Delays...

I took a couple of days off this week with the misguided expectation that I would have the tank ready. Robert came by last week to help with the cleaning and convinced me not to paint the inside of the tank, which looks okay now. I got a new pump/heater/filtration/ozonator system online, but I need an electrician to put in a 220 plug and hook the thing up. My guy has been delayed by the storm and power outages up in Big Sur, he reports. I've got most of the tubing I think I need and insulated the bottom of the stand that the tank will be sitting on (pictures to come). It's looking like next week is more likely, so I'll take these days off and savor the NCAA March Madness.
I think I've solved the possible problem with keeping it heated while in the tank. The problem is that these filtration systems need to run to keep the water going through the heater and keep the water heated at the proper temp (approximately 94 degrees F). You can't have the loud pump working while you are in the tank, though, as it would kill the whole sensory deprivation thing. My old tank was heated by a water bed heater under a liner. This tank has no liner, but I think I can duct tape up a water bed heater to the side of the tank and figure out the setting needed to keep the water at a stable temp while in the tank. This isn't the most energy efficient solution, but it will only be needed while you're in the tank and I can turn it off and run the filtration system when not in the tank.

The clean-up begins

Cleaning the tank is going to be a bit of a project, so I was quite happy when John brought a pressure washer when he came to take the trailer (The Homeowners Association and my wife were probably happier about him coming to take away the trailer). The tank was quite filthy as you can see in the picture. The pressure washer helped remove the major grit and grime, but it will still need a bit of beautification if I want it to be palatable to curious friends. I have ordered some boat deck paint and will give the interior a bit of a paint job. I'll talk about some of the features of the tank in the next post.

Getting the tank in the garage

After a couple of days of having this tank sitting on the trailer in the driveway, I was able to round up Charlie and Pat to help me load it into the garage. We discovered that the tank was constructed with 3 large pieces as well as some side panels. I hadn't really gotten the chance to look at it at the ranch. It is quite big on the inside, and might even be able to accomodate two people. It has collected a lot of mud and dirt over the past several years while sitting under a large pine tree. After some logistical discussions, we were able to take the three large pieces separately into my garage.