{"id":2360,"date":"2023-04-11T18:49:26","date_gmt":"2023-04-12T00:49:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ntotank.com\/blog\/?p=2360"},"modified":"2023-09-01T14:54:59","modified_gmt":"2023-09-01T20:54:59","slug":"how-to-select-and-install-a-water-storage-tank","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ntotank.com\/blog\/how-to-select-and-install-a-water-storage-tank","title":{"rendered":"Poly Tanks | How to Select and Install a Water Storage Tank"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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For first time buyers, knowing how to select and install a water storage tank can help to maximize the tank\u2019s effectiveness in providing water and potential service life. Correctly installing a water tank can also be important to ensure personal property and people remain safe. An improperly placed or installed water tank can have disastrous effects and can lead to extensive flooding, property damage, irreparable tank damage, or worse a severe injury. Water tank installation procedures are also important when adding another tank into a system to increase the total volume of water available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6 Steps to a Perfect Water Tank Installation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The best practice for selecting and installing a water tank will consider and put to work the following six steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Understand Intended Water Tank Use<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Match Tank Selection and Specifications<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Choose an Ideal Tank Location<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Perform Site Preparation<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Move and Place Water Tank<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Install Water Tank Plumbing Connections<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    1) Intended Water Tank Use<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    While this is a likely consideration for most prior to purchase, understanding the water tank\u2019s intended use will streamline product selection, contribute to successful installations, and help avoid undesired setbacks. The most common water tank uses are for rainwater harvesting<\/a>, collecting and holding well water for property use<\/a>, commercial applications, small business jobs, industrial manufacturing, process lines, and storing water that has been delivered to households or farms in arid, drought frequent locations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Water Tanks for Rainwater Harvesting<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Water Tanks for Well Water Storage<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Water Tanks for Commercial Uses<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    By understanding the specific use case, the water tank installation can be better planned. For example, if the tank is intended for rainwater collection, water tanks are best strategically installed near downspouts, properly sized<\/a>, and within proximity to the rain harvesting structure as this will decrease costs, plumbing runs, as well as provide shelter protection. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In other common water tank use scenarios, such as well water storage or storing transported water, it may be best to plan the installation in an area that is easy to access for maintenance and various plumbing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    For portable water tanks, the intended use is to transport water from one location to another. Common examples include to provide water for livestock, irrigate and treat crops, hauling water to remote dwellings, or for business use such as power washing. In these applications, knowing or approximating how much water may be needed will help in selecting the right water tank. For more information on portable tanks, see our Poly Tanks Series post on 5 Types of Portable Water Tanks<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    2) Match Tank Selection and Specifications<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    When shopping for a poly water tank<\/a>, select the tank with the right specifications that match what you will use it for. Example water tank specifics include tank color, shape, size, volume capacity, construction material, and total price. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Color<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Water tanks can be made in many colors to match their surroundings, provide sunlight protection, or simply to set a visual appeal; at least for plastic tanks, metal has to be painted. When used for fresh drinking water, water tanks must be fabricated only from colors approved for food grade contact. These colors are often: white, black, blue, dark green, and beige. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When installing a water tank by color, dark colors such as black and dark green are best to limit the common algae growth problem<\/a> because they restrict the amount of sunlight that passes through the tank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Beige Water Tanks<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Black Water Tanks<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Green Water Tanks<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Shape and Size<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Water tanks come in various shapes and sizes. Some have low heights and large diameters while others are tall and slender, ranging from small to large. Many are circular in shape as this provides the greatest engineering and structural support against the weight of the water. Slimline doorway water tanks<\/a> are rectangular and have a slender width to allow installation in tighter areas and take up less space. Many portable water tanks<\/a>, such as IBC totes and utility tanks, are cube-shaped to allow for greater organization, handling, and modularity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When installing a water tank, select the shape and size easiest to maneuver into place, handle when needed, and that best fits your use and desired location. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Slimline Water Tank<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Cylindrical Water Tank<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Boxlike Water Tank<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Volume Capacity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Water tanks can be purchased from as small as 10 gallons to as large as 100,000 gallons with galvanized steel tanks. Installation will become more difficult and cost more with greater volume capacities and increasing weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Choose the water tank volume that will store enough water for all intended uses and that is capable of being regularly filled by your water source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Tank Material<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    For water storage applications, tanks can be metal tanks<\/a> made from galvanized steel and stainless steel or plastic tanks<\/a> made from high density polyethylene (HDPE<\/em>). Polyethylene tanks are the most common. This is due to polyethylene\u2019s ease of handling, water compatibility, resistance to rust and weather effects, reduced cost, and range of volumes and styles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Whenever choosing a polyethylene tank for drinking water use<\/a>, it must be manufactured from BPA free, ANSI \/ NSF 61 approved, FDA food grade certified virgin resin only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Polyethylene Water Tank<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Galvanized Steel Water Tank<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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    Stainless Steel Water Tank<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Price<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    Purchasing a water tank can be limited by a set budget. The total price of water tank installation will depend on costs associated with tank purchase (poly tanks are often priced between $100+ to $39,000+<\/em>), shipping and handling (shipping large water tanks can cost hundreds of dollars due to their size<\/em>), handling for placement (as when lifting equipment is needed<\/em>), and when detailed site preparation is necessary (as with reinforced concrete pads<\/em>).\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    See our post Why are Water Tanks Expensive to Ship<\/a> for more info on expected tank prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    3) Choose an Ideal Water Tank Location<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Before site preparation, choosing the location for the water tank is one of the more important and detailed factors of installation. An ideal water tank location may or will have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n