Support Platform for Water Storage Tanks?
 

Hello,
I'm just setting up two 1000 litre recycled IBC tanks such as may be
seen he
http://www.smithsofthedean.co.uk/Recycled%20Containers.htm
to capture rain water from some of my house roof.

I want to raise the base of the tanks about a couple of feet off the
ground for ease of access and water pressure and am thinking of using
slotted angle. Would appreciate any input about strength/sizes and
whether I could put tanks directly onto slotted angle frame or would it
be better to cover with board.

Obviously the max weight for each tank is a little over 1000kg. Although
they are against house wall I don't want to transfer any load to the
wall but could use it for strapping to provide horizontal stability.

Site is slightly sloping so leg lengths will vary from about 1 foot to a
couple of feet.

I can find plenty of info about sizes and prices but no guidance about
load bearing and basic design. Any pointers or comments would be
welcome.

Regards, Colin
--
Colin Brook - Winchester (UK)

Fax:+44(0)8701641293 Mobile:07976258703

Support Platform for Water Storage Tanks?
 

Colin Brook wrote:
Hello,
I'm just setting up two 1000 litre recycled IBC tanks such as may be
seen he
http://www.smithsofthedean.co.uk/Recycled%20Containers.htm
to capture rain water from some of my house roof.

I want to raise the base of the tanks about a couple of feet off the
ground for ease of access and water pressure and am thinking of using
slotted angle. Would appreciate any input about strength/sizes and
whether I could put tanks directly onto slotted angle frame or would it
be better to cover with board.

Obviously the max weight for each tank is a little over 1000kg. Although
they are against house wall I don't want to transfer any load to the
wall but could use it for strapping to provide horizontal stability.

Site is slightly sloping so leg lengths will vary from about 1 foot to a
couple of feet.

I can find plenty of info about sizes and prices but no guidance about
load bearing and basic design. Any pointers or comments would be
welcome.

IANAStructural Engineer, but I would have thought that you would need
an awful lot of angle to hold that ammount of weight. What you are
proposing sounds very similar in broad design terms to an old steel oil
tank for an oil fired boiler. These were generally sat on piers made
of concrete blocks or bricks. I would have thought you would need to
do somethng similar, and put either some board or preferably something
like reinforced concrete fense posts laid horizontaly under the tank to
spread the load.

Sorry to burst your bubble!

Only my 2c.

Support Platform for Water Storage Tanks?
 

"Colin Brook" wrote in message
...
Hello,
I'm just setting up two 1000 litre recycled IBC tanks such as may be seen
he
http://www.smithsofthedean.co.uk/Recycled%20Containers.htm
to capture rain water from some of my house roof.
Regards, Colin


Simple way would be to build up two pillars by dry stacking 4" concrete
blocks on flat, 9" short of desired height - use cement if you want (are OK
to do so) .. then put 3 wood joists, 8"x2" (200 x 50), and place a piece
of 1" WBP ply on top of this (1" thick ... or 3/4" if you can't find 1"
easy), then rest your tank on that.
Bitumen seal the ply, esp on edges would make it last longer

If it were me I would put it underground instead and use a stainless steel
submerged pump, auto switching on when you turn on tap.

I have a 10,000 gallon underground tank that has this .. and a 3rd water
circuit in the house, feeds washing m/c, wc cisterns and outside taps.