Slatted tank, wall or pillars and beams

[Jonny B88]

Hi all,

Hoping to build a double slatted tank with two rows of 13' slats inside a 100' x 50' shed to house Spring calving sucklers.

Question is, as we have no experience of slatted tanks, which is better a wall or pillars and beams down the middle of the tank. Pillars would give more storage but is a wall make for easier mixing?

Thanks.

 

[Fixxer]

What depth of tank are you thinking of doing ?

 

[Jonny B88]

Thinking on 3m as it would give a large capacity

 

[Fixxer]

The deeper the tank the easier it is to mix.
By my "rough" calculations, that tank at 3m deep would hold 150 k gallons .
I have a tank here 80' x 35' three rows of slats with two internal spine walls,stopping about 10' short at either end . 3 agitation points at each end.

The biggest problem I find is if I want to put out some slurry I have to mix at all six points.
Its not a problem if your going to empty the tank, but you are going to cover 50 - 80 acres .
If i was doing it again I would have divided it up so you could mix a smaller amount and spread.

 

[Half Pipe]

would 2 pumps in opposite corners not mix that size tank

 

[Fixxer]

would 2 pumps in opposite corners not mix that size tank

Two pumps certainly will but i'm just a farmer doing my own work. On occasion I have hired in a contractor with a second pump.
The problem i have is that the tank/shed is on a grazing farm so I'm only ever doing a few paddocks at a time with slurry.

 

[zyklon]

The deeper the tank the easier it is to mix.
By my "rough" calculations, that tank at 3m deep would hold 150 k gallons .
I have a tank here 80' x 35' three rows of slats with two internal spine walls,stopping about 10' short at either end . 3 agitation points at each end.

The biggest problem I find is if I want to put out some slurry I have to mix at all six points.
Its not a problem if your going to empty the tank, but you are going to cover 50 - 80 acres .
If i was doing it again I would have divided it up so you could mix a smaller amount and spread.

If you have to mix with all 6 points then you are lacking water. Unless your slurry is like water, it won't flow around in a circle like its meant to. Our tanks are the same design and we normally use one point at each side.

Tanks with pillars imo, tend to be harder to mix as the slurry won't flow in a circle. You will most likely need to use more points as there will be dead spots were the mixer is out of reach if you know what I mean.

We have rain water running into ours all the time so the tank only takes 30mins to mix.

 

[Jonny B88]

The deeper the tank the easier it is to mix.
By my "rough" calculations, that tank at 3m deep would hold 150 k gallons .
I have a tank here 80' x 35' three rows of slats with two internal spine walls,stopping about 10' short at either end . 3 agitation points at each end.

The biggest problem I find is if I want to put out some slurry I have to mix at all six points.
Its not a problem if your going to empty the tank, but you are going to cover 50 - 80 acres .
If i was doing it again I would have divided it up so you could mix a smaller amount and spread.

Aye well closer to the 170k when you take into account the extra length at the ends for mixing points. Thats good about the depth and the easier mixing thanks! What animal slurry are you mixing?

How would you divide it up? As in make 3 smaller tanks?

 

[Jonny B88]

The other question is then would an aeration system be of use, so you could lift a couple loads out to spread on grazing paddocks for example. Or are they too temperamental and expensive to run?

 

[MickMoor]

Aeration systems are typically 1.5-2.5kw (depending on the size of tank) for a couple of hours every day, the timer is usually set for of peak electricity. They work well under slats provided you don't let feed or straw bedding get down there in any quatity. It would suit you because the slurry is always mixed, ready to spread.

 

[Agri Design]

If you have to mix with all 6 points then you are lacking water. Unless your slurry is like water, it won't flow around in a circle like its meant to. Our tanks are the same design and we normally use one point at each side.

Tanks with pillars imo, tend to be harder to mix as the slurry won't flow in a circle. You will most likely need to use more points as there will be dead spots were the mixer is out of reach if you know what I mean.

We have rain water running into ours all the time so the tank only takes 30mins to mix.

Pillar & beams can be harder to mix especially if its not for dairy cattle. The slurry is much thicker and you tend not to have a lot of extra wash water going into the tank.

Aeration systems are typically 1.5-2.5kw (depending on the size of tank) for a couple of hours every day, the timer is usually set for of peak electricity. They work well under slats provided you don't let feed or straw bedding get down there in any quatity. It would suit you because the slurry is always mixed, ready to spread.

These can work well but not as efficiently on shallow tanks, probably 3m min.

I would probably allow for a % of water to be added due to it being sucklers to make mixing and spreading easier, possibly as much 20 - 30%, this would impact on total slurry storage volume.

David
Agri Design

 

[Jonny B88]

Pillar & beams can be harder to mix especially if its not for dairy cattle. The slurry is much thicker and you tend not to have a lot of extra wash water going into the tank.



These can work well but not as efficiently on shallow tanks, probably 3m min.

I would probably allow for a % of water to be added due to it being sucklers to make mixing and spreading easier, possibly as much 20 - 30%, this would impact on total slurry storage volume.

David
Agri Design

Right that much? As said I have little experience of mixing, would a bubbler system not keep the slurry in a constant ready to mix state without water?