People, plants, animals need water. Without it they cannot develop and exist. And therefore it is important to have a supply of it on your site. Of course, almost everywhere there is running water, wells, boreholes. But there are circumstances when the water disappears. This happens most often in hot, dry summers. And then all your efforts invested in flowers, vegetables, fruit trees and bushes will disappear. It will be painful to watch your plants dry out.
To avoid such sad situations, it is recommended to install on your site storage capacity for water.
Based on materials of manufacture, they are:
- metal;
- plastic.
According to the manufacturing method, it is made on:
- industrial;
- homemade.
Depending on what the water will be used for, choose what material the metal container should be made of.
If the water is for drinking, for cooking, washing, then the water tank must be made of high-quality, stainless, GOST steel. Such a tank must have a ventilated hole with a tight-fitting lid. It is a good idea to install a protective mesh over this hole. Into a container from of stainless steel water tap is cut in.
Twice a year it must be washed with disinfectants so that the quality of drinking water does not deteriorate. Therefore, in the side there is a hatch through which it is possible to wash the stainless steel barrel.
If you will use water for technical needs:
- glaze;
- household purposes;
- rainwater collection,
then you can purchase a tank made of any metal.
To avoid increasing consumption drinking water, it is best to install a container for collecting rainwater at the dacha. It could be as simple as a fifty liter metal barrel, as well as special storage tanks with filters for water purification.
And if the barrel is inexpensive, and you can also use a second-hand one, the main thing is that chemicals have not been stored there before, then special containers for collecting rainwater are quite expensive. True, the water collected in them can be used for washing and irrigation. But you can leave water in barrels for the winter.
Plastic container for water
These containers are the most popular. Advantages of these containers:
- cheaper than similar stainless steel ones;
- large selection of different volumes;
- tightness;
- do not require additional maintenance (painting, priming);
- do not rust;
- long service life;
- are not afraid of temperature changes;
- withstand thirty-degree frosts.
The plastic container can be made of either food grade plastic, and from technical.
Plastic food barrels are made of high-strength, frost-resistant plastic. It does not transmit ultraviolet rays, so drinking water in them does not deteriorate for a long time.
Most of these barrels are equipped threaded holes with a plug, the diameter of these holes allows you to install taps in the container.
Each plastic container has a quality certificate.
Plastic containers can be vertical or horizontal.
Eurocubes are in great demand and are readily purchased for the dacha. They are made from polymer materials, for greater stability, the cube is placed in metal sheathing. It has a neck at the top and a drain valve at the bottom.
Cubic containers are widely used in private households. They can be used as a storage container for:
- glaze;
- soul;
- household needs.
It is worth mentioning that Eurocubes are used to transport various liquids; they cannot be used as containers for drinking water.
If you have enough money, you can buy a factory-made water container for your dacha.
But, after spending a little time, you can make a water tank with your own hands, and it will be no worse than a factory one.
How to design a container yourself
It’s very easy to make an unusual storage tank for water with your own hands from old tractor tires. To do this, you just need to purchase discarded tires large diameter and install it on your site.
You can easily install the container yourself, for this:
- Level the place where the container will be located well.
- Cut out the top inner part of the tire.
- Place the tire on the prepared surface.
- We take three parts sand, one part cement, dilute it with water until it becomes thick sour cream. Mix everything well.
- Fill the bottom of the tire with the resulting solution and level the surface.
- Cover the tire with cellophane to prevent water from getting in if it rains. We wait a week for the solution to harden.
- Remove the film and fill the tank with water.
The water that will be stored here is, of course, unsuitable for drinking or washing. But it will heat up quickly, and it will be possible to water the plants in the greenhouse. In addition, the container will serve as an excellent storage tank for rainwater. The advantage of the container is reliability and durability.
Such containers are suitable as a backup option for small volumes of water. If you need a large volume, then you should make the storage tanks more solid.
To make a container that holds 7 m3 of water, you will need:
- three beams three meters long;
- sixteen bricks wrapped in polyethylene for waterproofing;
- ten boards at least 3.5 meters long and 0.5 centimeters thick;
- six OSB boards 2.5x1.25 meters;
- geotextile insulation;
- black thick polyethylene film.
- self-tapping screws
Manufacturing stages:
- Along the perimeter of the leveled area we place bricks at equal distances.
- We lay three beams on the bricks.
- We fasten five boards to the beam with self-tapping screws.
- We attach 2 OSB boards on top with self-tapping screws.
- We make a frame from boards and attach it to the base.
- We screw the remaining OSB sheets onto the frame.
