Step 1. Find the “cheapest” tank online.
How many times I’ve seen customers buy a tank they’ve seen online, and the tank has been delivered to their front boundary, when they’re not even home most of the time. Twice I’ve been told that the tanks have been delivered, but tanks aren’t anywhere to be found.
There’s the first $1500.
Step 2. Find the cheapest pump.
Get on to ebay, and buy a pump for $165 and get it delivered. But of course, if it’s delivered, it’s delivered without the necessary components to make the tank system work. Like pressure controllers. That’s what makes the pump turn on and off on demand. What about pump cover? What about inline filters? What about suction hose, clamps and fittings? What about filters and garden hoses? And what about the most necessary thing being the standard wiring harness?
There’s the next $1000
Step 3. Build a slab
Just because your neighbour has built a slab for his wheely bin that he converted to a tank, doesn’t mean you need to. A good slab should be piered, with the right size mesh, be the right thickness and the right mpa. But did you know not all tanks need a slab? The tanks manufactured by Aussie Water Savers are designed to be installed without a slab in most cases. So to build a slab needs Raw material, mixer, and labour. Easily another $1500 at minimum down the drain
Step 4. Try to set up the tank.
Tanks are designed to hold and distribute rainwater, right? So what happens when you start connecting to your gutters? What if you connect to the gutter or down pipe in the wrong place? What about if you connect using the wrong plumbing? And have you thought about what happens when you don’t connect it in the right way to allow for water to actually get in the tank? Say you’ve spent $300 in material for that. And all with next to no water in the tank.
Step 5. Drill and drill again.
Maybe your tank didn’t get delivered as ordered. And maybe you need to add on additional accessories like more or bigger outlets. The second you start altering your tank not only do you lose your warranty but you also risk damaging the tank beyond repair. Sure, you may get your larger or additional outlets, but what about the constant leaks? Glue or silicone doesn’t fix the problem permanently. How can you put a cost on repairing or replacing your tank system that you worked so hard for?