New to me storage tank

   / New to me storage tank #1  

TractorGuy

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N. FL
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John Deere 4310 CUT, Ford New Holland 575E Industrial Backhoe, John Deere F725 Front Mount Mower
I've run through the gambit on diesel storage. I started with 55 gallon oil drums and they started to rust inside after 4 years. I switched to plastic drums and one of those split this week. Thankfully it split above the fuel level and no spill occurred.

I set out on a mission to find an aluminum tank. I was all set to buy new if I could find one for five or six hundred bucks. Turns out they are like every other thing sans covid. Prices are double and triple and none to be had.

I came across a tank manufacturer that wasn't too far away that made a rectangular shaped 150 gallon tank. I called this morning and they wouldn't sell direct, no way, no how. On top of that the guy said they were 16 weeks and 8000 tanks behind in production. How is that even possible????

SOOOOOO, I started calling diesel truck shops to see if they had any used saddle tanks or knew where I might find one. The second place I called gave me a number for a scrap yard that has several semi trucks being parted out. There I learned that practically all of them have round tanks. The only square options were steel and I didn't want steel again.

After an hour of walking the yard I found a tank that only had one little dent and was already pulled. $162 and I was on my way back home. Now to figure out how to set it up and adapt my pump to it. It's 23" diameter and 60" long so just a tad over 100 gallons.

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   / New to me storage tank #2  
(y)... Maybe little cleaner and buffing look close to new again
 
   / New to me storage tank #3  
Build a stand for the tank that is elevated. wont need a pump.
just a shutoff valve, filter and a fuel hose with shutoff nozzle.
 
   / New to me storage tank
  • Thread Starter
#4  
Build a stand for the tank that is elevated. wont need a pump.
just a shutoff valve, filter and a fuel hose with shutoff nozzle.
I already have the pump and nozzle setup so I will stick with that. No desire to have a tank overhead you have to get on a ladder to fill.
 
   / New to me storage tank #5  
Nice find on that aluminum tank that is not all beat up. Should last you several years.
 
   / New to me storage tank #6  
I had one like that and secured it to a pallet.
Replaced the drain plug with a quarter turn valve and let gravity do its thing:
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   / New to me storage tank #7  
Build a stand for the tank that is elevated. wont need a pump.
just a shutoff valve, filter and a fuel hose with shutoff nozzle.

That’s what I would do. Be sure to have the outlet end of the tank a few degrees higher to allow for sediment to collect on the other end.

A regular trigger shut off nozzle will work nice but an auto shut off nozzle won’t work with gravity flow systems.
 
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   / New to me storage tank
  • Thread Starter
#8  
This tank has a black film inside I assume from bacteria buildup. There is no good way to clean it with a pressure washer or anything. It only has the one large fill hole and a couple 1/2" holes for drain and roll over valve. The other two holes have tubes welded in place for delivery and return lines.

I have a couple gallons of fuel in it with a 10x dose of biobor to try to loosen the stuff. I have it strapped in my loader bucket so I can roll it back and forth.

Does anybody know of a chemical that will dissolve the bacteria film on contact that won't harm aluminum so I can get most of this crud out?
 
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   / New to me storage tank #9  
Following...
I bought a ~50-60 gallon round tank a few years ago for $40, figuring to do a gravity setup, perhaps attach it to a pallet and fork it on top of my container for gravity flow.
I'm also interested in the "how do you clean the inside of this thing" question...

Can you fill one of these at a service station without taking it out of the truck?
Legally?
How about if you make a grounding strap and ground it to your truck chassis?
 
 
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