- We tighten the container from the inside with a geotikstyle attached to the top with staples.
- Then we lay the film hanging freely over the edges of the box.
- Fill the container with water.
- For reliability, we attach the film with outside stapler.
- We nail two boards with a cross on top of the container.
The advantages of this container:
- low cost;
- easy to do with your own hands;
- easy to disassemble and move to another place.
However, to use such a container you need a pump, and the water in it will not be potable.
On a hot summer day after working in the garden, you want to take a warm shower. But in order for the water to be hot, it needs to be heated. You can buy an electric heater for your dacha, but it is not economical.
It is easier to install a storage tank in which the water will be heated by the sun. Any barrel can serve as such a container - galvanized, stainless steel, metal or plastic.
To do this, just place the container at a height and fill it with water.
The easiest way to install plastic containers.
A stainless steel container will not rust, the water in it will not bloom, it will be drinkable. But stainless steel products are expensive.
An alternative could be a galvanized barrel; it, of course, is not as durable, but if the galvanization is not damaged, it will not rust either.
Most economical option- This metal tank for water, but it must be painted to protect it from corrosion.
Most people living in apartment buildings, have a very distant understanding of the problems and concerns of private home owners. For example, independent process Making a water storage tank from steel can be a reason for an ironic smile from an apartment resident. Although in fact, the possibility of welding a steel water tank with your own hands is an interesting and relevant question for many.
So, which approach should you choose, weld the tank yourself or order a ready-to-use tank?
Of course, you have the opportunity to seek the help of professionals. Prepare a competent drawing of the structure for them, and the water tank will be made in accordance with your wishes. If you don’t want to spend time drawing up a drawing, you will most likely be offered several types of designs to choose from. This is all great, but you will have to pay accordingly for quality work. In this regard, many homeowners opt for the second option - making the tank themselves. It's not very easy, but the real savings and moral satisfaction are worth it.
Step-by-step instructions for building a water storage tank
How are storage tanks used?
If on your site serious problems with regular water supply - do without water storage tank It will be very difficult. Both tap and rain water can be stored in such containers. Water supplies can be useful for organizing a summer shower, as well as in case of a possible fire. In addition, water from the reservoir is used for irrigation and for “bath needs”.
There are several common types of storage tank designs, most often they are rectangular or round.
In order to determine the optimal tank size in your case, you need to clearly understand the possible water needs of the site over a certain period of time. So, if you rarely use the container, there is a high probability that various pests. This probability may be several times greater if the tank is not protected from ingress. sun rays. So, deciding in advance on the optimal tank volume is really very important.
Another important point: if we are dealing with a tank made of ferrous metal, then we cannot do without painting and priming, otherwise the structure will inevitably and quickly rust.
About the stages of welding
Let's start by laying boards under each corner of the metal sheet, which in the future will play the role of the bottom of the structure. It is necessary to ensure that the “backing” has the same thickness in all corners.
When welding, you should always make sure that none of the sides goes beyond the boundary of the base. You can apply the following approach: all the sidewalls are welded together and only then with the base. The fit of the sheets to each other should be as tight as possible. 
At the next stage, we finally weld each seam. Welding can be done from both external and inside. It is important not to leave a single “lack of cooking”. The structure must be rigid. To give it additional rigidity, we recommend using angles from the inside and outside.
An important design element is a drain pipe together with a tap, which must be installed in the lower half of the container.
Don't forget to check the tank's seal level!
We perform the check like this. After finishing welding work preparing required amount chalk solution and apply the mixture to each seam from the inside. After the solution has dried inside the container, apply the mixture to the seams outside. Thus, we will be able to identify “lack of penetration” clogged with slag. To do this you will have to wait a few minutes. If characteristic spots appear, it is necessary to deal with the problem area and repeat the welding.
Leak testing and re-welding are carried out immediately before painting.
The finished structure can be placed on several pre-laid bricks, but it is better to use the option with a special stand.
Finally, we fill the tank with water and, for several days, observe the walls of the structure for the appearance of liquid (from the outside).
To produce a stainless steel tank, we recommend choosing metal with a thickness of 1 to 2 millimeters. In order to prevent the filled container from swelling, a series of expansion tanks are usually installed, which prevent the creation of too much pressure.
Welding of steel storage tanks is carried out using hollow electrodes or tungsten electrodes in argon. In some cases, semi-automatic argon welding is used in conjunction with stainless wire.
Welding an aluminum tank can also be done on your own, however, mandatory technical conditions must be met, which in some cases is very difficult to implement without the help of professionals.
