Concrete underground catchment and termites

[JWFITZ]

Oh, and it's WOOD that's going to draw the termites, not the tank. . .

I think you can more or less figure .50 cents in material costs for sensible sized tanks. They get cheaper as they get larger. On jobs I do I never fiddle with trying to re-sell materials as it always ends up as a scam. Labor is the issue. My 4 x 4 x 8 tank probably took me 4 full days to wire up and mud up, and build the lid, which is ferrocement too but has a slate face on it as a sun deck. That is nice and fun and may work for you too. In terms of building, it would be more efficient with two, but I had just me, and as of yet I haven't found help I can trust. So if in round figures it was a solid week of work, at at perhaps 1000 bucks in labor for a big tank, you can see it's pretty cost effective for most people. As well, you're not drinking off of plastic, which I won't do, period. And, heck, while your at it, mud up a hot tub too, on the side of the deck, for where your overflow goes!

[StillHope]

quote:

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Originally posted by leilaniguy

A neighbor of mine has 2 concrete catchments, both have concrete lids and both have have structures built over them & use the lid as a floor. Somebody told you catchments attract termites?

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Thanks,Leilaniguy.I guess,the termites are not as attracted to the water source as ants.

[Kelena]

Still, baby -- the catchment is under the patio. The patio is in a puka, or a huge natural hole in the lava. So is the house. Imagine a lava, and then imagine a large depression in that lava big enough to put a house and patio in. That's what they did here. And so while strictly speaking the catchment and pool appear to be below ground, they are not. They are just below the grade of the rest of the land. Concrete doesn't attract termites that I know of. In fact, the catchment doesn't attract much. It is fully enclosed. To access it, you lift an impossibly heavy lid on the patio. Then you look in. You see your face. Clouds behind. You close it vowing never to look in their again unless you have to.

Catchment's built in this way are probably only practical if there is some sort of large natural depression in the land. Otherwise you will have to blast a catchment size hole in your yard.

Or, perhaps Pele will blast those out for us! She does appear to be a little steamy right now. I know. I looked right at her.

Wow.

[Carey]

I am still friends with the owners of the 3 old neighbor houses, and the house we rented was on the market, the last I checked... so I think I can get you a looksee when you are here....

The inspection hatch covers on the ones I am familiar with had a seal around the hatch that didn't let creepy crawly things in.... in the 6 months we were living there, the water was clear, there was nothing growing on the walls (like algae that grows on some catchment systems) never anything in the catchment (the house guters & drainpipes also had screens & traps to make sure the water had nada coming in) even the over flow was constructed to keep things out....

Most likely a well dug here will have water. Unlike most mainland areas, this whole island has a lens of freshwater beneath (picture a thick eye lens with the bottom side curve way more downward & the topside with a gentler curve.... )
There have been no studies that have found any human caused contaminates in the freshwater aquifer on this side, 2 main reasons,
1. water flow straight down through rock (even porous lava) is very slow, decades to centuries (this is different than lateral flow, which includes most lava tubes, which usually do not go straight down, but follow more or less the slope of the mountain). Lateral flow is more of a concern in shallow water areas on this side....

2. there is such an outflow of fresh water on this side of the island (Hilo Bay normally recieves almost a BILLION gallons of fresh water every day, much of it is in spring waters along the coast line.... like at 'ice pond' in Reeds Bay & Richardsons...) that most 'stuff' is diluted to a non detectable percentage....

[StillHope]

Glen,sure,you have some special connections with Pele,so she does favors
for you ,like dozing the catchment hole.
And that face in the catchment..Is it "before" or "after" picture?
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Carey,I don't have enough thanks for you.May be I can pull some weeds in you garden?
I talked to my draftsperson- there are some major changes to make for that type of a catchment,meaning-major delays..
I haven't given up on the well,but so far my risk assessment research(equipment)is not going anywhere .
But I think the risk might be worth it.
Thanks again,Carey.