Liquid fert bund design

Just about to build a bund for a 50 m3 liquid fert tank. What is a sensible height to build the bund wall? Was thinking about 1.2m high. Have seen some at almost 50cm but that would mean a 16x8m pad which is bigger than I want to build. How do people mange the hoses with a higher wall? Does anyone put a pipe through the wall with a fixing on the other side to avoid having to clamber over all the time?
 

Andrew K

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Essex
Just about to build a bund for a 50 m3 liquid fert tank. What is a sensible height to build the bund wall? Was thinking about 1.2m high. Have seen some at almost 50cm but that would mean a 16x8m pad which is bigger than I want to build. How do people mange the hoses with a higher wall? Does anyone put a pipe through the wall with a fixing on the other side to avoid having to clamber over all the time?
You ideally need to be able to hold a full tankfull in the bund if the worst happens so this will most probably dictate height within your available area.
I have seen a fabricated u bend system running over the top of the bund in the past but not sure if it would impact much on flow rates.
Obviously a shut off valve needs to be included to stop spillages from siphoning out.
On the positive side careful positioning would allow rainwater to be sucked out.
 
I think Spike islander had a thread on this very subject a few months ago?

Having just searched the two threads I found were started by me! Must be going senile. However, having read both of them again, what I didn't get detailed views on is the height of the bund wall. We figured that by the time you've gone to 1.1m you might as well go to 1.3m or so which reduces the pad area.
 
Just about to build a bund for a 50 m3 liquid fert tank. What is a sensible height to build the bund wall? Was thinking about 1.2m high. Have seen some at almost 50cm but that would mean a 16x8m pad which is bigger than I want to build. How do people mange the hoses with a higher wall? Does anyone put a pipe through the wall with a fixing on the other side to avoid having to clamber over all the time?

The guidelines for bunding fertiliser tasks suggest the bund should be 110% of the largest tank so why not use two 30m3 tanks instead? You'll fit both tanks on a smaller concrete slab, have more leeway when it comes to re-filling and can buy concrete panels for the bund which are dead easy to install and are at a sensible height.
 
The guidelines for bunding fertiliser tasks suggest the bund should be 110% of the largest tank so why not use two 30m3 tanks instead? You'll fit both tanks on a smaller concrete slab, have more leeway when it comes to re-filling and can buy concrete panels for the bund which are dead easy to install and are at a sensible height.

We're committed to a 50 m3 size now. Have two Enduramaxx 30 m3 elsewhere. Building the bund to be able to take a second 50 m3 if we want in future.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Just about to build a bund for a 50 m3 liquid fert tank. What is a sensible height to build the bund wall? Was thinking about 1.2m high. Have seen some at almost 50cm but that would mean a 16x8m pad which is bigger than I want to build. How do people mange the hoses with a higher wall? Does anyone put a pipe through the wall with a fixing on the other side to avoid having to clamber over all the time?

Thanks for the tag.

Yes, high walls save lateral space but think about how often the operator will be climbing over them and also issues with priming centrifugal pumps. Lower walls are easier to live with & needn't be much more expensive. My next set of tanks will be 3 x 30m3 rather than another pair of 50 m3 tanks. There are a few other reasons involving not spoiling the neighbour's view as much but I also don't have to make it as big. 110% of 30 is less than 110% of 50 though one extra pad will probably cancel that saving. I'll go and take some pictures of my setup.
 
Thanks for the tag.

Yes, high walls save lateral space but think about how often the operator will be climbing over them and also issues with priming centrifugal pumps. Lower walls are easier to live with & needn't be much more expensive. My next set of tanks will be 3 x 30m3 rather than another pair of 50 m3 tanks. There are a few other reasons involving not spoiling the neighbour's view as much but I also don't have to make it as big. 110% of 30 is less than 110% of 50 though one extra pad will probably cancel that saving. I'll go and take some pictures of my setup.

How about piping a permanent pipe through the wall with a fitting on the outside so that it isn't necessary to climb in and out the whole time? By the time you get up to 1m you might as well go to 1.2m. 0.5m high is not possible as we don't have enough space where we want to put them.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
How about piping a permanent pipe through the wall with a fitting on the outside so that it isn't necessary to climb in and out the whole time? By the time you get up to 1m you might as well go to 1.2m. 0.5m high is not possible as we don't have enough space where we want to put them.

That would solve the issue of priming pumps. What is your bund for? If it’s an accidental spill then fair enough. If mitigating a malicious spill you’re compromising your security by putting the pipes through the wall. Of course you’d fit locks on the valves.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
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All 3” pipes. The bund wall is 1m high, rising to 1.3m as the yard slopes away. I recommend you seal the concrete from the ground upwards as liquid fertiliser eats breeze blocks eventually.
 
That would solve the issue of priming pumps. What is your bund for? If it’s an accidental spill then fair enough. If mitigating a malicious spill you’re compromising your security by putting the pipes through the wall. Of course you’d fit locks on the valves.

We would have locks on the exit to the tank and on the taps through the wall whereas with your set-up you'd only need to break one of the locks by the tank.

Will definitely seal the concrete blocks.

Just spoken to the Omex person and he said he's not aware of people piping through the wall "because that defeats the object of the bund". But I don't see why, if it's properly sealed, that it would defeat the object.

Also, for a slab taking two 50 m3 tanks, how deep would you say you'd need of crushed hardcore below the concrete slab? Was thinking of putting 25cm depth of concrete with reinforcing in.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
Yara recommend 6" of compacted hard core base under 6" of decent concrete. See the attached guides from them.
 

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