Insulating a stock tank

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

All of these threads about heaters and crazy utilities have me wondering if I should do something to try to prevent heat loss? Does anyone have plans for insulating an outdoor stock tank? How much insulation do you need and what kind? Is covering the top enough? Anything you did and liked/didn’t like?

And most importantly, did you actually save money–figuring the cost to build into the equation?

My tank sits on the fence line (splitting it). I think it’s 150 gallons. Rubbermaid. This is my heater http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/allied-precision-cast-aluminum-sinking-de-icer-1500-w They are hard on everything in the dry lot, so it has to be sturdy.

Finally, my donkeys will devour wood, so I’m really not sure what to make something from…

[MightyG]

I have never done this, so bear with me while I shoot out an idea

I was thinking of using an insulation such as this around buckets / stock tanks, then covered in a darker wrap of some sort, maybe a black duct tape? I don’t have water in the area yet, or electric, so I know I will be bringing warm water down from the house. I expect the foil insulation will help hold some of the heat into the bucket, and the dark colored trough will absorb and sunlight and help heat up.

Like I said, I have not done this yet, planning on a trial size bucket here in a few weeks, but I thought I’d throw it out there incase
A. It works and someone can vouch for it, or
B. It definitely doesn’t work and I should save my time!

[Bluey]

I have insulated a 4’ diameter round horse tank to see if it worked.
We took an old tank about 6" larger, cut the bottom off and put it around the main water tank.
We added that pink house insulation batting between them, then scrunched together newspaper and put it over the insulation, about 3"to 4" from the top.
On those last inches, all around, tying both tank edges together, we put concrete, right on the newspaper wads and smooth on top.

Worked like a charm, that tank had minimal ice in the winters, compared with similar tanks around there.

Would work even better if we had partially covered the top also, but that tank was on a corner of 4 pens, so horses had to have access on all four sides, not much place left to cover it.

We have also had good luck by getting tractor innertubes, blowing them up with air and just laying them on the top of tanks.
The innertubes float around and keep the water moving and in the coldest weather, horses flip them around and drink on the open space the tube was sitting in.
That works until it gets so cold for so long, there are several inches of ice there.

We thought about covering the inner tubes with some black plastic and see if that would make it even better, but have not tried it yet.

[VFT]

http://store.wildangelcozy.com/100-gallon-stock-tank-top/

I have never used this, but I have used their insulators for 5 gallon buckets which worked really well. Even held up to my very destructive horse.

Here is a link about the test they did with the topper, not a real thorough description but it’s something: http://wildangelcozy.com/blog/?p=37

[ThisTooShallPass]

Lots of youtube videos of making actual boxes for your water troughs.

Here is most of my post from Off Course:

[I] The K & H heaters have thermostats, so they turn on & off as needed. Applause to them for that. Another HUGE savings factor on electricity, bedside using being smart enough to use a smaller wattage heater in the first place…

I cut a piece of plywood to fit over slightly more than just half of my 100 gallon Rubbermade stocks tanks. Cut a sized to fit hole in the plywood, where the heater cord WITH ITS COVER, come out of the top of the stock tank. I cut this hole so the cord will then be hidden behind the tank & unreachable to prying paws & nosey mouths. Then bolt the plywood cover onto the tank.

Not only does it help hold in heat during the winter, especially during the strong Prairie winds we get here in Oklahoma; in the summer the cover helps to shade the water from the sun, keeping it significantly cooler.

I painted my plywood black side up for winter. White side up for summer. I went the extra mile & then coated the paint with a food grade varathane or urathane I bought on Amazon. So any snow melt or rainwater that runs into the tank is not tainted from paint. I know, a little paranoid, but I love my for legged beasties.

Another thing I do for the water tank is set in the slightest depression of earth, that I filled with fresh manure. I then bank the water tank with compost for added insulation. When I do change the tank water, I try to dump so the water goes into the depression, thus preventing an ice slick around the tank. Then rebank the compost.

Quite honestly, I have never had an issue using just the 250 watt heater. The top cover makes all the difference in the world. I do own a 500 watt heater, just in case. but have never had to use it. Granted, I do not live in Buffalo NY with 8’ of snow.

Here is their zone chart: http://www.khmfg.com/edi/images/medi...Tank-Chart.pdf

They say I should be using a 500 & 750 watt heaters on my tanks, but again, putting a top cover on the tanks makes all the difference in the world! We do just great in subzero weather with the 250 watt heaters.

One can also build an entire plywood box for their tank, & insulate it if they choose. Thus making a small wattage tank heater more probable for those in the perpetually frozen Great White North. Though again, covering at least a portion of the top of the tank makes all the difference in the world. Me, as said, I just bank the tank with compost.

If one has an appropriate plug in place, they may also try using “Thermo Cube” type plug ins, to help save on electricity. I have seen them for sale in a couple of different on/off temperature ranges. http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovator.../dp/B0006U2HD2

Hope what I do saves others many dollars. It sure has saved me $$$.[/I]

[Joanz]

This is mine…the insulation keeps the water warmer during the night and on cloudy days, and on sunny days, the passive solar effect of the clear panel warms the water. I have used a tank heater a handful of times over the last 11 years. http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/CSTank/CSTank.htm