Tank gauge

I have a ibc tote that is 1 foot beneath grade with a riser that I planned on installing a tank gauge onto.
I need some inexpensive options on what I can use for this purpose.
275 gallon ibc tote basically flush but i will be adding approx 6 inches of dirt over it along with a section of pipe to get it off the ground 1 foot. So total if I were to guess the height bottom of the tank to the top of the riser would be around 5-6 foot

I use a stick, aluminium with a float at the bottom.
It has a cap I ca see at a distance.
I have a small tube extending from the tank top, which holds the stick vertical, that tube has brackets to remain stable.
The stick rises and falls with the water level and I can look across from anywhere and see the water level.
Neat!
tank stick

One thing else I guess I should have sad, this is actually used in my off-grid cabin, and after the filtration and what not it is drinkable. So it would be hard for me to have that situation considering I would have to worry about water coming in, not to mention bugs and other debris that may impact the quality of the water.

That float sounds pretty good.

> [contamination]

Perhaps some further research will turn up satisfactory sealing methods. There are huge advantages to an instrument that has one moving part, that doesn't use electricity, that is (potentially) easy to repair.

Before dismissing, this advantages, it might be worth defining exactly what contamination and how much would realistically infiltrate the tank and threaten the water quality. People lived high and wide on water from the "wild" for thousands of years. There is no "pure" water, just water with different levels and types of chemical, organic and bacterial loads. Cut a water supply pipe in your house some time and examine the interior. Likely you'll be SHOCKED at what  you find. The pipes you're been living with all your life all have biofilm (aka slime) lining them and often various corrosion products. It's' not whether there is something in your water, just how much "something".

Pretty much every water heater in the world incubates Legionnaire's Disease. But unless the system allows the bacteria to grow to large numbers, there is no problem for anybody. Thing are rarely either/or, just/so.


Regards,
Rufus

The hole through the tank top is very tight against the tube, which is sealed with a suitable silicone etc anyway.

Rufus, I did not know of the issue with water heaters and Legionnaire's Disease can you expand on it please?
I thought it came via the mist of air condioning, not heating?

Legionaires grows in surprisingly warm water, so all these water heaters turned down to 120 to save energy are a health risk.  If you have kids and are afraid they may burn themselves if the water is too hot, you can buy a tempering valve that mixes cold water back in to get a consistent safe temp.  That way you can heat the water to 165 and pasteurize it to kill most pathogens.

WOW, thanks

That.

A very smart gung-ho high end HVAC guy in Denver,  Mark Eatherton,  nearly killed himself with his mountain cottage water heater. Here is a bunch of pros hashing over the options.

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/128079/legionnaires-disease-and-hot-water-tank-temp

The most dangerous risk for Legionnaires is the shower where water is always vaporized to some degree and your face is right up there breathing the sweet moist clouds of steam...


Regards,
Rufus

Is "Legionnaires" an issue with the tank-less water heaters?  I guess some water must be in the "boiler section" but is cold until use.  

For the tank gauge, could you rig up a sight gauge with a section of clear tubing, perhaps with a trapped ball to make it easier to see?  

I plan on using 2 stacked IBC totes to store rainwater in my "outhouse" structure, water will be drawn through a LPG tank-less water heater via an on-demand RV water pump system for the sink and shower.  The other "facility" will be the sawdust version so I only need to capture grey water from the shower, sink and washing machine.  I like the float idea and I guess it may be possible to rig that up with isolated water using some sort of bladder system if contamination is that great a threat.  

Clear tubing will work, but its hard to see from 2M away.
Compared with he float.
I can assure everyone, contamination of the water does not occur since the small post is sealed.
If you were super concerned, just add a grommet to the system.
Float systems can be purchased for about $AU150 or make your own, about $20.
I make most of mine but have bought a couple for my big tanks when I have been short of time.