Rock or cement cistern

[humbug]

This spring I will be getting busy developing some land I own. I will be developing a spring and would like to pipe it into a rock or cement cistern. I will water the orchard from this. The information available on building one has been really limited. Is anyone here using one or are familiar with one? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Jim S.]

My MIL has one on her place that was made with a concrete base and then limestone and mortar walls. Been there over a hundred years, still holds water.

[greg273]

Ferro-cement tanks are popular in many areas of the world. Basically a rebar-wire mesh frame with cement trowelled on.

[mdharris68]

The ones around here(NE KS) are laid up rock or brick with a harder than normal cement troweled on liner. Most I have seen are still holding water, some were filled with dirt. It would be nice to know what mixture they used back in the day when they were building them.

[de Molay]

What is handy to you for building materials? If no rock, that is suitable for stonework, use cement and pay the extra for xypex mix. This stuff really works. Just finished a construction job about 7,000 cubic yeards of concrete and we used this stuff for all underground concrete work exposed to groundwater. It is incredible. Me I would use concrete rebar and xypex.

[MELOC]

i can see an old reservoir/cistern that is now falling apart from my side door. the old house across the way had one decades ago. it was @ 20 or 30 feet by 10 or 12 feet and 8 or 10 feet deep. the walls are stone and appear to be a rubble filled wall parged with concrete on the inside. i would say the walls are about 2 feet thick. two sides of the cistern are buried in the hill and the other two are exposed. it was a real shame to see that thing fall apart. there is a remote possibility it can be rebuilt, but i doubt anyone ever takes the time.

[humbug]

Thanks for all of your replies. I was thinking about doing a cement bottom...and then using the slip formed rock building method to form the sides. I was then going to coat the inside of the cistern with some kind of water sealer. I just haven't been successful in finding anything on anyone who has tried this. I want the cistern to be attractive as well as functional. The only ones I have been able to find where I live are formed cement or metal and plastic water tanks.

[js2743]

the spring box we use was built from cinder block on a concrete base then they plastered the inside with cement its been there since 1953 and it has nevered leaked. if i ever built one myself i would do it the same way but when you plaster the inside it has to be finished once you start for a water tight seal.

[willow_girl]

Mine is cement. I'm guessing it's probably at least 60 years old. Works fine!

[hickbynature]

Water Storage book by Art Ludwig $20. Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds For Domestic Supply, Fire and Emergency Use Includes How to Make Ferrocement Water Tanks Found at: http://www.oasisdesign.net/water/storage/index.htm
Order by mail: Oasis Design 5 San Marcos Trout Club Santa Barbara, CA 93105 $25

HBN