One way or another, the quality of the work performed will largely depend on the qualifications of the welders and the technical capabilities of the welding equipment. Mistakes during work can lead to unpleasant consequences, for example, the appearance of tiny cracks. After some time, water will begin to flow there.
We recommend purchasing steel tanks for “bath needs” from a permanently operating specialized enterprise. Containers of this type should not be painted: during the heating process, the paint may evaporate, which will lead to water and air pollution. 
If you decide to go with the stainless steel option, we recommend choosing one of two grades of metal to make the tank: 8-12Х18Н10 (304) or 08Х17 (aisi 430).
If we talk about the ideal volume steel tanks for baths, here you can remember well-known formula- 25-30 liters for each “guest”. Thus, if the bathhouse is designed for two or three guests, the optimal capacity volume is 50-80 liters.
For self-welding of steel containers optimal solution There will be the use of sheets whose thickness ranges from 1.1 to 2 millimeters.
The option of welding an aluminum tank is objectively more complicated. In this case, serious skills in working with this material will be required.
So, making a water storage tank on your own on your own site is quite real challenge. However, desire alone is not enough. If at first things don’t work out, there is always the opportunity to consult with people knowledgeable in welding.
Carrying out such work on your own means saving money and invaluable experience!
Video: Ideas on how to make a summer shower with your own hands
Remote summer cottages often cut off from central system water supply, which makes caring for the crops much more difficult. Plants require abundant watering throughout the season, especially in hot and dry weather. If it is quite problematic to equip a well on the site, you can create your own storage facility where water will be accumulated and saved.
Anyone can afford to install an irrigation tank on their property. With its help, timely watering is organized, and a prototype of a water supply system is created, which allows the liquid to be used for various purposes.
What materials are storage containers made from?
Tanks for storing and supplying water are presented on the market in various options and are available in metal or durable plastic. When buying a container for watering for a long time, you should consider what material it is made of. Modern polymers make it possible to create very durable products with high technical characteristics. They can surpass their metal counterparts in quality and strength.
Metal
A reservoir made of this material is classic version, familiar to most summer residents. Iron products have been used to store liquids for many years. Everyone who works in the country and uses an artificial storage device made of metal knows about all its disadvantages:
- susceptibility to corrosion;
- rapid contamination;
- difficult care.
It is quite difficult to protect a metal tank from destructive corrosion. To keep it whole appearance outside, just paint the surface. But inside the water will create a constant impact that destroys the metal. Within a couple of months, sediment will form at the bottom of such tanks. Internal cleaning- the task is difficult. On the positive side is a good warming of the barrel and its contents under the rays of the sun.
An alternative solution would be to purchase a stainless steel product that does not have these disadvantages. This also applies to the option with high financial costs.
VIDEO: Irrigation barrel, making a stand
Durable plastic
Purchasing an irrigation tank of 500 liters or more is a reasonable decision, based on the fact that they do not have any disadvantages metal structures. Such products are made of high-tech plastic, which allows them to withstand heavy loads. Unlike cheap plastic, they are not afraid of temperature changes. Integrity is also maintained under the influence of high water pressure.
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One of the main advantages of plastic tanks is their light weight. They are easy to transport and install in the required location. Perform installation plastic construction you can do it yourself without special equipment.
To prevent the tank from bursting when the water freezes in winter, either drain it completely, or throw a large log or plastic 5-liter bottles inside, which completely cover the surface.
To make a large-volume watering container, it is additionally reinforced with special metal rings. This design makes the final product resistant to pressure, created by water. The next advantage of products made from plastic is price. It is more affordable than metal analogues. Manufacturing technology plastic containers allows us to offer the buyer tanks of various shapes:
- cylindrical;
- rectangular;
- square.
The shape of the container does not affect the quality of irrigation. The main thing is that it succinctly fits into the surrounding landscape and is convenient for installation.
Eurocube
The Eurocube has a cubic-shaped structure, reinforced with outside durable metal grille. The container is installed on a special pallet. This great option to organize the system drip irrigation with the addition of fertilizers. It is designed for one cubic meter of water. The design includes a screw-on lid and a tap for draining liquid located at the bottom. To protect against rupture, the same technology is used as described above.
How to calculate the volume of an irrigation tank
If during manufacture metal container You can independently determine the volume in advance - from 1 to 10 cubic meters (the supports may not support a larger volume), then buy plastic ready-made. In general, the storage volume depends on the area of the irrigated area. On average, 1 square uses about 30 liters of water per watering. Thus, if the area of the garden or plot is 50 sq.m., then the minimum volume of the tank will be 1.5 cubic meters (1500 liters), and a supply of water must be made.
