Fiberglass vs Steel vs Concrete vs Poly Tanks

Which water tank material is best?

Fiberglass water tank

Fiberglass water tanks are very hard, but relatively thin and light, making them quite brittle and easy to crack.

They also allow more light to enter and are usually darker in color to reduce algae growth.

The quality of the fiberglass tank depends on its manufacturer, so be sure to check the quality thoroughly before choosing this material.

Steel water tank

Most steel water tanks are made of galvanized steel-a zinc coating protects the steel from corrosion. These water tanks can hold approximately 30,000 liters to millions of liters of water. This makes them suitable solutions for very large storage needs.

However, galvanized steel will still rust and corrode over time, and zinc will seep into the water, making the stored water tasting metallic. To solve this problem, most steel rainwater tanks are equipped with food-grade polyethylene liners. These materials are very expensive to manufacture and may become damaged over time and require repair.

Stainless steel tanks don't have many of these problems, but they are much more expensive, which often makes them impractical.

Concrete water tank

Concrete storage tanks are very strong and usually have a long life. Unfortunately, the introduction of steel in concrete created a new problem that affected the durability of concrete tanks. When the embedded steel is corroded, it will cause the concrete to crack.

Lime in the concrete can also seep into the water. They are usually installed underground for commercial purposes, but can also be used for residential purposes.

Polyethylene water tank

Polyethylene is one of the most popular water tank materials today for many reasons.

First, some of the main benefits include:

Polyester tanks are sturdy, light in weight, and more cost-effective than other materials.

The flexibility of plastic allows a variety of styles and shapes.

Polymer tanks are easier to install due to their strength and light weight.

Variety of colors to suit your taste.

The color is actually within the poly material, so your tank stays new for longer.

The poly tank is non-corrosive, so it will not pollute rainwater with fibers.

Unlike steel tanks, poly tanks also mean that you don't need the poly lining found in steel tanks-because poly tanks are made entirely of food-grade polyethylene.

However, there is a shortcoming that is easy to overcome. Although polyester tanks will not leak lime like concrete tanks, nor do they leak zinc like steel tanks, you still have to be careful if you have copper pipes in your home.

Rainwater itself is acidic, and if it stays in the pipeline for a period of time, it will cause copper to seep into the water. This problem is more common in rainwater collected in plastic and plastic-lined tanks, because concrete tanks will leak lime, which actually reduces the acidity of the water.

This is avoidable, and for the health of you and your family, you want to avoid it. Copper dissolved in drinking water can cause stomach problems and headaches, and in severe cases can cause liver cirrhosis.

We are fiberglass water tanks suppliers. If you are interested in our products, please feel free to contact us.