How to seal a 4' x 4' wood box that holds water?

[ROUSTABOUT]

Could use a cut down IBC tank and wrap it with treated wood 2x12's. It would be a LOT less expensive.

He's got redwood on the brain.

 

[pmsmechanic]

Could use a cut down IBC tank and wrap it with treated wood 2x12's. It would be a LOT less expensive.

Also you don't have to use an expensive bulkhead fitting on one of these.You could weld up a flanged fitting and bolt it to the IBC and use a rubber gasket to seal the flange. If you put a steel backing plate on the inside for the bolts to tighten to it'll last for years. A short piece of rubber tubing between the PVC and the steel and your connected.

I wonder if the bear wasn't after grubs from the rotting wood. You might be better off to stay totally away from wood.

 

[oosik]

I would make a multi- pour concrete tank. Bottom - then sides. Use short vertical chunks of rebar to tie walls to bottom. Wooden lid.

OR - poured bottom - concrete block walls. Coat entire inside with a bitumen product.
Wooden lid.

If it's so hard to get materials "up" to this location - where does the water, to fill the tank, come from??

 

[plowhog]

If it's so hard to get materials "up" to this location - where does the water, to fill the tank, come from??

I divert creek water about a mile upstream. Water enters a 6" pipe with a gentle downward pitch.

The pipe stays close to a ridge top, but the land has a much steeper downward pitch. The farther you proceed in the direction of water flow, the higher the pipe is compared to surrounding terrain.

The box I am replacing is at the end of the pipe. That box is ~100 feet vertically (head) above my irrigated pasture and pond.

Access from up top would be an option except it is heavily forested with debris, slash, snags, etc. I do walk it doing maintenance. But you couldn't get any equipment, or even a wheelbarrow, through there.

 

[plowhog]

He's got redwood on the brain.

The current box probably cost $50 to build and lasted 50 years. That's pretty compelling.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

The current box probably cost $50 to build and lasted 50 years. That's pretty compelling.

Fifty years ago we used red wood boards on houses because it was affordable and lasted. The lasting part is still the same but I think the affordability has changed a wee bit. Get a $5.00 kiddie pool from dollar General. Build a treated box and line the inside. Use ICF blocks. Lots of options these days. I have a large kids plastic toy box that I have full of water and keep live fish in before I process them. Sometimes 300 - 400 lbs of fish. I put them in the water and do about 50 pds at a time. I got that toy container out of a pile of trash on the side of road. Knew what I was gonna use it for when I loaded it up.