Blue Plastic Water Tanks

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:20 pm

Being stuck in Delhi for now, I am busying myself doing some house designs in my spare time.

I would be grateful if anyone could let me know the various sizes and capacities of the commonly found blue plastic water tanks.

Diameter x Height + Capacity (Litres) would be very helpful

In particular, I am interested in tanks between the 100 - 1,500 litre range.

Many thanks

Spitfire · Post by **Spitfire** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 12:54 pm

I am by no means a property or contruction expert but IMO I'd leave those blue plastic water tanks alone, I had all sorts of problems with the one I bought, like cleaning access and the green stuff that grows inside them. There is a new range of water tanks that are various colours (sandy/light green etc) that have a mat finnish or slightly rough to the touch, don't know their name, but they seem better in all areas and don't allow nasties to grow inside them, not sure how though.

I could be completely wrong and one of the property regulars can put me right if so but just throwing in my 10 bahts worth.

Post by **johnnyk** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 2:12 am

I've heard the same, avoid the blue meanies.
There is a sandstone/faux granite model that people like. I just put one in my house but can't comment yet as its only 10 days ago.

AFAIK they come in 500, 1000 and 1500 litre sizes. Just imagine how many milk cartons to have an idea of the size, I wasn't there when mine was installed so can't tell you actual dimensions.

Post by **Nereus** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 6:35 am

johnnyk wrote:I've heard the same, avoid the blue meanies.
There is a sandstone/faux granite model that people like. I just put one in my house but can't comment yet as its only 10 days ago.

AFAIK they come in 500, 1000 and 1500 litre sizes. Just imagine how many milk cartons to have an idea of the size, I wasn't there when mine was installed so can't tell you actual dimensions.

Have to agree with this post, the blue ones are crap, the units mentioned are good. The 1500 litre size is about 1 m diameter x 2 m high.
I am sure that I do not have to tell you Terry, but the formula to find the volume of a cylinder (round tank), is: v = pi r2 x h

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 10:47 am

Thanks folks - it's as I suspected.

Regarding the 'blue meanies' - I'm aware of the problems with them

The 'green stuff' that can grow in them (algae) is due to their semi transparent plastic material. The admitted light promoting the algae growth. In truth I had forgotten about the 'sandstone/faux granite' types - will check them out when I'm back.

I will be putting a couple of service water tanks in the roof space of a new house and it was the sizing that I was particularly interested in - my memory convincing me that the tanks were about 1m dia...............

Regarding the volume calcs Nereus - I always used

V = pi D2/4 x H.............but hey .....who's arguing

Thanks again

Post by **Khundon1975** » Wed Nov 04, 2009 11:04 pm

V = pi D2/4 x H ?

Thats a hell of a lot of home brew, which ever tank you choose Terry.

Post by **komfortablynumb** » Thu Nov 05, 2009 5:20 pm

I don't know if this helps.
I asked my builder mate to for a couple of tanks to collect rainwater off the roof. purely for water for gardening. I have 2 which i suspect are underground cocncrete water pipes about a metre diagonaly and about 2 metres high. I am assured they hold about 1500 litres each. ( well that's what he tells me. Now i have the formulae i may disprove that.)
They may solve your light/algae problem.
As i say they are only used for gardening not for inside the house use.
Don't know if this helps.

Post by **chopsticks** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:40 am

Seems correct - as a quick guide if it was a square tank 1x1x1 metre it would be 1000 litres capacity.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 11:05 am

Thanks for all the replies folks - interesting.

I'm not worried about the maths, I was more interested in what is commercially available and their manufactured size to fit into a loft space.

The blue plastic tanks DO have a light / algae problem which should not be happening in the roof space - but I think the 'sandstone/faux granite' types are a better long term quality choice.

I have successfully used the concrete pipes stacked vertically for external storage - very cheap and easy option - if you don't care too much about the quality of the water stored.

Cheers

Post by **johnnyk** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 12:55 am

Just FYI,
I got my faux granite tank at a place up the Pala-U road. Its on the left a few km past the elephant village turn-off. They fitted it also.

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 10:13 am

T'anks for that

Post by **stgrhe** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 12:29 pm

Terry wrote:The 'green stuff' that can grow in them (algae) is due to their semi transparent plastic material.

Is it the same problem with the blue tanks if they are installed underground where no light can shine on them?

Post by **PeteC** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 3:16 pm

stgrhe wrote:
Terry wrote:The 'green stuff' that can grow in them (algae) is due to their semi transparent plastic material.
Is it the same problem with the blue tanks if they are installed underground where no light can shine on them?

I had the same thought when this thread started before I figured we were talking about above ground blue tanks.

I have a blue underground, shaped like a very large Naval sea mine

Much thicker material. Two years now for mine and no algae at all. Dirt/sand in the water supply will build up in the bottom though and that will need to be cleaned and pumped out about every 5 years from what I've been told about our water supply where I am. Pete

Post by **Norseman** » Sun Nov 08, 2009 4:15 pm

stgrhe wrote:
Is it the same problem with the blue tanks if they are installed underground where no light can shine on them?

No, the algae need sunlight to grow. (Photosynthesis)

Terry · Post by **Terry** » Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:29 am

I have a 'blue meany' buried next to my restaurant as a backup service water supply - never any algae but yes it has been cleaned out twice due to the crap water supply.

I would not use one above ground (other than in a loft) due to the algae problem.