Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

I dont live on a farm or acreage (not yet). If TSHTF and the water stopped flowing what would I do for water storage? At first I thought waterbed mattresses... folds up when not in use and sits in the hall closet outta sight. One day snooping around ebay I found this: http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...MEWN:IT&ih=023

They come in various sizes and have standard garden hose connectors in and out. Decently priced, folds down... bigguns hold 300 gallons. This seems to suit my needs quite well. Does anyone want to share thoughts and products and compare ideas/needs on this subject?

Edit: If a moderator/admin sees this please move to the survival forum. Oops.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Those are fine IF you know a problem is coming and can fill them up beforehand. In a suburb setting, you may also want to look at generic 55gal food grade plastic drums. They can store in your garage for a long period of time, and can alternatively be hooked up to rain gutters for a simple rainwater collection system.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

looks good
but speaking for myself
at $215 + tax(?) for 300 gallons
i would look for something in smaller sizes that would be portable (if needed)

but if you're someone in a rural setting, this could be a nice water fallback

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

I personally store ~1000 gallons. Many ranchers in my area (small town) store up to 5000 gallons. For outdoor use an opaque dark green or black. If stored indoors (garage), white will do nicely and will allow you to see the water level...I like the vertical 300 gallon tanks. Shipping is a big cost, but you should pay about $1/gal delivered.

http://www.plastic-mart.com/?gclid=C...FRiXiQodkVqOUg

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

The above plastic tanks are the ones I use for spring reserve.....two 1500 gallon ones. You can buy them at most any farm type store.....the 1500 gallon ones were about 600 bucks last time I looked.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?...&products_id=3

This is pretty cool. I wouldn't mind having a couple of these myself.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

We plan to have ainwater catchment at our place,we are int he process of pricing it all out.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Do you have to treat the water for long term storage in one of those big tanks? Or is it practical to just plumb it in to your main supply so there is always a flow of water through it? I am thinking of buying a 500 gallon tank for my garage.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Tech Guy--Interesting product copy they have:

Are we the pioneers of a hot new trend? Anyone can "Go Green". Will the cutting edge "Go Olive Drab"? :D

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Hre's another water bladder that you might be interested in.
http://www.waterbob.com/

Another idea would be to save used soda bottles, wash them out and treat with either chlorine bleach or Oxy-Stabile http://www.nitro-pak.com/product_inf...oducts_id=1137 The beauty part of this is, not only are they free, but soda bottles are small enough that you will be able to store quite a few of these in odd ball corners of your home.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Be very careful how you plumb your main supply thru a tank like this.....they are NOT pressure rated tanks....if you can find one that will seal tight, ( the plastic ones I have have a vented screw on lid that would not pressurize ) your municipal supply pressure will split it wide open and you will have an indoor swimming pool !

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

You wouldn't want a direct connect anyway. You need to have the feed line not come into contact with the water in the tank, to prevent backflows. I have two three hundred gallon tanks that I'm installing in a little storage room in my garage. I'm going to run a copper line from the water supply to a float system in the tanks, then connect the tanks together and out through a hose bib. This can then be used to provide water to the garden, or the chickens, and the water will always stay fresh. Plus, with quite a bit of insulation in the little storage room, all that water should keep the temperature moderated, so I can store other items as well (won't get hot and cold like the uninsulated garage). When I'm done with the process, I'll see if I can't post some pictures.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Thanks, TN...Andy and ProblemSolver for the good cautions and ideas.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

I pass it on as a victim of my own experience. I hooked up a 500 sheet metal tank ( old fuel tank ) in my basement to store hot water from my heating system.....as soon as it built up a few PSI, it split the seam in the tank and I had a foot of water on the floor. Duhhhhh......don't know WHY I didn't think of that to start with.

My next tank choice was an old 500 gallon propane tank.....3/8" steel wall, tested to 450 PSI by the data plate....built in 1953, got too old for the propane company to certify for propane. It's been doing just fine as a hot water holder for 25 years in my basement..... :D

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

For a home try a waterbob 100 gal in a sanitary bag supported by your bathtub. (If your taking baths or showers water is not your problem) get one for each tub and maybe extra for neighbors.

