Where are people buying water storage tanks?

[ngiovas]

I am wondering where everyone is buying their water storage tanks for a water mixing station? It is bad enough that the tanks cost a couple hundred dollars, but the shipping is another couple hundred on top of that. I am looking to buy two of them, and don't want to spend $600 or more just for the tanks. Has anyone found a place online to buy them with reasonable shipping, or does anyone know of a place in south east Michigan or North West Ohio where I can pick them up for a good price?

I have been checking Facebook marketplace, but there isn't really anything there except barrels or really large tanks. I am hoping to find a matching pair of white verticle tanks between 50 and 75 gallons. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Peace River]

I found the same thing. I worked with my local Tractor Supply and eventually they were able to find (2) 65g Norwesco tanks at other TSC locations that they were able to do store transfers.

 

[tsharpe291]

I am wondering where everyone is buying their water storage tanks for a water mixing station? It is bad enough that the tanks cost a couple hundred dollars, but the shipping is another couple hundred on top of that. I am looking to buy two of them, and don't want to spend $600 or more just for the tanks. Has anyone found a place online to buy them with reasonable shipping, or does anyone know of a place in south east Michigan or North West Ohio where I can pick them up for a good price?

I have been checking Facebook marketplace, but there isn't really anything there except barrels or really large tanks. I am hoping to find a matching pair of white verticle tanks between 50 and 75 gallons. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

us plastics in lima Ohio. where I got mine

 

[ngiovas]

us plastics in lima Ohio. where I got mine

Thanks for the suggestion. I have family in Ohio, so I am down there regularly. I may need to find out what is required to do a local pickup.

 

[tsharpe291]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have family in Ohio, so I am down there regularly. I may need to find out what is required to do a local pickup.

I called and if its in stock they have a retail store you can pay and pick up, save a ton of money on shipping

 

[Sassafras]

Shipping is a killer. I had a ProTank location about 90 miles away and picked mine up. Finding a dealer close enough for you to pick up your tanks will probably be your best option. Peace River 's solution to use a farm supply chain store might work for you also, that way they may absorb the freight.

 

[slythy]

I paid the shipping and got it shipped to my work. It was definately a few hundred dollars to do.

 

[ngiovas]

Shipping is a killer. I had a ProTank location about 90 miles away and picked mine up. Finding a dealer close enough for you to pick up your tanks will probably be your best option. Peace River 's solution to use a farm supply chain store might work for you also, that way they may absorb the freight.

Thanks, I stopped by my local Tractor Supply, but the only tank they had on hand was a 35 gallon portable horizontal tank. They said I could order from the web site and have one delivered to the store. Everything on the web is green or black. I was hoping to get a white/natural tank so I can easily see the water lever.

I'm going to dig around a bit more and see if any other plastic suppliers have locations in Ohio or Michigan. US Plastic is definitely an option now that I know about them. I also thought about just buying some plastic food grade barrels to start with and see how it goes. They are definitely cheaper, but I would have to come up with some sort of hatch/lid as well as the needed fittings.

 

[Peace River]

Thanks, I stopped by my local Tractor Supply, but the only tank they had on hand was a 35 gallon portable horizontal tank. They said I could order from the web site and have one delivered to the store. Everything on the web is green or black. I was hoping to get a white/natural tank so I can easily see the water lever.

That is the initial response that I got at TSC, but after I built some rapport, found the right person to talk to, identified a specific tank for them to search for (in my case the Norwesco 65g), asked them to check on store-to-store transfer, and checked back a few times then they were eventually able to find them. Good luck!

 

[ngiovas]

That is the initial response that I got at TSC, but after I built some rapport, found the right person to talk to, identified a specific tank for them to search for (in my case the Norwesco 65g), asked them to check on store-to-store transfer, and checked back a few times then they were eventually able to find them. Good luck!

I do see the Norwesco 65 gallon tank on their site, but they are $399 each. It looks like US Plastics has a couple of options in the 75 gallon size for $285 and you get 5% off if you get 2. I was originally looking at 55 gallon (and still am if I find a great price), but the 75 gallon is only around $30 more.

The funny part is that I am only planning to start with a nano tank and will eventually build a water mixing station, but I wanted to future proof myself. Like everything else in this hobby (and just about any other hobby) the cost starts to grow exponentially . The real question is, how much water will I need at one time - even if I eventually setup a large tank.

 

[william Lutman]

Farm and Fleet

 

[Dburr1014]

Home depot. 32 brute.

 

[ngiovas]

Home depot. 32 brute.

I am seriously considering this as an initial setup so I can start out cheaper and get some experience before building a complex setup. I was also looking at used food grade 55 gallon barrels that I can get locally for $10 each, but they all smell like the food that was in them and I don't think I want to take the risk of not properly cleaning them.

 

[ngiovas]

Farm and Fleet

Thanks for the suggestion. That reminded me that there is a store called Family Farm and Home that I occasionally shop at when I'm in northern Michigan. I checked their site and they can special order the Norwesco 65 gallon vertical tank for $209. If it ships to the store for free, that may be a good option. They also have a location closer to my house which would make it more convenient to pickup.

 

[Peace River]

I do see the Norwesco 65 gallon tank on their site, but they are $399 each. It looks like US Plastics has a couple of options in the 75 gallon size for $285 and you get 5% off if you get 2. I was originally looking at 55 gallon (and still am if I find a great price), but the 75 gallon is only around $30 more.

The funny part is that I am only planning to start with a nano tank and will eventually build a water mixing station, but I wanted to future proof myself. Like everything else in this hobby (and just about any other hobby) the cost starts to grow exponentially . The real question is, how much water will I need at one time - even if I eventually setup a large tank.

Although it is not always the most common way to go, I invested in a very nice water mixing station. My perspective is that if you focus on becoming a "water gardener" first, then it solves a lot of future reef-related challenges in the future.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Funny timing on this topic-

I found these near a buddy’s house on Natchez, MS. 300 G, FEMA water tanks. Pretty common in areas where FEMA has had to have H2O filling stations. $125 each. I cleaned them up. I even got double lucky, as the guy dropped them off at my buddy’s job and they knew each other. My friend even confirmed the guys background. The guy had like 30 of these. I did bleach them as they have been sitting. My friend happen to be coming through Memphis. I have a new 400g display coming soon from GC and my 50g brute was not going to cut it. For the price I had to get 2.

 

[OrionN]

Consider getting several 55 gal aquarium. Put them on one of the metal tank stand from Petco. In the past they had the 1 dollar per gallon sale which is very reasonable.
Cut a piece of acrylic to use as cover if you needed.
One tank full for each 50-gal saltwater bag. I use Oceanic/Reef Crystal 200 gal boxes

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I use aquariums for my water -- one each for RODI, SW, and FW (reconstituted RODI). Works great, looks OK (OKer than an oversized bucket, anyway), easy to clean, much less worries about chemical leaching/weird algae growths/microplastics in your brain.

 

[Solo McReefer]

Tractor Supply has reasonable pricing

And you don't have to pay their shipping if you go pick it up

But they have limited inventory, you have to make due with the models they have

 

[Reeferbadness]

Uline has some nice options https://www.uline.com/BL_8154/Plastic-Drums