(Uses for) Old Stock Tanks

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I was wondering what you do with old stock tanks. A few months back I went to an auction and picked up a couple stock tanks for next to nothing ($2 each). I now have six of them. Some thought I must be crazy. What did I want old stock tanks for if they could not hold water? This is what I have done with them.

1. One became my chick brooder. I put 2"x4" wire over the top and made a hinged lid useing the wire and PVC pipe. I divided the stock tank into two areas useing wire. (2"x4" wire and hardware cloth.) I have two heat lamps in it, one for each section. I found that two heat lamps help because the other day one burnt out but because the other was still on the chicks stayed warm. Currently I have geese on one side and turkeys on the other.

2. I use two more stock tanks for compost. I cut the bottoms off and have compost in the makeing while the other contains completed compost. (Bottoms can be cut off useing a circular saw with a metal blade.) I stir the compost with a hoe, it's like making a big pot of stew.

3. The three others I use as large planters. I filled them with dirt and planted in them. This is very handy because the plants are about 2 1/2 ft. off the ground. (Sure cuts down on bending.) One of the stock tanks has Jersulem articokes in it. (Being inside the stock take confines them and they won't take over the garden.) The other two have onions and garlic, and the other has herbs. My wife even likes the planter idea and said the other day I need to get more.

Have you got any other ideas for useing old stock tanks? I'd like to know.

May God bless.

-- Tom S. (trdsshepard@yahoo.com), June 02, 2001

Answers

Response to Old Stock Tanks

Tom, We use ours for a chicken brooder also. We have also used them to raise bottle lambs in the basement during our cold northern winters until they are strong enough to go into the barn. We use another for storing grain in our barn. That one holds almost a ton of corn. The feed truck comes out and loads it up. We cover it with a tarp so the cats or birds don't get into the corn. An old farmer friend buys the small oval ones at auctions and uses them for burn barrels. I like the idea for composting.

-- JoAnn in SD (jonehls@excite.com), June 02, 2001.

Response to Old Stock Tanks

Tom! Why not use'm for holdin gravel/rock to store solar heat? Would make a good storage place and the collectors could be mounted on top or right in front of'm. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), June 02, 2001.

One of my uncles uses one of these tanks for his hunting cabin on his lease. Turned upside down and with a door cut into one side, he has a semi permanent place to 'lay his head' when he goes out. The inside surface is still pretty reflective so a single candle (NO PROPANE OR CAMPFIRES)gives off enough light. He was given this tank by another relative, so he doesn't feel to bad if the tank 'takes a long walk'.

This use is for fall / winter though . . . I imagine it gets VERY hot during the summertime.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), June 04, 2001.


For earthworms which are then recycled into the garden and a new batch is put into the stock tank. Earthworms are one of the better things you can do for your garden area.

-- fred (fred@mddc.com), June 05, 2001.

Question...dunno if it'd be cost effective, but could you get a pool liner or heavy duty VisQueen or whatever, line the thing & use it for water storage? Probably not for critters, as any one I've had will naturally eat whatever is worst for them within reach, expecially if calling in a vet is an option & it's REAL inconvenient, but for maybe a solar water passive heat sink or something? Might work better than gravel, but how well does the gravel actually work? Fair question as I don't know. Just a thought......Kt.

-- K-K-K-Katie (yarnspinnerkt@hotmail.com), June 08, 2001.


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