Painting Water Tanks...

[Sparks]

Here is the problem, I have 5 of these...

they have water in them ,the sun makes the water go green :-(

I also have two 1500l black barrels, these don't suffer from this problem.

So, I though it would be a good idea to paint them! Off down the road I went, and bought a 400ml can of Hunter Green "Plasti-kote" spray paint for £5.95

This £5.95 worth of paint didn't even cover one side on one tank!! ..and lots of light was still getting through it anyway...

Any ideas on a better method, or cheaper paint I can use! (Could I use normal oil based paint, applies with a paint brush?

I do have a compressor and a spray gun (But have not used this yet, and have no idea what paint I can use, or where to get it either!)

I suppose I could box them in with wood (WBP Ply?)

Thanks for any suggestions!

Sparks...

[Sparks]

Not really, they are quite hidden away

...although, I don't want to paint them bright pink or something similar!

[Sparks]

Not really, they are quite hidden away

...although, I don't want to paint them bright pink or something similar!

[Chris Bacon]

Do they need to look nice?

[Sparks]

They are holding rainwater for irrigation - I guess bleach would be a bad idea for this!?

[dom]

Do they need to be drinking water? I can see an old hazard label on them, so perhaps not. A few drops of bleach will supress algae.

[Sparks]

Great, sounds like a plan to me!

I assume I would get it in B&Q?

[Chris Bacon]

You could use bitumen emulsion, as used for damp proofing. Brownish gop that dries black. A coat of two of that should be opaque.... you can get non-taint bitumen paint, for use inside galvanised water tanks, etc., but if you're painting the outside, it won't be needed. Bitumen emulsion will spoil your brush, though, so buy a 4" one that you only want to use for that job. You can soften the stuff in paraffin or white spirit if your brush goes hard. A tenner (ish) for 5 litres.

[Slick]

Box em in a little...painted MDF??

[Sparks]

Maybe I need to paint the black, then white!

Can't do that, because they look ugly, and are currently out of sight! Moving them will bing them into sight :-(

The plants won't, but my micro irrigation drippers will, as will the filters I have in the pipeline.

Sparks...

[John]

You have two conflicting requirements here. Algae like light and warm. Painting the tanks black will make them dark but will also absorb more solar heat. I'm assuming they're outside. Painting them white will keep them cooler but will let the light in. You need to make them black and keep them in the shade. I have to ask, what's the problem with the algae? If the water is only for irrigation, the plants won't mind.

John

[Owain]

Potassium Permanganate is used for water purification (or it was according to my Boys Own Intrepid Adventurers' Survival Guide, as well as for dyeing snow for SOS markers) and would turn the water a pretty purple colour.

Potassium is good for plants isn't it?

Owain

[Guy King]

The message from "John" contains these words:

I expect it'd gunge up (technical term) the nozzles/drip-pipe etc.

[Aidan]

Wrap them in the roofing felt that you'd use for the top layer of a flat roof. Tie it on with galvanized wire. Put some insulation (polystyrene shet?) under it if you're worried about the temperature. Algae will grow in water in any translucent container exposed to daylight..

[Pete C]

Hi,

Black DPC is totally lightproof and IME weatherproof too. It comes in

4m widths, if you're lucky a local shed or BM might sell it by the metre. I bought a few metres from Homebase, but it was a few years back.

cheers, Pete.