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Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

Putting water in an old 300 gallon gas tank

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Blue3992

06-03-2006 10:59:36




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I’ve got an old 300 gal gas tank that I mounted on a trailer. My plan was to fill it with water, attach a hose, and use it to put out fires. We hold bonfires at the back of our property on occasion, and it’s always a pain hauling a bunch of water down there to put it out.

Anyway, like I said, it’s a 300-gallon gas tank. It’s sat unused for about 10 years. I’ve already filled it up with water and let it drain, and it still smells strongly like gas.

Should I not be using this old gas tank for a fire-fighting rig? Is the water that comes out going to be so tainted that it’s going to kill any grass I put it on? Is it going to kill any critters that drink it? Not to be a tree-hugger, but how hazardous is the water going to be when it comes out of this thing?

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dej(JED)

06-05-2006 08:06:04




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 Re: Putting water in an old 300 gallon gas tank in reply to Blue3992, 06-03-2006 10:59:36  
An old gasoline tank could have Tetra Ethyl Lead in it. It might have MMT also and a host of other heavy metals. don't use it for water. You can't rinse that stuff out. If you drain it, it will leech metals into the ground water also.



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RAB

06-04-2006 01:42:13




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 Re: Putting water in an old 300 gallon gas tank in reply to Blue3992, 06-03-2006 10:59:36  
Just remember it could be an explosion hazard for a long time to come, unless cleaned out properly.
RAB



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Dan-IA

06-03-2006 17:11:38




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 Re: Putting water in an old 300 gallon gas tank in reply to Blue3992, 06-03-2006 10:59:36  
Well, you could always wash it out the way I have in the past... Fill it up, dump in about half a bottle of dishwashing (sink) soap, and take it out to a pasture or some grassy knoll with a little pickup, and then just put it in L1 and go a little and slam on the brakes. You don't even have to touch the gas pedal unless you're going uphill. Repeat about 3-5 times, then go back and open the valve so it'll slowly drain. Then get back in the pickup and go forward a little (just barely moving is plenty), slam on the brakes and stop again. Keep doing this until the tank goes empty. This causes a whole lot of sloshing going on in the tank. For a 300 gallon tank, you might take an hour and travel almost 2 miles before the tank runs empty. The dishwasher soap doesn't seem to bother much (never even killed the grass.) Then fill it again, second time with just water, and just open the valve and let it drain someplace. After that, I wouldn't hesitate to use it for anything but potable water.

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Matt from CT

06-03-2006 13:45:56




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 Re: Putting water in an old 300 gallon gas tank in reply to Blue3992, 06-03-2006 10:59:36  
Just keep in mind you'll be carrying about 630 pounds more when filled with water than gasoline (2,460# v. 1,860# for gas).

Probably not a big deal on a homemade rig like that though...



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RustyFarmall

06-03-2006 13:30:17




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 Re: Putting water in an old 300 gallon gas tank in reply to Blue3992, 06-03-2006 10:59:36  
I don't think I would ever use the water from that tank for human consumption, but I sure wouldn't be afraid to use it for fire fighting or even possibly watering a remote garden. Rinse it a couple of times and use it.



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john in la

06-03-2006 11:57:24




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 Re: Putting water in an old 300 gallon gas tank in reply to Blue3992, 06-03-2006 10:59:36  
The best way to clean it is with hot water. Steam pressure wash with soap.
This is the way they clean gas tanker trailers to repair or for 5 year inspection.

Aside from that I would fill it half way with water and a good grease cutting soap. The soap is the key. Drag the trailer around a while so it will slosh clean then drain. The soap will help the metal release the absorbed gas.

Now about the water you drain.
It will kill grass and any thing else it comes into contact with (fish) if the concentration is strong enough. Now since you drained the gas first (I hope) a few gallons of gas in 300 gallons of water is marginal.
BUT it is strong enough the EPA will drill you a new one on your back side if they found out.
That water is considered Hazardous Waste.
I say this only because I do not want you to take it to the corner car wash and try to use their pressure washer to clean it.

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Blue3992

06-03-2006 11:35:05




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 Picture in reply to Blue3992, 06-03-2006 10:59:36  
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Nebraska Cowman

06-03-2006 11:11:29




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 Re: Putting water in an old 300 gallon gas tank in reply to Blue3992, 06-03-2006 10:59:36  
I'd water cows after it had been rinsed a time or 2. As long as there is not a visable film on the water a little odor shouldn't hurt anything. Do you ever put plastic dishes in your microwave? I don't

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