On 9/12/2015 6:51 AM, taxed and spent wrote:
"Don Y" wrote in message
...
We're considering installing a 2000G cistern. But, I'm concerned as
to
how the area *above* the cistern will be impacted. E.g., I'm sure we
won't be able to park a *car* over that area as the cistern would have
compromised the ability of the "soil" to support that concentrated
mass.

The question boils down to how *usable* that area above the cistern
will
be going forward: walking on it, small groups of people (party-goers)
*standing* on it, etc.

I assume the actual access port will be relatively easy to protect?

Would it fit in a buried concrete septic tank with a concrete cover?
That

No experience with septic systems -- but suspect 2000G would be a bit
large for a septic tank!

not necessarily.

You size a septic tank at roughly 1.5-2X the daily effluent volume.
So, about 1300G of effluent PER DAY. A family of 4 will typically
consume half that assuming each person takes a LENGTHY shower each day,
two loads of laundry (not an HE washer), 6 trips per person to the
toilet and two runs of the dishwasher. And, that assumes *all* that
water is fed through the septic system (none is consumed, processed
as grey water, etc.)

I'll stick with my "not necessarily" response. You cannot speak for all
requirmenets, for all people, throughout the country.

Did I ask "for all people"?
"We're considering installing a 2000G cistern."

would protect it, or you could just use a precast concrete cover. I
don't
know the dimensions of your cistern but you might consider the precast
pads

2000G is roughly 250 cubic feet. So, 5x5x10, 4x6x10, 3x8x10, etc.

We're not keen on digging a *deep* hole (removing 30 yards of soil is
not a trivial undertaking!) so the form factor would be closer to
3 deep x 8 wide x 10 long -- or thereabouts.

how do you get from 250 cubic feet to 30 yards?

Math error. 2000G displace 267 cu ft. A sample 2000G tank (chosen
randomly)
displaces 378 cu ft and has a footprint of 86 sq ft. Assume you put 2 ft
of
soil atop the tank means another 172 cu ft (2*86) of soil. So, 550 cu ft
of soil, assuming you don't have to *shade* the underside of the tank in
any
way *or* move any other soil to get water *into* and out of the tank.

At 27 cu ft / cu yd, that's 20 cu yds. (sorry, we can't *all* do this
sort
of math in our *heads* like you??)

Would you be happier had I said:
We're not keen on digging a *deep* hole (removing *20* yards of soil is
not a trivial undertaking!) so the form factor would be closer to
3 deep x 8 wide x 10 long -- or thereabouts.

I would be happier if you had done the research with the manufacturer and
asked the retailer of these cisterns.

And retailers ALWAYS tell you the honest, unqualified truth! Are you
tat naive to not ask others WITH FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE as to their
ACTUAL experiences before undertaking something of this magnitude?

Something like:
http://gototanks.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/425x/040ec09b1e35df139433887a97daa66f/a/c/act2000-lpg_3.jpg

looking at that picture, I think you can walk on top of that tank even
without it being buried.

Could a group of friends at a hosted party casually stand around NOT
KNOWING
that there was a chunk of plastic under them? Could a future homeowner
(who hadn't seen the excavated hole) set up a spa/hot tub on top of that
area? Could they drive a (loaded) bob cat over it without an "unpleasant
surprise?

you previously mocked me for saying there were cisterns located in roadways,
now you are talking about use akin to a roadway.

A spa is hardly a roadway. Nor is it unheard of to have one in your back
yard! The neighbor used a bob cat to spread *his* 20 yards of stone in *his*
backyard; it doesn't seem far fetched to expect someone else (especially
a *contractor* hired to do that sort of work!) to use similar types of
equipment.

Another neighbor rented a back hoe to excavate the trench for a new
electrical service.

Other neighbors have *boats*, motorhomes, etc. parked "on their lawns".

People expect the ground to literally *be* "terra firma". They don't
expect it to give 'way to a buried plastic vault!

of course you cannot put a spa on top of the plastic tank. I won't do the
math for you, but the specs I dug up (why didn't you?) are the starting
point.

As the top of the tank would want to be *below* grade, figure a foot
or so of soil on top of it means a 4 ft deep hole.

made for use as a base for AC units and generators. Some are made of
molded
fiberglass reinforced plastic and you can use more than one side by
side.

We don't want to *see* that there is something buried in the yard.
Otherwise, we might as well save ourselves the excavation work and
just put it *atop* the ground -- as an ugly eyesore! I can hide
the access port (think of it as a manhole cover) relatively easily
(a planting, some sort of lawn furnishing, etc.). But, hiding
something with an ~80 sq ft "footprint" is a bit more challenging!

You sound like you are afraid of a little work, digging a hole.

I dug a 30" dia stump of of the front yard -- with a shovel. It took 7
tons of soil to fill the hole (in addition to what soil I didn't "lose"
in the process).

what a stud you are!

Yeah, all the gals marvel at my physique and intellect!

I moved 20 tons of stone into the back yard with a wheelbarrow.

you da man!

I felled six 40 ft trees with a bow saw.

my heart be still!

Well, *you* seemed intimidated by a similar chore. I just wanted you to
know there are those of us that *aren't*.

I don't think anyone in the neighborhood would claim I'm afraid of
"a little work".

I don't understand your responses here.

Ask the tank manufacturer, dig a hole, install, cover it up. Done.

Stop wasting our time.

Sorry, I didn't mean to take you away from that BRAIN SURGERY you were
performing. Feel free to add my name to your kill file -- I'll assume
you have and won't bother reading your replies; they don't seem to be very
informative.

aw, don't get your hopes up. So, I guess you have more brawn than brains.
That's ok, the world needs ditch diggers, too.

What two digits are on *your* "rat"? (figure it out, Einstein)

One thing's for sure... you're definitely "spent"!