Bleach works. I've seen one oz. per 200 gal. if you regularly rotate it.

For SHTF use you might want to get some dry pool shock calcium hypochlorite. It doesn't break down like liquid bleach does in storage.

 

http://www.learnaboutpools.com/poolshocks.html

You can use granular calcium hypochlorite to disinfect water.
Add and dissolve one heaping teaspoon of high-test granular calcium hypochlorite (approximately ¼ ounce) for each two gallons of water, or 5 milliliters (approximately 7 grams) per 7.5 liters of water. The mixture will produce a stock chlorine solution of approximately 500 milligrams per liter, since the calcium hypochlorite has available chlorine equal to 70 percent of its weight. To disinfect water, add the chlorine solution in the ratio of one part of chlorine solution to each 100 parts of water to be treated. This is roughly equal to adding 1 pint (16 ounces) of stock chlorine to each 12.5 gallons of water or (approximately ½ liter to 50 liters of water) to be disinfected. To remove any objectionable chlorine odor, aerate the disinfected water by pouring it back and forth from one clean container to another.

 

http://www.learnaboutpools.com/poolshocks.html

You can use granular calcium hypochlorite to disinfect water.
Add and dissolve one heaping teaspoon of high-test granular calcium hypochlorite (approximately ¼ ounce) for each two gallons of water, or 5 milliliters (approximately 7 grams) per 7.5 liters of water. The mixture will produce a stock chlorine solution of approximately 500 milligrams per liter, since the calcium hypochlorite has available chlorine equal to 70 percent of its weight. To disinfect water, add the chlorine solution in the ratio of one part of chlorine solution to each 100 parts of water to be treated. This is roughly equal to adding 1 pint (16 ounces) of stock chlorine to each 12.5 gallons of water or (approximately ½ liter to 50 liters of water) to be disinfected. To remove any objectionable chlorine odor, aerate the disinfected water by pouring it back and forth from one clean container to another.

Just to be clear.......Ohio man is referring to making a solution (stock) and you use the solution to treat the large tank of water. Calcium hypochlorite will kill you if you do it wrong.

 

I would set up the tank to collect rain water and then use it to water the garden that way it will rotate itself and save you some cash.

 

keep it in a shady part of the yard and make sure its where you will end up using as it will end up weighing about a ton when filled

 

You could put some colloidal silver in it- that stops things from getting into it.

 

This isn't the 1800s.

 

I used to use bleach, but bleach has a short shelf life. Check the thread on calcium hypochlorite. I was rotating my water into the garden and lawn, so that part was easy. But by adding chlorine and keeping light out, you won't have any problems. You can easily keep light out by attaching cheapo tarps to the frame.

BTW, congrats on finding the tank. They can be a challenge sometimes. Cleaning them out can be a challenge too. Mine held soy oil, so it was a chore. I flipped it upside down onto saw horses and used a pressure washer with a dishsoap solution to spray up inside it until I got it clean.

 

I used to use bleach, but bleach has a short shelf life. Check the thread on calcium hypochlorite. I was rotating my water into the garden and lawn, so that part was easy. But by adding chlorine and keeping light out, you won't have any problems. You can easily keep light out by attaching cheapo tarps to the frame.

So for storage of the water (not treating it before drinking it) I can use bleach or calcium hypochlorite to prevent algae growth. Do you know for how long? Should I use the same amount per gallon that I use in my 1-gallon containers that I rotate every 6 months or more? What willl be enough to keep me from rotating again in 6 months? I'd like to get at least a year before needing to rotate the tank.

 

Congrats on the find. Even if you have to change it every six its a great back up supply. Wish I had on or two of them.

 

I would just keep the container clean and sheltered, and not fill it unless the need seemed eminent. Only takes a couple of hours. The main thing is that you've got the capacity in place and ready to go.

 

Trying to fill at the last minute is risky. There are a lot of possible situations where your first warning that something has happened is that the water stops flowing. There was a thread not too long ago where that happened to a guy here. Also, think about the number of surprise boil orders that have been issued.

Like all other preps, they really should be in place ahead of time. You never know what might happen and it's better to have it on hand, just in case.

 

Hook the tank up in-line with your house water system. They easiest way of doing this is in your yard. Simply connect a short section of water hose from you backyard spigot to the tank inlet. Then connect your regular full length hose to the tank outlet. Every time you turn on your spigot to water the lawn or wash the car you're cycling fresh water from house through the tank before it exits reg. length garden hose.

I helped a freind install this system under his backyard deck. His house was on a slope so if city water quit, the last remaining water in the house system would gravitate down into his tank.

PM me if you have any plumbing questions about this set up.

Hemp

 

If her tank is like mine, they're not set up for pressure. So you can't effectively plumb them inline.

 

This may be a dumb question but why would you add chlorine to tap water if it's already chlorinated?

I read that water has an indefinite shelf life. If that's so, then why rotate it at all? Can't you just run it through a Berkey or some other purification process before you drink it?
Thanks

 

Technically you don't have to. I did it because the residual chlorine is a lot less at the user level than when it was first chlorinated. It helps keep the levels high enough to protect the water in storage.

I started rotating the water because the garden was just behind it and a yard was right in front. It just made sense to do so. Plus I didn't have to worry about chlorine levels that way. Everyone's ideal solution will be different. Rotation isn't easy at this house, so it's chlorination for me.

You could let it gunk up then filter it and it would be fine. But I figure why go to the trouble, when it's easier to just make sure it always has a trace of chlorine in it. I guess that falls under my lifelong habit of "better an ounce of prevention than a pound of cure".

