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04-01-2010, 16:50
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: West Palm Beach
Boat: Parkins Herreshoff 28
Posts: 932
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Fiberglass Holding Tank ?
before i have one made in alu, is there any reason not to build one in a similar style to a f.g. water tank? dont know how much i will save over an alum one but it seems like a project i would enjoy, yea im a glutton for punishment
but it will be good practice for when i build my water tanks
so should i go ahead with this, any special considerations i should consider?
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04-01-2010, 17:05
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#2
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Writing Full-Time Since 2014
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 9,569
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Read-up and get busy.
I have built 4 boat tanks over time, 2 gasoline, 1 water, 1 waste. All were in service for 15 years when I sold the boat.
But it is not so simple. Read-up on the topic and keep the inside very smooth. Aluminum will be easier .
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04-01-2010, 17:32
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Houston
Boat: ‘01 Catana 401
Posts: 9,626
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Don't make your tank of aluminium!!!!! salt+urine+stagnation+fill in here with what ever you want= holes in the worst tank to have holes in!!!!!
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04-01-2010, 18:02
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#4
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 174
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fiberglass holding tank
I built a fiberglass and epoxy holding tank to replace a rubber bladder that had a very small but smelly leak. It started by making a cardboard mock up of the tank to fit in the Vee berth locker. From the disassembled cardboard mock up, and using a plastic yearly wall calander as a base, flat sheets about 3/16" thick were made up by alternating woven cloth and mat with epoxy. The plastic yearly wall calander is flexable enough to peel away leaving a flat sheet after the epoxy kicks. I made enough of these to build the basic box keeping in mind of slanting the bottom to a low spot to install the discharge fitting on the side bottom. I then started assembling the sides and bottom by using 3" FG tape again epoxied both inside and outside. A clean out port was installed on top and again using 3" FG tape the top was epoxied to the sides. After completing this I coated the whole inside again with epoxy slightly thickened to make everything smooth inside. Round support patches total thicknes of about 1/2" were epoxied where fittings were to be installed. This included out going on the bottom side, incomming on the top, and two vents on top. Total thickness of tank sides came up to about 3/16 to 1/4". The old bladder was about 15 gal and the new tank is about twice that. I contacted West System prior to start for compatability with chemicals for the holding tank. Their comment was their epoxy would be a great application. Hint I borrowed some pipe taps from local plummer sized for marlon fittings.
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04-01-2010, 20:13
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 21
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Nicely done Mr.Gulfstar!
Clean, neat, and well finished. Nice shop too.
I buy epoxy by the 55 gallon drum. Do you need a job? J/k
To the OP - never, ever make a waste tank out of metal. Well, maybe monel, but who can afford that?
Go with epoxy or vinylester. I would use epoxy.
Pre-made 3/8 inch thick poly tanks from Ronco are a pretty good deal. Something to look into anyway.
Mike
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19-07-2010, 03:52
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#6
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Western side of the pacific ,presently on the Gold Coast
Boat: De Vries, Ketch 1977, 54', Matangi
Posts: 1
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holding tanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by pressuredrop
before i have one made in alu, is there any reason not to build one in a similar style to a f.g. water tank? dont know how much i will save over an alum one but it seems like a project i would enjoy, yea im a glutton for punishment:banghead:
but it will be good practice for when i build my water tanks
so should i go ahead with this, any special considerations i should consider?:whistling:
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Made mine from 300 mm storm waterpipe with stopends cemented with pressure pipe glue, all pipework in 40 mm pressure pipe and dump with compressed air , to easy and it didn't break the bank.
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14-11-2010, 14:04
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Currently in Brunswick, GA
Boat: Bayfield 40
Posts: 169
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aluminimun and urine don't live well together. go with plastic.
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14-11-2010, 18:15
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Winnipeg
Boat: None at this time
Posts: 8,462
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I agree with the folks that say don't use metal for a holding tank. My preference would be epoxy. West Systems has some good information on building tanks with epoxy, although they don't necessarily condone it.
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14-11-2010, 18:52
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Vancouver Island
Boat: 55'alloy performance cruiser
Posts: 124
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hilding tanks
Hi all, Made my 55 gallon holding tank with epoxy panels then took the whole unit down to the local truck bed liner company and had him spray it inside and out with a heavy rubber coating before I epoxied the lid down. It is bullet proof for sure. Did that with my anchor chain locker as well. 75 bucks each!
cheer, greg
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14-11-2010, 19:06
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Kansas City, MO
Boat: In the hunt again, unknown
Posts: 1,331
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What about stainless (or Aluminum) and water, or diesel? Are there any problems with those?
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14-11-2010, 21:38
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Lake Macquarie
Boat: Bluewater 420 CC
Posts: 756
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pressuredrop
but it will be good practice for when i build my water tanks so should i go ahead with this, any special considerations i should consider?
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You will find some negative opions here about fiberglass/epoxy tanks. They can be done well or poorly. Apparently the expoxy can have has carcenegenic tendancies and a "taste" if it's not cured sufficiently.
My new boat has fiberglass/epoxy drinking water and holding tanks. To cure the expoxy in the drinking water tanks, a radiator heater was placed in each tank for two months (left on continuosly) after the epoxy coating to ensure it was dry. We weren't so particular with the holding tank so I won't be surprised to find it has a funny taste.
Greg
__________________
Greg
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14-11-2010, 21:45
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Australia
Boat: CT 54... for our sins!
Posts: 2,083
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eleebana
You will find some negative opions here about fiberglass/epoxy tanks. They can be done well or poorly. Apparently the expoxy can have has carcenegenic tendancies and a "taste" if it's not cured sufficiently.
My new boat has fiberglass/epoxy drinking water and holding tanks. To cure the expoxy in the drinking water tanks, a radiator heater was placed in each tank for two months (left on continuosly) after the epoxy coating to ensure it was dry. We weren't so particular with the holding tank so I won't be surprised to find it has a funny taste.
Greg
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Very funny Greg... but in poor taste...
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14-11-2010, 22:54
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bay of Islands, New Zealand
Boat: Mason 53
Posts: 652
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G'day, mate. Fiberglass holding tanks here. Have never had any problems with them. Cheers.
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15-11-2010, 18:35
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Winnipeg
Boat: None at this time
Posts: 8,462
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Khagan1227
What about stainless (or Aluminum) and water, or diesel? Are there any problems with those?
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Everything is a compromise. Dave Gerr suggests that stainless is the best (only?) material for water. Aluminum or stainless can be used for fuel. They must be mounted properly to prevent crevice corrosion and it is imperative to make sure that any water that settles to the bottom isn't allowed to stay there and that the tanks are kept clean.
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