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Stock tanks

C

Cowpuncher

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Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Messages
652
Location
Southeastern Colorado
We had quite a number of stock tanks on our ranch. Most were steel, some were fiberglas. We tried to bury them a few inches or, in the case of steel, they were set in concrete about level with the ground.

A neighbor says that if we would have buried them so that only about 6 inches were above the ground, cattle would never get into them. After thinking about that for a while, I guess it makes sense since cattle would be reaching down and naturally be more cautious.

Also seems that there would be less ice forming in the winter. I would expect the lower tanks to get more wind blown trash, though.

I am sure that no one is going to dig up tanks to bury them deeper, but it might be worth a try on the next one.

Any thoughts?
 
The way cattle get to pushing around tanks I would'nt bury them at all.I think you'll have them full of calves when they try rideing each other or escapeing from an unruley cow.
 
I've buried some tires for stock tanks and it works great. We pump into them with solar units on pastures. The key is to have enough drinking space for the animal units you have in the paddock. If it's only a 100 ga tank for 200 pairs, you could have trouble without enough volume and refill rate. We have 12V/16A solar pumps, lifting anywhere between 6-16', and no more than 50' laterally. The tires hold between 200 and 500 gallons, and at most we're watering 150 head with yearlings, 2yr olds and pairs combined.

As for calves falling in, they get out easier than a ground level tank because when they try to hop out they have solid ground to get their feet on. With a ground level tank they are hopping out into thin air and always get high centered/hung up in the flank.
 
PC wrote:
I've buried some tires for stock tanks and it works great. We pump into them with solar units on pastures. The key is to have enough drinking space for the animal units you have in the paddock. If it's only a 100 ga tank for 200 pairs, you could have trouble without enough volume and refill rate. We have 12V/16A solar pumps, lifting anywhere between 6-16', and no more than 50' laterally. The tires hold between 200 and 500 gallons, and at most we're watering 150 head with yearlings, 2yr olds and pairs combined.

As for calves falling in, they get out easier than a ground level tank because when they try to hop out they have solid ground to get their feet on. With a ground level tank they are hopping out into thin air and always get high centered/hung up in the flank.
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That's kinda what the neighbor here said. All of our tanks are between 10 and 42 feet in diameter. I wouldn't try it on a tank of less than 6 feet. This post was just food for thought, but every once in a while something useful comes up.
 
We have put in quite a number of tanks the last 4 years. And I have tried burying them a various depths. I think the last one I put in is about right. Its a 33 foot bottom ring off of a grain bin. Buried so only about a foot is sticking out of the ground. We line the bottom with 8mil black plastic, then about 6 inches of dirt. This tank, I didn't get the center level, and had to dump some dirt in one spot so calves could get back out. I think at the center, its almost 4 feet deep.
 

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