Browse Forums Eco Living 1 Nov 24, 2015 5:39 pm Hi We have a round 5000L water tank which we sort of mismeasured when we bought it. It currently sits in front of a window of a bedroom that isn't really being used at the moment. We didn't realise we couldn't get it past our side stairs! Anyway we are thinking about moving it to the bottom of the garden (finally have a couple of options to get it there ) but trying to decide if it is worth it. If we move it to our veggie patch it will be about 12metres away from the house so am assuming we need the plumbing amd pump for it. We are on a bit of a slope. The other option is just get rid of it and then buy some slim tanks amd line the side of the house taking into account the slope and the window. Obviously that option will cost a bit more (i expect ). We have a pool and veggie patch so still need plenty of water. Any ideas? Re: Water Tank placement 2Nov 25, 2015 12:18 am You do have options but first... 1. What will the tank water be used for? 2. Is the slope up hill or down hill to the veggie garden? 3. Whereabouts in the Melbourne SE suburbs are you? 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Water Tank placement 3Nov 25, 2015 5:44 am Hi The tank currently collects rain water only amd is used to top up our pool and water the veggies. The veggie patch is down hill of the house. The slope between the house and the veggie house is fairly gentle, more of a drop where the tank currently is. We currently do not use a pump. We are in the Yarra Ranges (just, not quite in the Valley). Re: Water Tank placement 4Nov 26, 2015 10:45 pm You basically have two main issues. 1. Diverting downpipes 12 metres to the tank. This means having a 'wet system' that entails plumbing an underground pipe to the tank which then travels vertically up the side of the tank (this is called a vertical riser) to the tank's top meshed inlet. To avoid debris build up in the wet system pipes, it is recommended that leaf diverters are also used on each downpipe that is connected to the wet system. A flush outlet should also be installed at the wet system's lowest point. Wet systems retain water to the level at the top of the vertical riser and a flap valve is recommended at the discharge point to prevent mosquitoes from breeding and other pests entering the pipe. 2. Diverting the tank's overflow back to the stormwater system but as you live in the Yarra Ranges, maybe this isn't as much a necessity that it would be on a suburban block. The tank's base could, I presume, be built up (boxed) to provide gravity feed to the veggie patch and the pool, even when the tank was getting empty. If you intend to use drip hoses on the veggie patch, you should use a gravity fed drip hose, not a standard drip hose. Gravity fed drip hoses have larger emitters that deliver 2 litres per hour at very low pressure whereas standard drip hoses are designed for mains water use but they do require a pressure reducer, usually 100 kPa. You may not need a pump and of course the pump also needs a power supply and a cover. I would concentrate on raising the tank's base to eliminate the need for a pump. My other thoughts are that you need to divert more than one downpipe to a 5,000 litre tank and the inconvenience and expense of having a tank overflow should also be considered and eliminated if possible. To this end, I recommend that you have a look at the Supadiverta. http://supadiverta.com.au/ Just to disclose, the Supadiverta was developed by and is owned by my company. The Supadiverta is a syphonic downpipe diverter that also has an internal 750 micron filter. Several Supadivertas can be connected to a common (usually 40 mm) class 9 PVC-u pressure pipe (the internal diameter is 44.1mm) that is connected to a 40mm inlet valve fitted 80-100mm above the bottom of the tank at the inlet's lowest point. The Supadiverta operates with a variable and greater hydraulic head than a standard wet system due to the changing height difference between the tank's water level and the water level at the top of a vertical riser used in a traditional wet system. An added advantage however is that a Supadiverta can be fitted to a downpipe at a height that ensures that it will overflow back to the stormwater when the tank fills to a set level...usually set a couple of cm below the bottom of the tank's overflow, thereby eliminating the need to plumb an overflow pipe to the tank. A further advantage is that less water is retained in the wet system due to the smaller pipework and the elimination of the vertical riser. Cost wise and for ease of installation, I believe that this is your best option. 3in1 Supadiverta. Rainwater Harvesting Best Practice using syphonic drainage. Cleaner Neater Smarter Cheaper Supa Gutter Pumper. A low cost syphonic eaves gutter overflow solution. Re: Water Tank placement 5Nov 27, 2015 6:16 am Wow that is a lot of information. Thank you very much. We shouldn't need the drip system as the veggie crates are wicking bed. I will sit down with hubby and see what he thinks. Thanks again 18 90494 From what I know about water tanks (I've been working with a client on them for a few years now) is this - The concrete can last a lifetime if they don't crack for some… 2 10636 If you can calculate the reasonable charged head from let's say 100mm below the gutter to the top of where the vertical riser's horizontal discharge pipe will be, that… 11 17531 |