IBC tanks

In message , Broadback writes

There are plenty on eBay

Sorry about this, for some reason my post was incomplete. I wish to install a submersible pump into the tank. It does not look as though the top holes are big enough, is it fairly simple to make a hole on the top large enough to insert a pump? If so how is the best way/

Jigsaw.

It all depends on the size of your pump, the hole in the top of my IBC's are just over 14cm across.

The IBC is made of fairly soft plastic, Imagine it would be trivial to cut a bigger hole with a small saw, but you will want to cover the hole to stop things getting into it, I imagine a cat or squirrel could easily fall into it and then not be able to get out if left open.

The 600l ones have bigger openings on top.

This isn't related to a recent thread over in urg is it? B-)

Bung up the holes and use siphons between them?

IBC's are goood but translucent, if you don't exclude the light algae will grow in them.

The top hole from memory is about 12" or so, so pick a smaller pump or even a lift pump on a board that cane stored in the garage and just dangle a pickup hose into the tank when required. Perhaps a 12 V pump and a SLA for a self contained solution.

These pumps will go through the existing hole ok, and are surprisingly efficient.

The point made about algae growth in these tanks is a valid one, try and exclude the light if you can.

Also the material will probably degrade in sunlight (and might have been outside for years before you get it).

My (only) two barrels are 'linked' by an overflow pipe using a 90 deg. connector on the first one. The lid of the second one is concave with small slits in it and lower by a bit. The pipe can be just turned up out of the way. The second barrel is tilted slightly to overflow away from the shed. Obviously less scope for this as the container gets bigger and the series gets longer.

I'd love an IBC tank, but it'd be too difficult to get to the back garden (2 more gardens to cross and too few lifters).

I've had a plain translucent one lying outside for years - I must go and give it a bang. I've been caught out with translucent thinner HDPE used in 25L containers going brittle.

If a container is brittle, it is usually susceptible to impact from the unexposed side - not too bad for a water butt, but we had a PP tank at work with a UV lamp inside it.

Depends on the size of the pump! 12 volt bilge pumps for small boats come in all sizes, ones which will fit easily give quite a decent flow on a half inch hose.

Easy enough to enlarge to take a mains one.

I have been in touch via email with a (fairly) local supplier, he advices against enlarging the hole as it would considerably weaken the tank.

If it still has the cage around it then some bracing might help. I was thinking that the 'neck' might well contribute a lot to the strength - a weak tank might split along the seam.