Gardeners on plots of 6 acres usually install 3-cubic-meter containers, which is enough for a week’s watering.
Installation of watering tanks
All positive characteristics tanks for storing and supplying water for irrigation of plants are leveled out due to poor-quality installation and location. Therefore, it is important to correctly place and install the watering container on the site. The storage tank must be located in a place where rainwater drains. This is the easiest way to replenish this resource without any effort. Rainwater is the most beneficial for plants.
It is necessary to determine where the barrel will stand:
- underground;
- on a surface;
- on a special platform.
Mounting the product in a suspended state allows you to install a faucet and, by connecting a hose to it, obtain pressure from the water’s own weight. Otherwise, a pump is installed that supplies water from the barrel.
For reference! To create optimal pressure water column for the required pressure, you need to raise the tank to a height of two meters. This will result in a pressure of 0.2 atmospheres. It is advisable to make it higher, but you need to think carefully about how to make a stable pedestal and how to give it optimal rigidity.
Technical advantages of using a tank for irrigation of a garden
Using a pump to lift water from a well is sufficient to meet household needs. However, their power may not be enough to supply liquid to the planted area. Inexpensive pumps are not able to operate under pressure of 3-4 bar. The pump will operate at its maximum capacity, but will not create optimal conditions for irrigation.
If an irrigation tank is installed on the site, then this problem will be resolved. Gradually, the pump will pump the required amount of liquid for abundant irrigation of all plants. In order for water from the barrel to flow through the hoses, there is no need to create high pressure. Automatic protection installed on the equipment will turn off the pump when the water runs out.
To protect the pump from constant shutdown or possible breakdown, it is necessary to set a level to which the water will again flow into the tank. You can protect yourself from overflow using a float valve.
If you take water from a dacha directly from a well, it will flow to the plants cold. This has a detrimental effect on their condition and causes the development various diseases. The liquid passing through the storage tank is heated to a temperature environment, which is optimal for garden crops.
The well may also contain various particles that will be suspended in the water. Their contact with plants is not advisable. Water standing in a tank for several hours will form a sediment at the bottom with all the harmful impurities.
Modern solutions for the production of watering containers
Those who do not want to connect hoses, valves and other equipment to set up an irrigation system should purchase an irrigation container based on installation inside the tank special system equipment. This is a station for supplying heated water under pressure, which is configured for automatic irrigation of plantings.
This set of equipment consists of:
- durable plastic tank;
- powerful submersible pump;
- filters;
- shut-off valve;
- valves;
- systems automatic control water level;
- bottom drain.
Such systems for site irrigation have a number of key advantages:
- operate in silent mode;
- provide maximum pressure;
- filter and heat the water;
- control the liquid level in the tank.
At correct installation barrel used for everyday irrigation, land plot will be fully provided with the resources necessary to care for garden plants. The main thing is to correctly determine the volume of container required for your needs. It should correspond to the water consumption in your area with a small margin.
VIDEO: Irrigation tank and outlet water pressure
For watering garden and garden plants Warm water must be used. To increase its temperature, various tanks are used in which the water is heated in the sun. Such tanks are expensive and large, which makes it impossible to deliver them to the site without the use of trucks. An excellent alternative to purchased tanks is homemade container for storing water from stretch film, assembled in just one hour.
Materials:
- 5 pallets;
- stretch film;
- screws or nails.
In order for a stretch film tank to be guaranteed to survive until the end of the season, it is advisable to use stretch with a thickness of more than 20 microns. Unfortunately, cling films are much thinner, so when choosing, you will have to give preference to reliability or safety.
Making a tank
One pallet is placed face down on the ground. 2 pallets are attached to its wide sides, deployed lengthwise, and installed transversely to the narrow sides. To prevent the appearance of cracks at the corners, wide pallets are placed on top of the bottom, and narrow ones rest against the ground.
All sides are attached with the front facing out. Their connection can be done with screws or nails.
The finished frame is turned upside down. The end of the stretch film is tied to any board and several turns are made around the tank.
It is imperative that the sticky side of the film is directed towards the frame. When making revolutions, it is very important to stretch the film strongly. It is very viscous and can increase in length under tension up to 200%. The harder you pull, the more securely the layers will adhere.
Having prepared a belt of stretch film, you need to wrap the bottom. To do this, the film is folded and adjusted in layers. Ideally, make at least 5-6 layers. The folds placed on the bottom should protrude onto the side of the frame so that they can be crimped later.
After the bottom is ready, you need to wrap the remaining side of the tank. One roll of stretch, even 150 m long, will be more than enough, so it will remain for next year.
