# How to Seal a Stock Tank???



## silentcrow (Mar 15, 2005)

We got a galvanized stock tank last year for the horses where I work (not my idea). It was bad enough when, no matter how much I scrubbed, the water had an oily kind of film and the horses refused to use it. Now it has the film and a ton of rust. Is there any way to seal or paint it that is safe for the horses? The owner wanted me to use rustolium primer, but the directions said it wasn't for galvanized or water immersion.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Maybe a 2 part epoxy but you'll need to get all the oil off first.


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## ericjeeper (Feb 25, 2006)

Galvanized stock tank have been around for years.,. The rust is just iron. Most folks have it in their drinking water too.
The oil will likely have floated off by now?


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## Rocky Fields (Jan 24, 2007)

Hey.

A power scrubber with soap should ge the oil off. You have to ask how much time and expense is justifiable in restoring a stock tank. Throw the piece of crap in the scrap pile and get a new one.

RF


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## Junkmanme (Dec 16, 2006)

If you are familiar with using an acetylene torch or know someone who is...it can be "brazed". Then seal it with your primer and paint of choice.

You can also use Epoxy, but I prefer, personally, "brazing" a leak. It's just what you feel most "comfortable" with. 

Either way, it's gotta be clean before you patch it.


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## clovis (May 13, 2002)

I think I would look into a new one. Your old one sounds pretty bad.

Clove


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## silentcrow (Mar 15, 2005)

Let me see if I can clarify this. The tank is only a year old. The rust is surface rust from over the winter...there are no rusted through areas. The oily film has shown up no matter what I've done, including scrubbing it out with Dawn dish soap. I know the rust is harmless, but the horses refuse to drink out of it. Whatever I use to coat/seal it has to be safe for the horses. Had it been up to me, I would have bought another plastic Rubbermaid tub...the horses love those  I'm trying to do the best I can with worn-out, lousy or cheap equipment. If this tank can't be salvaged, I will try to buy a plastic one when I start getting more hours. Thank you for the tips given so far. I will keep them in mind for the future


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## Junkmanme (Dec 16, 2006)

You might want to sand it with a wet/dry sandpaper (wet). Then scrub it with Acetone. This will remove any oil/etc. (Use rubber gloves.) Then scrub it very well with Dawn dish detergent. Paint it with Rustoleum Primer. Then paint it with an Enamel paint that is for metal. Let it sit for a few days.

It should be nearly like new at this point.

Sorry about the earlier post. I misunderstood and thought that you had a "leak".  

Good Luck,  
Bruce


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

After a year, I think I'd check the water for the oil. It shouldn't be the tank. Do you have a well?
Years ago in New Jersey, we had a well & found out the underground heating oil tank was leaking into it. "Nother story.

A year old galvanized tank is still new! I've had mine for about 7 years and it just started dripping around the outlet. Fishtank repair glue works well or some sort of epoxy called "welded steel" (I think that's the name) Just scrub it out with a brush and cleanser. Rinse very well. You can even put gold fish in it for the alge if you don't have city water. 

Horses not drinking out of it? Think of what they drink in the wild. Give them a couple days - they will. Maybe it's not dirty enough for them.  

Actually, galvanized stock tanks last longer than Rubbermaid tubs.


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## mtn.mama (Apr 20, 2007)

You can use JB weld for patching if necessary. Or you can spray it with bedliner material...


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

I would not coat it with any thing, if there not drinking out of it I am sure it is not the rust, 
do you get floating oil in any thing else?
after a year that tank should be clean of oil, and like said before I would use dawn dish soap, and not chemicals, chemicals and solvents I would stay away from, some have there own residues.

if that tank is rusting out all ready, I am wondering if some one used it for a chemical mixing tank before you got it, some chemicals will eat up galvanizing fast, and the horses are sensing some thing there, any oils used in manufacturing should have been out of it in a few days.


my galvanized stock tanks, I jsut replace one that was pushing over 50 years old, and the tank was not really in to bad of shape, except for at the bottom edge where 2 to 5 " of dirt usually sat in it, on the bottom, and except for the one that blew away about a mile it got kinda bent up. but then so did the feed bunk (it was rolled in to a ball) and found about 1/3 mile away.


