Water collecting advice needed

[Mrs Ava]

Okay knowledgeable sages.  Our house used to be heated by oil and we still have a vast oil tank which makes up the wall of our garage, so not the traditional barrel shaped oil tanks that you often see.  Our question is, oil hasn't been used to heat this house for the 6 years we have lived here, and at least 2 years before then, to the tank has been empty and dry for at least 8 years.  My darling is contemplating its used as a water butt and we wondered what problems any residue oil might create, or can the tank be cleaned, or will the oil sit on the surface of the water and so long as we draw water from the bottom and never completely drain the tank the oil will not contaminate the water....do you get my drift?  Help please.

[Mrs Ava]

[Merry Tiller]

Can you line it with something? poly or pondliner etc.

[Mrs Ava]

Just asking better half....apparently the tank is a sealed steel tank, built into the wall of the garage.  It is about 18 inches wide, by 4 foot deep, by 6 foot long.  It is one big metal rectangle.  So no....couldn't really get into it to line it... :-\

[Merry Tiller]

I'd shove a few gallons of water in and see what comes out, like you say mabe the oil residue will float and you'll have clean stuff below. You could rinse it with plenty of this kind of stuff?

http://www.accepta.com/Biological-treatment/Concrete-asphalt-cleaner.asp

[telboy]

The problem with flushing is where do you dump it?
If you are near a water coarse, you have a problem. Open the drain tap into a bucket to check if there is any oil in the tank. If there is none I reckon you could just let your downpipes fill it.

[slippy fly]

No expert but I believe the best thing to clean oil is washing up liquid maybe you could wash it out with detergent and a hose pipe (is theres no ban where u are  :o

[Merry Tiller]

The problem with flushing is where do you dump it?

Yes, that's why I recommended the biodegradable stuff

[ava_banana]

HI there and thanks for the replies.........(EJ's other half here!).

Question:
even if we use a biodegradable detergent..........do you think that will render the oil "safe" to dispose of......I would have thought that we would still have to get rid of it "safely".


I think what we will do is open the tap and see (as was suggested) what comes out.......I believe it was totally emptied nearly 10 ears ago........but will see what happens.

It would be very handy as a water store as it is quite large, it is sited at just the right height (below the roof lines of the lowest roof with a vent at the top which is just about the diameter of a drain pipe). The tap is also about a foot to eighteen inches off the floor so will allow something underneath to be filled.

I do love a "resurrection" project.