 

If the tank is to be place outside, I would recommend placement in an area without direct sunlight. The sunlight will increase the growth of algae. Also, consider winter conditions. Not sure of the weather in Northern Mississippi, but I would think that freezing temps may be a problem.

 

i want to put two of them up on 15 foot pedistal and feed em from a well over 500 horizontal and about 40 vertical feet away.
i had planned on putting a rv 12 volt demand pump on them to provide pressure once i needed them.

this is what i have planned, in addition to a regular pressure vessel for water at that location on my farm.

will i be good if i flush em every month and add a ounce of bleach to each when refilling them?(water is from my own 300 foot well so no city chlorine)

 

Very cool thread! I can never read too much about ways to have water post shtf.

 

Perfect timing on this thread!! I just found a 275g water storage myself and was wondering about rotation.

The one I found was a 48" by 36" tote in a metal cage. Is that what you found or did you find another design? I did find a couple of other models that, quite frankly, are a bit out of my price range.

The only place we can really store ours will be in the garage. At least we're on a slight slope so I can empty it into the front yard. Unfortunately, I also live in the desert so I was wondering about rotation in the summer months, when it can hit well over 100. I'm not sure how often we'd need to rotate than, but even away from sunlight I'm worried it will get skunky. Is there anything to be concerned with about from the high heat?

Also, what's the shelf life on this? I can clean out the garage to minimize water damage if it breaks; I just want to reassurance these don't fail frequently.

 

That sounds like the same IBC totes that I use. As long as you keep it chlorinated, it should be fine. You'll need to re-treat it more often in hot weather, as the heat drives off the chlorine faster.

I wish I knew the answer on shelf life. I believe those tanks are designed to be reuseable though, so it should last pretty well. Especially since you're keeping sunlight off it. Sunlight kills plastic unless it's designed for it.

 

Why not use a plastic compatible spray paint to cover the exterior of the container? Paints are made to be flexible enough to cover car bumpers. Spray the exterior surface with a flat black paint and all of the exterior light will be kept from the interior water.

 

Thanks for all the great tips. I picked up 3 of these tanks on craigslist today for 75 bux a pop.

 

I saw people post regular treatment of chlorine. But if you Put enough chlorine in - say a few cups into 300 gallons. The chlorine gasses off, but all the algae is dead. I wouldnt expect anything to be able to grow in a closed tank. Is this not the case?

 

Now you need a 1500-2000 gallon tank. The latter would let a person survive for nearly two years, which is a minimum.

 

I have two on the hill by the barn. 10' from a water hydrant. I converted the outlet pipe to a 3/4" male hose fitting. I can use a hose with two female fittings and hook it to my water line. I use a 3" pool tablet in the tank and change the water once a year if I remember. When I used Chlorine in it, it would turn green in about 6 months. The problem stopped with the pool tablet. I used the tanks to provide water for my stock and my garden during a prior California drought. Now it is just a prep unless our well has problems with the drought. I keep a third tank. During the last drought I put it in the back of the truck and filled it at a local lake or a local aqueduct when it had water. I then filled the other two tanks. I used a small generator and a 1/5 hp water pump to fill and empty it. It took and hour to fill it. Three trips to the water source gave me over 750 gallons of water. Just remember water is heavy. my Ford F250 was loaded when the container was full. My one ton van also was dragging when it was full.

 

I converted the outlet pipe to a 3/4" male hose fitting.

Yes, do this. I bought two pvc fittings that, when cemented together, converted from the standard banjo valve (that the tote comes with) to my garden hose. Since I placed the tote on a slope, I can use a short garden hose to fill a bucket to the brim. I'm not looking forward to schlepping buckets into my house, but flushing sure beats the alternative.

If I ever want to empty the tote in a hurry, the pvc fitting unscrews from the banjo valve.

Just remember water is heavy. my Ford F250 was loaded when the container was full. My one ton van also was dragging when it was full.

I'd be interested to know how you unloaded them when they were full.

 

question, why not plumb it into your main water line into the house, route it into the bin then back into the house, since houses shouldnt have a feed back into the system if water goes out you would have fresh water and it is constantly refreshed anytime you use the water in your home.

bad idea?

 

I'd like to store 2.5k gallons in the ground, taken from my roofs. I'd like a % of it be manually pumpable for drinking (filtering and cleaning). My ideal preference is to make a standpipe which can hold 10k to 20k gallons, then use gravity for dispersal.

 

I don't know if it counts but I have a 7500 Gallon pool in the yard that's chlorinated

 

My own tanks are set to flow water through them .
I have a 60 gallon well and a 30 gallon water heater thank taking city water and from there to our washing machine , so every time we do a load the water is cycled through the tanks .
I have a big square transport tank I think something like 250 or so , that I have a drip system line feeding it on a float, and a line from it to the chicken watering trough that drips as well,but inconsequential ,just to keep the water fresh.
Other vessels are treated storage using chlorine , but I may do a switch to the hypochlorite in stead .

 

Covering totes from sunlight

I just stumbled on this YouTube channel. I have t tried what he's showing yet but I plan to as the weather cools down.

He has several videos showing how he setup his IBC totes.

http://youtu.be/3YJPhkd7Jvk

 

This was my question as well. The guy at HD told us to put chlorine in and cover with a tarp. However, he didn't say how much

 

If household strength (5%) bleach then one teaspoon per 5 gallons.

If working with calcium hypochlorite then you need to make a 5% solution from it first. Different brands have different concentrations.

Say you had a bag of Ca(ClO)2 in 65% strength then you need 12 parts water to 1 part powder to make a 5% solution.

I'm very interested in Hemp's hookup to the house water.

His post was 6 years ago.