Underground poly cistern installation

Thanks for watching. Please like and subscribe for more great rain harvesting/ low yield well content! All products in this video (including the tank) are available on our website: www.rainbrothe... (links to all specific products at the bottom of this description)
We made several choices in this video while installing that were intentional, but that warrant further explanation.
1) You'll notice we use dirt to backfill. PLEASE NOTE that you can't just use any dirt -- it has to follow the guidelines of Norwesco (the tank manufacturer). Specifically, the soil has to be "free flowing native soil" that is free of "shrink/swell clays." In our case, we set aside all the topsoil and used this as our backfill material, along with #411 limestone
2) This particular tank is being used for non-potable applications, so we used Norwesco's Low Profile 1500 gal Septic Tank for this ( www.rainbrothe... ). This tank comes with pre-drilled 5" holes for the inlet and outlet piping, as well as 4" SDR-35 Pipe Gaskets. We run 4" Schedule 40 Solid Core PVC, so we used our 4" Tank Penetration Gaskets: www.rainbrothe...
3) You'll notice that the overflow pipe is traveling uphill. Ordinarily, you want the pipe to slope down toward the tank, and then down toward an overflow daylight point. However, this property is flat as a pancake, so we needed to bring the overflow back uphill and into a pop-up discharge (the green fitting at the end of the overflow pipe). This also has an additional benefit of increasing the total capacity of the cistern tank, because now the max fill level is above the outlet on the tank. When doing this, you MUST use a backwater valve right before the pop-up overflow head so that groundwater cannot flow into the overflow pop-up fitting and back into the tank.
4) This particular installation had a different pumping application. We go into detail on this aspect of the installation in this video ("How to Use a Pump for Drip Irrigation"): • How to use a pump for ...
Any other questions? Please leave them in the comment section below and we'll be glad to respond.
Products used:
*1500 gallon non-potable tank: www.rainbrothe... (We price match on tanks, and offer GREAT pricing if you're able to pick the tank up from one of our many manufacturing facilities located around the U.S.)
*Tank Penetration Gaskets: www.rainbrothe...
*Pump: www.rainbrothe...
*Vent: www.rainbrothe...

[@todstrucks2919]

I am so glad I found your channel. I’m getting ready to install a underground poly tank. I will be purchasing one of your pumps. I actually just left a message last night on your answering machine. Thanks for all the great information.

[@rainbrothers]

Thanks for your business!

[@brocklievsay8262]

how deep did you bury that and what is the frost depth like there? I'm looking to put one in, but frost depth is up to 6 feet deep worst case scenario and manufacture specifies 2 feet of dirt max from top of cistern to grade. would a 1500 gallon cistern like this freeze in those conditions? or would I need to insulate the top and sides of the cistern somehow. I read that 2" of foam is equal to 3.7 feet of dirt or something like that. Obviously theres many factors that can vary winter by winter like getting a bunch of snow early vs very dry cold winter. One winter the ground barely had frost in it from lots of snow early on. hadn't thought about integrating the pump inside of the tank so its still servicable without a seperate man sized manhole service hatch.

[@rainbrothers]

Here in Ohio, our frost level varies from 36-44”, and we always bury the tank with 16-18” of cover on top and that is more than sufficient to keep the water in the tank from freezing. There are thousands of cisterns here that have the top flush with grade (for instance, when the cistern is poured with the basement), and I’ve never seen water in those tanks even come close to freezing, though the water line will sometimes freeze. Our rule of thumb is: 16” on top of the tank, and bury the water line below frost level as it leaves the tank. Hope this helps

[@johnathankeller1948]

What part of the country are you guys installing this? And thanks for the videos

[@rainbrothers]

Most of our work is in Ohio, but we also service parts of Indiana and Kentucky

[@dollyperry3020]

Why does gravel go inside the cistern?

[@rainbrothers]

Oh - I’m so glad you asked that! It didn’t even occur to me to mention that part. Those tanks actually have support columns thru the center… two in total. But the support columns pass all the way thru the tank. In other words, they’re two hollow cylinders that help retain the tank’s shape and help prevent bouyancy from groundwater. So, gravel wasn’t going into the tank at all but was passing all the way thru

[@martin1b]

@@rainbrothers Thank you! My question was about bouyancy. So, these 2 must resolve that issue.

[@rainbrothers]

@@martin1b Yes, the support columns also serve to allow groundwater a relief channel to prevent buoyancy.

[@mitchhamilton3916]

How many gallons is that tank?

[@rainbrothers]

1500