[Greenbuilding] Grain Bin as Water Storage

[YankeePerm at aol.com]

Adam and Sue Turtle, permaculturists who operate a bamboo nursery (among 
other things) in Tennessee, built a cistern using cement blocks intended for grain 
silo construction.   I don' recall the waterproofing method, probably just 
the stuff you use to waterproof a basement as this was purely for irrigation.   
He ran bands of steel cable, tightened by turnbuckles to reinforce the 
structure against lateral pressure of the water.   I think, but am not sure, that he 
spaced them evenly.   I'd have them closer at the bottom, widening as you go 
up, to reflect the increase of pressure with depth, and the fact that the 
cistern is not full most of the time anyway.   I don't have the Turtle's contact 
info right at hand, but they are listed at the American Bamboo Society website 
as suppliers.   (I think Sue is also ABS treasurer.)   I'm sure they would 
share info, but probably more happily if inquiries are brief and to the point.   
:-)   By the way, not only is grain lighter than water, but I don't think it 
would generate lateral pressure in the same manner as a liquid.   I'd worry 
about storing 6000 gal in a tin can.   But, hey, if it works...   I assume you've 
consulted Art Ludwig's book on water storage (which we carry among many other 
folks.)

Also, I'm still working my way through Brad Lancaster's Vol. II of Rainwater 
Harvesting, and already I can say it is far better than Vol. I, and that I 
expect to recommend it (not Vol. I, but II) to my students.   This deals with 
earthworks.   If your contours are favorable, an 'earth tank' is by far the 
cheapest route.   (Mollison, the permaculture guy, calls a hole in the ground 
filled with water an 'earth tank.'   Obviously, if it is not located higher than 
surroundings, it can't serve for gravity irrigation.)

Dan Hemenway

Dan Hemenway
In a message dated 5/22/08 5:50:49 PM, biodieselmike at gmail.com writes:


> Hi all,
> firing off lots of questions lately and here's the latest.
> 
> I'm trying to augment my 6000 gal of rainwater storage with another 10-20
> thousand more gallons for irrigation needs.  In searching for large capacity
> water storage I found that a corrugated grain bin with a pond liner
> inside (1500+ bushel) is the most cost effective and can be a long term good
> storage option.
> 
> What I find when researching this is a couple of Canadian articles stating
> that grain is lighter than water and therefore having an engineer perform a
> structural analysis on the tank to see if it'll hold water is recommended.
> Does anyone on this list have any experience with this or have
> recommendations on large water storage that is affordable (<$2000 for 10k
> gallons).
> 
> thanks again in advance,
> mike forbes
> moscow, idaho
> 





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