Cleaning out an old tank

[valleydweller1]

Hi all,

My house came with an old 100 gallon fuel oil tank. There is no fuel left in it, and I'm not sure how long it's been out of service, but I would imagine it's been quite some time. I would like to use it as a water tank to put on the 3ph on my tractor so I can have water out away from the house. The water will be used for controlling burn piles and watering trees in the next few years.

Any thoughts on how to clean it out???

 

[srjones]

Maybe 5-10 gallons of hot soapy water, poured in the tank. Roll it around, drain, and repeat until the water doesn't smell like fuel anymore?

Just a thought....

 

[Highbeam]

For watering valuable trees I would want to be confident that it was clean. Fire stand by water can be a little cruddy.

First thing is to tip it on end to get out as much oil as possible. Then get your laundry detergent out and add some to several gallons of hot water. Let it soak and agitate as much as you can. Dump and repeat several times until clean water goes in and comes out without a sheen. Don't know that I would ever want to drink out of it but plants can handle some petroleum.

Even if it was pumped out there will still be oil on the bottom, always is a little left.

 

[KentT]

Tri-Sodium Phosphate (TSP) is the best soap/degreaser that the EPA will allow, that I know of... That's what I'd recommend...

You can get it at hardware stores....

 

[SPIKER]

get a good sized bottle of dawn dish soap pour it in and add a hose with hot water (after tipping & draining as others mentioned. )

spray the water on the weed line soappy water won't hurt but the left over grease/oil may. after one soapy water wash simply fill & water...

the tank will rust after the rinse as the soap will remove the oil which is at this time preventing the rust from forming...

you MAY want to wash several times & add some TSP to phosphate treat the inside to prevent some of the rusting then dry using air & dry heat then coat inside with rust preventive coating (self etching paint/primer for longevity) untreated it should last 10 yrs with rusty water comming out. treated probably longer than you need to worry about. be sure to weld on any brackets AFTER thoural cleaning and before painting inside...

there are several types of coatings that are designed for similar applications (inside tanks) that you can pour in then roll tank around a bunch then let run excess out. re-coating if need be.

mark M

 

[kossetx]

i know this isn't what you want to here, but sometimes in our effort to conserve, we can end up costing ourselves more than expected. have you priced plastic tanks. i believe i saw the price of a 100 gal one at northern tool for 70.00. probably a better tank, designed to sit upright, and looks better. just my .02, mp