me. It takes care of all my household water (I don't do things like wash cars every week or water a huge garden) and livestock water. I wish it was a little bigger so I could do some more watering. If it was 2000 gallons I would end up hauling water several times a year, it wouldn't be enough storage capacity to cover my use in dry spells.

Bigger is better. Underground doesn't freeze or grow algae. Have a trap door big enough to get in it.

Kathie

[js2743]

i would check on a septic tank concrete box i dont think they are really that expensive just let them know you are gonna be using it for water they may even have something bigger. i have a neighbor that went that way and it worked good i think it was 2000 gallons. that way you have the openings and and its easy to get inside of if you have to do that. he put his under ground just like you would a septic tank and put his pump in there also.

[Jenn]

I got 6 x 2500 gal tanks via a feed store (but shipped directly from company to me since I got 6); chose size because height short enough to collect from my roof (can't fill above the inlet!). When we moved resold for about 50% original price and everyone acted like I was selling too cheap.

[SolarGary]

Hi,

There are a few different tank designs here:
http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Water/Water.htm

Gary

[Nevada]

I'm not going to be drilling a well until spring, but my next door neighbor has graciously allowed me to fill a tank with his water whenever I need it.

I found a used 250 gallon HDPE tank for $50. A fill is lasting me about 2 weeks. I pressure the water with a marine/RV pressure pump that I bought new for $94 that runs on 12 volt power (I'm off-grid for the time being). The pump maintains 50 psi while delivering up to 3 gallons per minute.

http://www.amazon.com/Jabsco-31395-0...0577116&sr=8-1

To prevent freezing I built a shed for the tank & pump (we call it the "water shed") that shares a wall with the house, and the other walls are insulated with R-13.

Not a bad system for $150 plus the cost of building a small shed. The insulated & heated shed will be useful in the future for a washer/dryer when I no longer have a use for the tank.

I can post photos if anyone is interested.