Any downside to just getting a large water tank?

[Joewy]

You could just drive to bakersfield and pick them up there.
They will fit in a standard size pickup truck..

If you have a large lot then use the water for irrigation untill you need it or get a 12 volt pump and bladder tank and go ahead and plumb it into your house.

[lwbyo1]

I'd be a little cautious about ordering from a website that doesn't list a return policy or physical address. I couldn't find one anywhere on their site. Which means you'll probably have to pay shipping back to the manufacturer if it is defective.

Chem-tainer ships out of Compton, though I doubt they'll let you will call it. But it never hurts to ask. Though I'd order it from a different site. I found it around $50 cheaper from a couple different sites, but all of them ream you for shipping and make you unload it when they deliver it.

Call these 2 places and see what their prices are and if you can pick them up.

1. This one is in Escondido:

http://containrainwater.com/products/potable-water-storage-tanks/

An ad they ran in a San Diego paper a couple of days ago.

http://sandiego.sandiegoreader.com/Farm/water-storage-tank-sale/8687907

2. This one is in Santa Ana:

http://www.tanksuperstore.com/T_water.htm

[Shellshocker66]

I can add that make sure if you order one you don't set it on cement. From my previous reading seems the lime/chemicals from concrete can seep into plastic containers fouling the water. All the suggestions that I have found said to elevate the container and or place on wood with a water vapor type sheet in between.

[Steve1968LS2]

Steve1968 I would go with either black or green color. The darker the better to prevent sunlight from penetrating. That would be a big plus if you are going to use the water for drinking.

Now for how long to store it before you rotate, with mine, I have 55 gallon drums, I keep the water for 2 years before I rotate (for drinking purpose). If you are only going to use for washing clothes, washing dishes, bathing then you can store it up to 4 years before rotating. I keep the drums covered. I use filtered water. I have a two stage filter in the kitchen.

I would build a enclosure with access door with that tank. It will make the tank last longer, it will be fully protected from the sun even though the tank itself has UV protection already. It would also keep it a tad cooler during summer months. Plus it can make it discreet from prying eyes.

If you can put in on a elevated cement pad would help out if you are planning to use the tank with just gravity and weight pressure. I would keep a manually or engine driven pump just in case.

As you stated, you want that tank just in case of a earthquake.

Thanks, We have a small area that is fenced off (6' x10') and right now it's just junk storage, I will pour a small pad for the tank and the 300 gallon will be a foot lower than the fence. I will then stretch a canopy over the area to help shade it a bit.

Again, is 300 gallons excessive? Maybe, but I can do this for not much money and zero "PITA factor" since the area is pretty much unused and out of the way. In a small emergency where it looks like we will be out of services for a few weeks (majorish earthquake) I can share with my neighbors.. in a really big deal I'll be happy to have the 300 gallons on top of my other water stores.

Thanks for all the advice.. and for the link to the other tank company.. looks like the differecen will be if I can will call at the first place. If not the other one is good to go.

[Steve1968LS2]

I can add that make sure if you order one you don't set it on cement. From my previous reading seems the lime/chemicals from concrete can seep into plastic containers fouling the water. All the suggestions that I have found said to elevate the container and or place on wood with a water vapor type sheet in between.

Really? Learn something new every day..

So, concrete pad, vapor barrier, wood down as a deck...

[scarville]

While 300 gallons seems a bit large to me (at this time), I think a semi permanent tank is a good idea. I've been seriously looking at getting one or two horizontal tanks in the 30 to 40 gallon range. When I had my house re-piped, I put in an on demand water heater. It works great and really does save me a few bucks on the gas bill but it also means no more 40 gallons of potential reserve in the water heater.

I'll still keep some seven gallon aquatainers in the garage just for sake of portability.

[Joewy]

They also make water tanks that you can bury if that is a concern

[Paul_R]

Like the sign says.. any downside to getting a large above ground water storage tank?

Yeah, you can't swim in it!

Get a pool. Enjoy it in the good times, use it in the bad.

[Steve1968LS2]

While 300 gallons seems a bit large to me (at this time), I think a semi permanent tank is a good idea. I've been seriously looking at getting one or two horizontal tanks in the 30 to 40 gallon range. When I had my house re-piped, I put in an on demand water heater. It works great and really does save me a few bucks on the gas bill but it also means no more 40 gallons of potential reserve in the water heater.

I'll still keep some seven gallon aquatainers in the garage just for sake of portability.

The footprint is only 4'x5' which is nothing given the space I have and the cost of a 300 isn't much more than a 200.. I would rather have too much.

We also have a hot tub so there's another few hundred gallons.. we don't use many chemicals (a clorine shock from time to time) and instead have all the purification gadgets (ozone, etc).. not sure if it will be drinkable, but it would be great for hygine, watering, etc.

[KevinB]

I have several I have bought from this guy and they top quality. mine had corn syrup in them.

I put about 20 gallons of water and soap and a little bleach and drove them home. they were super clean when I got home and rinsed them. I store fuel and water in them.

http://modesto.craigslist.org/grd/2570456477.html

[Californio]

Thanks, We have a small area that is fenced off (6' x10') and right now it's just junk storage, I will pour a small pad for the tank and the 300 gallon will be a foot lower than the fence. I will then stretch a canopy over the area to help shade it a bit.

Again, is 300 gallons excessive? Maybe, but I can do this for not much money and zero "PITA factor" since the area is pretty much unused and out of the way. In a small emergency where it looks like we will be out of services for a few weeks (majorish earthquake) I can share with my neighbors.. in a really big deal I'll be happy to have the 300 gallons on top of my other water stores.

Thanks for all the advice.. and for the link to the other tank company.. looks like the differecen will be if I can will call at the first place. If not the other one is good to go.

We have several water tanks on the ranch. 35K gal. concrete and several black tanks in the 2K range. You don't need a concrete base. Make a square frame using treated wood 2x6, 6-12" larger than tank dia. backfill with about 4" of pea-gravel and you will be good to go for a base up to 2K gals. This will provide drainage under the tank for rain water etc keeping the bottom dry.

[Steve1968LS2]

We have several water tanks on the ranch. 35K gal. concrete and several black tanks in the 2K range. You don't need a concrete base. Make a square frame using treated wood 2x6, 6-12" larger than tank dia. backfill with about 4" of pea-gravel and you will be good to go for a base up to 2K gals. This will provide drainage under the tank for rain water etc keeping the bottom dry.

Thanks for the tip... in that case I will lay down some weed blocker before the pea-gravel.. Might sink a post to secure the tank from latteral movement (after all, this is for earthquate preparedness.. lol)

Looks like the first place I listed will let me pick up the tank in Compton.. so while they are $30 more than the other company the savings in shipping will be huge.

Still researching where we will get the tank, thanks for all the tips!

[ireload]

Steve1968 post a pic when you have your tank installed.

Now on a different note, never heard of cement's lime/chemical sepping through the plastic that Shellshocker mentioned. I'll have to look into that. It's too bad that I do not have access to a free lab for water analysis anymore.

[mkane]

We use them, have for 25yrs. Ours are green, 3000 gal. Theres one out in front of the barn waiting installation, has been for over a year.

[Mael]

I picked up one of these 300 gallon tanks from the tank depot last year. I installed it in my garage to protect it from the sunlight. I also built a custom bracket so I could secure the tank to the wall with earthquake straps. I added liquid stabilized oxygen to the water that should allow me to keep it for up to five years without rotation (I'll probably rotate it out at 4 years to be safe).

Here are some good sources of information on water tanks.

Filling a water tank

Watertanks.com forums