Plastic water tanks for agriculture – What materials are recommended for tanks in agriculture? In the agricultural sector, a wide variety of tanks are used every day for a wide variety of tasks. Almost every farm needs appropriate tanks for the storage and use of water and rainwater as well as liquid fertilizers and pesticides.
Whether for irrigation, storage for animal care, a bowser for a sprayer or for the operation of milking parlours – plastic tanks are useful and necessary and can be found almost everywhere. Which material is best for tanks? If new tanks are necessary, to modernize outdated systems, or to enlarge existing systems, there is always the question of the right tank and the right material. The different materials, especially plastic, steel and aluminium, have different strengths and weaknesses. Each must be checked in each individual case which tank is best suited for which application.
Plastic Water Tank vs Steel
Steel tanks as a conventional solution Steel tanks have not only been used in agriculture as a well-known and proven solution for many years. They are considered to be very dimensionally stable and safe and are therefore also used for a wide variety of liquids. Steel tanks are usually available up to a volume of 100,000 litres and area available for above and below ground. A major disadvantage of steel tanks is their high weight – even if they are empty. When used to store water, the risk of rust should not be underestimated. If rust sets in, it can initially lead to contamination and leaks. Steel tanks should, therefore, be regularly checked in order to identify critical points at an early stage and avoid consequential damage. If this is ensured, steel tanks also have a long life expectancy.
Plastic tanks are suitable for many purposes and have long had a permanent place when it comes to safe storage or transport of water and other liquids for farmers. They are very useful in many areas of agriculture, whether as a buffer storage for the sprayer, dairy washdown or for collecting rainwater. As a water container, they are generally suitable for liquids up to a density of 1.2 kg / l, plastic containers for liquids with a higher density, such as liquid fertilizer, molasses, glycerol or iron chloride, are usually designed for 1.4 kg / l.
Plastic Water Tank Advantages
Plastic tanks are therefore extremely versatile and optimally designed for a wide variety of tasks – whether as a storage tank, double-walled storage tank, transport tank, or as an underground tank. Advantages include:
- Very durable because plastics cannot rust. A constant check for rust spots due to weathering or damage to the inner wall is therefore not necessary as well as contamination by rust excluded, which is particularly important when using water as drinking water.
- Depending on the size and purpose, the required stability of a tank can be precisely defined. Stiffening rings keep even larger containers in shape at all times and prevent expansion.
- Modern plastic tanks prevent the formation of algae in the stored water even when the tank is outdoors. There are also plastic tanks that are completely opaque.
- Plastic tanks are light compared to other materials used making them easy to use when setting up or for mobile water bowsers.
Plastic Water Tank vs Aluminium
Tanks made of aluminium are also sometimes used being relatively low weight compared to steel tanks. Aluminium is a soft metal, so it is subject to faster wear and doesn’t have the properties required for the transport and storage of food.
Plastic tanks are a modern solution When choosing a tank, there are many good reasons to choose a high-quality plastic tank. Today they are available in a large number of variants, sizes and types and can in principle cover almost all the requirements of an agricultural business. Plastic water tanks for agriculture for water storage and transport of water as rainwater, wash water or drinking water.
