Installing rain water tanks

Please ensure that you either position your tank on a (smooth) concrete slab, a square of level pavers, or a good 10cm thick bed of gravel (please ensure that there are NO SHARP GRAVEL POINTS sticking up or they could puncture the tank). 1 000lt (filled weight is 1 ton), 2000 lt (filled weight is 2 tons) or 5 000lt (filled weight is 5 ton) tanks are heavy when they are full, and when the ground beneath them is wet from (hopefully good 😉👍 ) rains, the risk of the tank falling sideways / collapsing is a possibility IF the tank isn't sitting level. This definitely applies to a clay soil - as clay is "volatile" when very wet.

When you purchase your tank(s) ask the supplier for the specific water tank fitting requirements. Then, either get them to supply those parts, or get the tank supplier to write them down and take that list to your local hardware store. Don't forget the plumbers tape - to seal ALL the connection threads 😉 The majority of tank fittings are 40mm - both the inlet and outlet points. If you want to reduce that outlet size in order to connect a normal garden hosepipe, then your hardware store will know, and supply you with those fittings as long as you know the diameter of garden hose that you use. From tank outlet fitting size of 40mm to 1/2 inch garden hose = 12mm fittings, or 3/4 inch garden hose are 19mm fittings.

You will see two different valves in the pics - a plastic one and a metal one. Either valve can be used quite easily and is only dependent on what your hardware store stocks.

Also, if it's not going to be used, please don't forget to insert a stopper on the "spare" inlet hole on the top "side" of the tank (the one where we have our potable water coming in). This will prevent mosquito's, bird, etc from gaining entry to your tank and / or it's contents.

Cutting the water tank lid in order to insert the gutter downpipe can be achieved with the use of a utility / Stanley knife. Mark out the down pipe profile on the lid, drill a "start" hole and cut away...

We use a piece of 80% shadecloth as our debris filter and it works well. Hooking it over the water tank lid securing pin "protrusions" ensures that it is held in place. Also, when the lid is in position the "close fit" adds to that shadecloth filter position security. Ours have not moved in 7 - 8 years. Emptying the debris is as simple as lifting off the piece of shadecloth, shaking off the debris, and replacing the shadelcoth over the tank securing pin protrusions.

First flushes are also easy to install and, if you go that route, I would recommend that you have a large mouthed valve at the end of the first flush pipe in order to facilitate easy expulsion / removal of the debris. Please remember to use a PVC weld if you are joining fittings with no thread. This is also obtainable from your hardware store.

If you want / need to connect your tank to your house you will need a pump and the knowledge of how to do this. If you do not know how to do this, ONLY then you would need to call on the services of a plumber.

I know this seems to be a lot of info to absorb, but most of it is commonsense if you logically think about what you are doing.

Good luck 😀

Gutter downpipe inserted into water tank lid - use a utility / Stanley knife
 to cut the hole in the lid

We use a piece of 80% shadecloth to catch the debris washed off
 our roof into our gutter / downpipe efore it enters our tank.

The closed lid assists in holding the shadecloth in place

Detail of the tank outlet valve. When the valve
 handle is vertical to the valve, the valve is closed.

Detail of the tank outlet valve. When the valve handle
 is horizontal / parallel to the valve, the valve is open.

Detail of the connection from the tank to our pump -
to pump the water either to our house, or to other holding tanks
 located on higher ground round the perimeter of our property

Detail of our potable water "out" connection from the pump to our house

Suggested wide mouthed valve to position at the end of your
 first flush valve to facilitate removal of any debris

Open source diagram of possible first flush set up