29.95

Got one on the shelf

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Yes, they look very cool. But 6 of them on the back of a half ton pickup wouild be a ton and a half. That's a fair load for the one ton. But they look very sturdy and capable of being re-used if they would be able to be sterilized and dried after use.

Water tanks- WaterBob or WaterSafe?
 

I'm considering getting a couple of the water storage bags for emergency water in the tub.

Watersafe puts one out for about $35 shipped.
Waterbob puts one out for about $25 shipped.

Both look to be the same.

Has anyone used either? Has anyone compared them?

Can they be reused? How would I treat them before the 2nd use?

I want to buy 5, so cost is a consideration.

Thank you in advance!

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

http://www.waterbob.com/Welcome.do;j...170C68219E8CC3

I have not compared them in person. but I have some of these 'BOB's" at my house, and I would not think they are reusable in the "emergency is over fold it up and put it away till next time" sense.

I do think if you went on a water gathering trip to top off your current supply in the bob it would be fine but when you are done it probably should not be used again for that purpose.

The bob's have a buy 4 get one free promo which makes them about $18 each after shipping which was FAST (3 days from order to door)

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

I was looking at bladders. You can get large ones for under house, decks etc. 1000+ gals. You can also get portable ones at 50 - 100 gallons.

so as big as 5000+ litres or as small as 250 litres. The 250 is about the right size for a bath. You can get square ones for trunks or trailers. Can't suggest a US provider sorry.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=609915

pretty cool.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

[quote=Glass;2194490]I was looking at bladders. You can get large ones for under house, decks etc. 1000+ gals. You can also get portable ones at 50 - 100 gallons.

so as big as 5000+ litres or as small as 250 litres. The 250 is about the right size for a bath. You can get square ones for trunks or trailers. Can't suggest a US provider sorry.[/quote


If you want something that is that big, collapsable and made to US military spec, give Coleman's a call, they have a "few" of them:

http://store.colemans.com/cart/colla...ad903feec8707c

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

????????????
The best way to supply and cycle water is to use a container,to pump,to pressure vessel.

Water is pumped municiply to your house to as big as container as you can handle,float valve controls supply,pump pressures up house.

Continual water circulation and huge emergency supply.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

I'm curious what people would use as a means of storing water in sub freezing temperatures... assume you do not have a source of power aside from what might exist in the wild. Where I live, we see 20 below freezing for months on end. We're not really able to rely on storage that isn't freeze resistant.

My strategies are natural... lakes, rivers, snow piles. Though I think I've got a good strategy, I would still appreciate alternatives.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Waste of a good food storage bucket. Consider the bucket would provide water for 5 days. The same bucket with wheat would provide food for 50+/- days.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

for city dwellers in a shtf situation.......with no warning

the first water storage facility is your hot water heater...they normally hold..30-80 gal and have a water tap on the bottom

toilet stool tanks (if you have a old one they hold 6 gal...new ones down to 1.2gal)

if you have a warning......of course you can fill bathtubs...and containers..

pools and exterior ground water can be utilized if you have a filter like a aqua rain or berkley


me personally i think the dual benifit of a large hot water heater give dual ussage......long showers....back up water source that is always up dating..

i know some hard core shtf people that for years have saved laundry bleach bottles to use to hold drinking water .....they figure the bleach residue will purify the water and the container is a good stout opaque unit.

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

Consider a good 6 gallon water jug is 10+ Dollars and a bucket and lid is 5+

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

15 gallons each (filled they weigh roughly 90 lbs) so I can move them one at a time with a two wheel dolly.

Attachment 87849

Attachment 87850

Re: Water tanks- different needs and ideas
 

I just bought 5 * 55 gallon white plastic barrels. They were originally storing / shipping soy sauce. I hope that I can get the salt flavour out!

Paid $25 each.

Does anyone have a source for quality and inexpensive hand pumps for these?