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rainwater catchment

3000 gallon Tank is missing cap

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posted 10 years ago

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Someone talked me into buying a steel tank with him. I told him to look at it for rust. He said it looked alright, and when I finally saw it it not only had some rust on it (not enough to seriously compromise its integrity) but no lid. I can't return it now, and I have no idea how to put a lid on it, and it cost 600 dollars. I've never heard of such a thing. Its missing the cone shaped top to it. Am I screwed, or is there a way of making this usable?

R Scott

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Location: Kansas Zone 6a

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posted 10 years ago

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Do you have a picture?

Is there NO top at all? How big around it the tank/lid? Very different problems if it is a 12 inch hole vs. 12 feet.

Lots of ways to make a lid/roof. Reciprical roof just like a cob house, ferrocement, painted canvas. Depends on what size it is and what tools/resources you have to work with.

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David Livingston

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posted 10 years ago

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What are you intending nto use this for ?

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John Wolfram

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posted 10 years ago

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As others have mentioned, you depending on the size of the opening, you might just need some screen door netting and a zip tie as shown below.

allen lumley

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Location: Northern New York Zone4-5 the OUTER 'RONDACs percip 36''

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posted 10 years ago

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-John Wolfram : Love the way you show up here and 'shine a light' on the problem with simple answers !

-As you have to have a filter in your system some where, turn the problem into an opportunity, install a removable filter at that point water goes into the
bottom of the filter and its overflow goes into the tank

This might require you to site your whole tank as much as 6'' lower than other wise

If this is a threaded cap that is missing it is possible to get a replacement ordered from most plumbing stores

Or you can check with Electrical contractors who use large diameter conduit to run long lengths of multiple large diameter Elect Cable, Their plugs and caps
do not have to be water tight and are the same thread and run cheaper !

For the good of the Crafts Big AL

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LOOK AT THE " SIMILAR THREADS " BELOW !

Nathan King

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posted 10 years ago

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Thank you for the advice, but unfortunately the whole top is missing. Its one of the older, galvanized steel tanks that look kind of like a grain silo. Its like a 7 or 8 foot opening. It doesn't look like it was cut off with a plasma cutter fortunately. There;s a circular frame at the top in which you could probably fit a metal sheet into or a new, proper cap. Ill upload a picture when I get a chance.

R Scott

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Location: Kansas Zone 6a

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posted 10 years ago

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Then I would do a roof something like this:. http://velacreations.com/water/water-storage/313-cistern-howto.html

But I would make the frame from metal conduit. Easier to bend and attach too the metal tank.

Abe is a member here if you want to ask questions.

Nathan King

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posted 10 years ago

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Heres a picture of the tank

allen lumley

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Posts: 4154

Location: Northern New York Zone4-5 the OUTER 'RONDACs percip 36''

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posted 10 years ago

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Nathan King ! Ouch, all I have for you is to get a used pool cover the blue greenish cover with individual nickel sized little air pockets like the kind of pillowed
shipping plastic that all kids like to pop ! Try Recycle.xxx or Crag's list or Habitat for Humanities 'ReStores

Then I would get a few Owl statues to place on the rim of the tank to keep birds from landing on it and leaving little Bird too too calling cards

Good luck and good hunting ! For the Crafts Big AL

Success has a Thousand Fathers , Failure is an Orphan

LOOK AT THE " SIMILAR THREADS " BELOW !

Jay Grace

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Location: Carbon Hill, AL

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posted 10 years ago

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Those little plastic kiddie pools. I've seen them in the 8' range. About 20" deep. Possible to find one close to the right diameter and just flip it over to cover the tank.

Could possibly find some plexi glass or some sheet metal and seal it with silicone caulk at the joints Then cover it with a lumber deck. Could make a trap door in the deck to check on the tank rather than removing the whole lid.

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