lets talk water towers

[MBTRAC]

TXDon - no idea if this impacts the organic status of vegetable ( if you choose to use copper sulphat, just make not to use it ever in a metal tank)

PS- Seeing we're taking about water, thought you guys might like to see our latest "new" second hand water truck that arrived this week, we've quite a few of these ex-army beasts for dedicated on farm use only to supplement our other farm trucks - used to cart for spray rigs, a mobile source for livestock & a firefighter - 6WD go anywhere & will be c.7000lt/1800US gal once we fit another tank behind the cab & will tow a trailer with 5000lts.

 

[jake98]

TXDon - no idea if this impacts the organic status of vegetable ( if you choose to use copper sulphat, just make not to use it ever in a metal tank)

PS- Seeing we're taking about water, thought you guys might like to see our latest "new" second hand water truck that arrived this week, we've quite a few of these ex-army beasts for dedicated on farm use only to supplement our other farm trucks - used to cart for spray rigs, a mobile source for livestock & a firefighter - 6WD go anywhere & will be c.7000lt/1800US gal once we fit another tank behind the cab & will tow a trailer with 5000lts.

You're going right to the head of the class, with posts like that! :laughing:
I bought a 500? gal. tank from tankdepot.com. Feed it at a trickle with a stock watering tank float valve. Second pump to the house supply. My well is slow but never goes dry, this allows me to not think about it.

 

[b2910]

I have some property we only use on the weekends, sometimes for a week (at most) during the summer. We have a small 2 room cabin with a shower,sink and toilet. Currently we have a 12' deep 4' wide hand dug, brick lined well from the '30's that we use as our main water supply. We looked into having a new well drilled, for a 100' deep well (just the hole in the ground no pump, hookup etc) we are looking at $3300, if we wanted the hookup and punp its about $7000. Rather they hit water or not its $3300 per hole because after 12' you are in solid limestone.

As a more cost effective method, I was thinking about building some form of water storage like a water tower. The people up the road were unable to find water on their property and have a comercially made tower but, it was as much as the well would be. My thought is to get a 300g ag tank, sink 4- 6x6 posts, build a platform and call it done. Maybe Im over thinking it but, it seems to me there has to be more to it. Opinions? experiences?

I am curious if you considered digging the existing well deeper to contain more water? I am guessing that you will be using it for the source of water since it seems that it has been a reliable supply for the last 80 years.

 

[OldMcDonald]

MBTRAC, Your posts bring back many memories. I had a grazing property in the Bingara/Barraba area in the 1980s. We move every few years and are currently supposedly semi-retired on 16 acres - only 1/200th the size of the Aussie place.

 

[jetboat]

couple reasons I dont want to try digging the existing well any deaper...
1 its hand laid brick, there arent any guys around that know how to do that anymore. All the large bored wells now are 3' wide and tile lined.

2 the well ends in hard packed clay, about 2' below that is solid limestone. Thats why having a new well drilled is so expensive.


With it having worked well for 80+ yrs, I dont see in messing with it.

 

[Iplayfarmer]

If you use chlorine or copper sulfate in the water to treat the algae and then use it to water a vegetable garden will the vegetables still be organic?

I ran a certified organic program at a food plant for about 5 years. I know that we were allowed to use chlorine in our rinse water as a sanitizer when cleaning our machinery. We just had to allow the machines to drain and dry before running organic food down the line.

I can't speak directly to the chlorinated irrigation water, but I can infer from my experience that it would be fine for organic produce. There may be some difference depending on whether you are flooding or sprinkling.

 

[txdon]

I know the fast foods clean their Ice machines with clorox because I had a swig of it when They forgot to rinse it out one time. When I complained they said it was no different than if I swallowed a gulp of swimming pool water.

 

[jetboat]

I picked up the storage tank yesterday. 500 gal 48" x 72" Black "water only" tank. Working out the final details for the "tower" and then construction starts Friday.

 

[Artisan]

I picked up the storage tank yesterday. 500 gal 48" x 72" Black "water only" tank. Working out the final details for the "tower" and then construction starts Friday.

Post up pics and good luck to ya!

(21' Duckworth)

 

[jetboat]

Here you go. Its not finished, I still have to build the walls and roof. Currently it is full and has been for a couple weeks now. Ill be enclosing under the tank for a pump house to hold the shallow well pump I'll install to boost pressure.

Posts are 4x6 treated set 4' apart (outside edge to outside edge not center), this puts the tank right over the 2x10's that are held on with 1/2" bolts. From the plans I found and were posted on here, that should be good for twice the tank I have. Posts are 3' in the ground and concreted. Everything is squared up and level (the most critical being level).

Cutting the base round was a major PAIN!