The finished tank must be placed on level base and fill with water.
For many residents of high-rise buildings, the problems of owners of private houses are not known. For example, welding a tank to fill it with water can only cause an ironic smile among city residents. Meanwhile, the question is not idle. The urgency of the problem lies in the question of which path to take - order ready product or weld your own water container.
To make a container for collecting water, you can seek help from specialists. They will weld a barrel or tank according to your drawings and dimensions or offer their own design option. But for quality products you will need to pay a hefty sum.
Therefore, many residents of the private sector choose the second option: to make containers themselves, while receiving savings own funds and moral satisfaction from the welding process.
Application options
Storage tanks are relevant in places where there are interruptions in water supply. Indoors, water tanks are most often installed in a horizontal position.
The tanks are used to store rainwater and tap water. With their help you can organize Summer shower or keep them for purposes fire safety so that the fire can be extinguished.
They can store water for watering plants, gardens and vegetable gardens. Often tanks round shape mounted in a bathhouse to accumulate water. There are many designs that can be round, rectangular or other shapes.
It is important to understand what the tank is for. If it is used inactively, the water in it promotes the growth of algae and microorganisms. Moreover, if the container is constantly located in an open area under the sun's rays.
Therefore, choosing the volume of the tank is one of the main tasks before starting its manufacture. Ferrous metal tanks must be primed and painted to prevent them from rusting.
Welding stages
At the initial stage of welding, boards must be placed under the corners of the sheet that will serve as the bottom. It is important that the thickness of the substrate is the same. This will give an even plane along the entire length and in the corners of the structure.
During the welding process, it is necessary to constantly check that the sides do not extend beyond the base. You can immediately grab all sides together, then weld them to the base.
The sheets should fit snugly against each other. The next stage is the final welding of the seams. Welding can be done inside the tank or outside.
There should be no lack of penetration. Self-welding takes about 7-8 working hours.
You definitely need to put aside your laziness and check the structure for leaks.. After completing the work, you should prepare a chalk solution and apply it to the seams from the inside.
When it dries, use a cloth soaked in kerosene to go along the seams of the tank from the outside. Purpose: identifying “lack of penetration” clogged with slag. It only takes a few minutes to control.
If the liquid does not appear, then everything is fine. If stains appear, the problem area should be boiled again. It is best to check and re-weld immediately before painting.
Installation can be done on pre-laid bricks, but it is better to use a stand. Next, fill the tank with water and observe for several days: no liquid appears on the walls of the structure.
Made of stainless steel and aluminum
In progress self-made For a stainless steel tank, it is recommended to use metal 1.1-2 mm. To prevent swelling of the filled structure, expansion tanks must be installed to protect against excessive pressure.
You can use food or technical steel as a working material. It is clear that food grade stainless steel will cost more.
Common welding methods include working with tungsten electrodes in argon or ground electrodes. A semi-automatic argon welding option using stainless wire is possible.
Aluminum tanks can be welded yourself, but the process involves a series of technical specifications, which are subject only to specialists:
- it is necessary to calculate the dimensions of the water tank;
- choose the right grade of stainless material;
- calculate the wall thickness to avoid swelling of the structure;
- when using a hatch or roof, determine its type;
- determine the presence of partitions, frame and edging;
- possess welding skills.
Much in this process depends on the used welding machines and welding skill. If welding is done incorrectly, microscopic cracks may appear, through which liquid will leak over time.
Typically, water storage tanks are made from stainless steel. It is better to order containers for a bath made of stainless steel from a permanent production facility. There is no need to paint them, because when heated, the paint will evaporate, polluting the air and water.
If you nevertheless decide to carry out your plans on your own, you should take into account that the most suitable grades of steel for storing water in this case will be 08Х17 (aisi 430) and 8-12Х18Н10 (304).
As for the volume of the stainless structure, in a bathhouse designed for 2-3 people, it is more advisable to install a water tank from 50 to 80 liters. According to the formula, 25-30 liters of water per visitor.
Manufacturers usually offer 1 mm thick sheets for tanks. When welding yourself, it is recommended to use sheets with a thickness of 1.2-1.8 mm. Design options may vary in size and shape.
Welding water tanks made of aluminum is a complex process that requires the master to have practical skills in working with this metal, an understanding of the drawings and two hands that are friendly with the tool.
Making tanks for showers, baths and other needs can be done on your own, although desire alone is not enough. If something doesn’t work out, you can consult a person with welding skills.
Self-production allows you to get the most practical design, invaluable experience and save money.