Maybe I am miss reading something but,
You got a faulty tank, take it back and get it replaced, if it is only a year old, and was new when you got it.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

If the horses are not drinking from it, where do they get their water? Make it their only water source and they will soon start drinking from it.


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## silentcrow (Mar 15, 2005)

To the best of my knowledge, the tank was purchased new and has never had any chemicals used on/in it. The oily film only shows up in that tank, nothing else in the park has it...plus the water is on a softener system. I've tried making it the only water source in the past. They end up going thirsty. It has been scrubbed out on 3 seperate occasions with Dawn dish soap, but it hasn't done any good. The tank started to rust over the winter. The horses were kept somewhere else during that time, so I don't even know if they cleaned it on a regular basis.

P.S. Maybe the owner bought some kind of really cheap/ poorly made tank?


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

Well, they use roofing tar here to patch metal stock tanks. Whatever.

If you do replace it, and that would be what I would do, buy a Rubbermaid tank. I have one I have owned for 17 years, no worries. Every tank on my place now is Rubbermaid. Good stuff. Buy once, use for life.


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## Wolf mom (Mar 8, 2005)

It's my understanding that you shouldn't drink the water from a water softner due to all the added salts. 

Maybe that's why they're not drinking. 

What do you feed them? Does anything have an oily base? 

Or maybe fly spray? Some horses like to play in the water. Could it be washing off?


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## silentcrow (Mar 15, 2005)

Wolf Mom, they drink from the Rubbermaid tub and it's the same water. We haven't started using fly spray yet, so that film can't be from that. The only things out there are hay and a mineral block. If I let the Rubbermaid go empty, they still refuse to use the metal tank. I'm thinking we may end up getting another plastic tank and find a different use for the metal tank, even if I have to buy it. I wouldn't worry, but I can't hook up a float to keep water in the current plastic tank...our mustang keeps taking it apart!


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## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

man I really must be tired and blearly eyed this morning.
I clicked on this post because I thought it said how to STEAL a stock tank!

then I started reading the posts and couldn't figure out what they were talking about.
I got it now!


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## Big Dave (Feb 5, 2006)

Still got the tank? Try this on. Take it to the truck shop that has a spray on bed liner area and spray on a liner. It is very durable. Just my .02


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## daytrader (May 8, 2005)

The time (TIME IS NOT FREE) and the investment in the right paint. IS NOT WORTH IT. Tell the owner to buy plastic tank and scrap the steel tank.


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## daytrader (May 8, 2005)

lonelyfarmgirl said:


> man I really must be tired and blearly eyed this morning.
> I clicked on this post because I thought it said how to STEAL a stock tank!
> 
> then I started reading the posts and couldn't figure out what they were talking about.
> I got it now!


 Do not feel bad. I thought the exact same thing.


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## daytrader (May 8, 2005)

Wolf mom said:


> It's my understanding that you shouldn't drink the water from a water softner due to all the added salts.
> 
> Maybe that's why they're not drinking.
> 
> ...


High iron content. Drink some water that is high in iron. You wil no drink it. That tank is prob adding to it as it is rusting. Once the zinc (galvaniation) is off you have nothing but rust.


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## Alder (Aug 18, 2014)

Are you sure the oily film isn't coming from the water? I've frankly never had a galvanized tank rust out like that, and never had any kind of oily film come from galvanized. Was this a new tank, or was it used for something besides holding water in the past? Something isn't adding up.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Alder said:


> Are you sure the oily film isn't coming from the water?


This thread is 11 years old and was reopened by someone trying to sell something.
Some of the posters haven't been here for many years.


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## Shrek (May 1, 2002)

I have brazed sheet metal stock tanks with a torch and clothes hanger wire if in a pinch of not being able to finf a new one or short on funds on the short term, but if I had need to start patching them or excessive rust issues, I replaced them as soon as I could because if they need to be patched, realistically they are worn out and frugality can go too far, especially when a livestock investment is involved.


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## 1948CaseVAI (May 12, 2014)

There is absolutely nothing wrong with a galvanized stock tank! There may be something wrong with it now since you have fooled with it, but the horses will drink from it if they are thirsty - just make sure there is no other place for them to water.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

NEVER NEVER NEVER weld on a galvanized tank. It's called zinc poisoning and accumulative. A little now and a little 5 yrs from now will kill your liver.


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