I'd like to build a water tank to collect rainwater for watering our garden. We presently have an array of plastic butts but it doesn't use the space effiiciently. I want a low and long tank (about 2.4 metres long, 0.6m deep and 0.6 m tall) It can then also form a handy seat, or plant potting table :)
I'm searching and searching on how to do this, but so far cannot find much.. Can I simply build a brick box and then render the inside with cement/sand mix?
I've read about Ferrocement which appears to be wire reinforced cement tank but I'd like a brick outside to look a bit nicer.
Any thoughts, tips, help gratefully received.
Brick Water Tank?
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battybird
- A selfsufficientish Regular
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- Location: Kent / central portugal
Re: Brick Water Tank?
We use thoroseal for sealing walls which are running with water in our place in portugal. It is a tanking cement stuff which is completely waterproof ( I am sure there are more technical ways of expressing this!!) 
I know it is recommended to be used to seal water tanks so would think it would be an ideal product for your tank! it is quite dear (I think £35ish for 25kg) and we got it from a local builders merchant chain. This would leave the outside looking aesthetically pleasing and do the job. Worth a look?? Or what about a butane liner inside your box?? cheaper ?? 
Good luck!
I know it is recommended to be used to seal water tanks so would think it would be an ideal product for your tank! it is quite dear (I think £35ish for 25kg) and we got it from a local builders merchant chain. This would leave the outside looking aesthetically pleasing and do the job. Worth a look?? Or what about a butane liner inside your box?? cheaper ?? Good luck!The cockerel makes the noise, the hen produces the goods!! anon
Re: Brick Water Tank?
No problem.
If you're going to render the inside, just go to your local builders merchant and get can of waterproofing additive.
Just add it to the mix (it also acts as a plasticiser) ... job done.
Can't remember how much it costs, and as I'm a mean old bugger that means it can't have cost me very much, probably in the region of €10 for a couple of litres.
If you're going to render the inside, just go to your local builders merchant and get can of waterproofing additive.
Just add it to the mix (it also acts as a plasticiser) ... job done.
Can't remember how much it costs, and as I'm a mean old bugger that means it can't have cost me very much, probably in the region of €10 for a couple of litres.
Tony
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.
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pumpy
- A selfsufficientish Regular
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Re: Brick Water Tank?
How are you getting the water from the tank? Will it be a case of dipping a bucket in there, or will you need to incorporate a tap/etc? 
it's either one or the other, or neither of the two.
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matt_w
- Jerry - Bit higher than newbie
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Re: Brick Water Tank?
I'm planning on putting a couple of tap feeds off, probably standard 15 mm pipe. Otherwise I had thought about pond liner too.
Does render really need waterproofing added to it? Researching ferrocement tanks, seems you simply render them. Here is quite a nice link :
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/well/resources/t ... -tanks.pdf
However, I just found something in screwfix :
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/43947/Bui ... ink%205Ltr
At that price, I can't be bothered to not add it as it were :-) Now on to procrastinate about building it for a few years ;-)
Thanks for all your help and pointers.
Does render really need waterproofing added to it? Researching ferrocement tanks, seems you simply render them. Here is quite a nice link :
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/well/resources/t ... -tanks.pdf
However, I just found something in screwfix :
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/43947/Bui ... ink%205Ltr
At that price, I can't be bothered to not add it as it were :-) Now on to procrastinate about building it for a few years ;-)
Thanks for all your help and pointers.