IS THERE A BETTER TANK THAN PVC TANK?

In this blog post, we are going to give you guys a little bit of an update of our PVC tank that we have been using for years in the shrimp farm. Do you think PVC tanks are good for long term use? If not, what can be an alternative to it?

In the last 2 years of running the shrimp farm, we have been using PVC tanks. The PVC tank that we have been using is typically in blue colour.

After using the PVC tank for years, one of the problems that we face when using a PVC tank is the rust. The rust occurred from the metal bars that supported the tank, and it stained the PVC tank from the outside. The rust is difficult to remove without a suitable substance or rust remover. So the PVC tank looks a bit bad with the rust stain.

Secondly, talking about the metal bars, the metal structure of the PVC tank is strong and can support the whole tank when the water and shrimp is filled inside, but nowadays, there are better metal structures for aquaculture tanks out there. The metals on the PVC tank are rusting due to being exposed to the water and air in the farm. Thirdly, the problem with PVC tanks is that they leak. The PVC material might be sturdy but water leaking from the PVC tanks is common news. Before we fill the tank with shrimp and water, we usually will fill in the tank with water to check for leaking. In this PVC tank, we filled about 10 cm of water and we noticed a leak from the corner of the tank. In this case, we will just patch the hole using a machine. However, it can be quite troublesome if there are too much hole on the tank.

So, what can we use and do for a better option?

You can switch from PVC tanks to a newer version of the tank which is HDPE tanks. HDPE tanks or also known as polyethylene tanks are black in colour. It’s different from PVC, as it is more durable and more chemically resistant, which means it has more ability to withstand chemical attack for a set period of time. Thus, it would not leak easily. Furthermore, as HDPE is more resistant to salt, sand, dust, and corrosive materials, it lasts longer than PVC tanks, which can last only a few years.

Besides the different design between both tanks; PVC tank is rectangular, HDPE tank is circular, the HDPE tanks also have different metal structures that support the tank. It has screws to connect the metal which PVC tank does not have.

At the end of the day, both tanks definitely have its own pros and cons depending on people's preferences. Some people might choose the PVC tank because they want to use it for a short-term, while some people might go for the HDPE tank due to the design only. In your opinion, which one do you prefer to put in your farm?

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