---

Products and services we supply

Duraplas poly water tanks, manufactured and delivered from the North Coast of NSW.

Kingspan Aquaplate steel water tanks, manufactured and delivered via Kingspan.

Pumps and directly associated tank fittings and accessories.

---

Water tank FAQs

Practical answers about delivery, dimensions, pumps, installation, warranty, approvals and choosing the right rainwater tank.

Q1

How long can I expect to wait before my Duraplas tank is delivered?

AOnce The Tank Factory has confirmed receipt of your paid tax invoice we will endeavour to arrange delivery to your nominated address within a typical time frame of 4-6 weeks*.

Longer lead times may occur for less popular colours, special orders, delivery regions outside our standard delivery area, or locations more than 200 km from the nearest depot.

Dry weather, drought conditions and the lead-up to Christmas can also increase rainwater tank demand, which may extend manufacture and delivery lead times.

To read more about delivery of your water tank, please select the relevant option below:

> Poly tank (and accessories) delivery information
> Steel tank delivery information

---

Q2

What are the dimensions of your water tanks?

AAll tank dimensions are listed on our website next to each available tank model. Click here to browse our range of tanks (and see tank dimensions). Dimensions are approximate as the shrinkage rate does vary slightly depending on the conditions when manufactured. As the tanks are roto-moulded using a mould, the dimensions cannot be changed but there are several other options available. Please contact one of our friendly sales consultants for more details.

Q3

What will delivery of my tank cost and what do I need to do to prepare?

ADelivery costs vary depending on the product type, delivery location, tank size, and whether the order is for a poly tank or a steel tank.

For preparation, the delivery site must be accessible and the tank base should be ready before delivery. Customer assistance may be required on delivery day, and the driver will assess what is safe and practical on arrival.

To read more about delivery requirements, please select the relevant option below:

>> Poly tank (and accessories) delivery information
>> Steel tank delivery information

Q4

Why should I buy a Duraplas poly tank from The Tank Factory over other brands?

AThe ‘New Generation’ design features are what make Duraplas tanks really stand out. The quality really is second to none! Much heavier shot weights and strict quality control measures ensure you are buying the best. Duraplas Tanks have proven the test of time in the harsh Australian environment.

Duraplas Industries is an “Australian, family owned business which has been manufacturing locally since 1984.” That’s right, the same owners since the early eighties. This is unique in the tank industry and ensures you peace of mind that you are dealing with people that really care. Your tank is covered by a warranty you can TRUST!

All Duraplas tanks supplied by The Tank Factory have shot weights which exceed industry standards. This ensures that your tank has thicker walls and is more robust. Computer aided production programmes and unique moulding techniques produces thicker wall sections down low – where the strength is required. All shot weights are guaranteed and can be viewed for each tank size under the tank descriptions. Ultra sound testing of the tanks ensures that they all meet the strict guidelines of AS/NZ4766 standard.

Read More About How Our Tanks Compare

Q5

What tank colours are available?

AThe Tank Factory has a wide range of stylish colours available to suit your property. To view our range of tank colours available, please refer to our tank colour range page by clicking here.

Q6

Do I need a pump for my tank?

A

In most cases, a pump will be required unless the tank is positioned high enough to allow gravity feeding.

To gravity feed successfully, the tank needs several metres of vertical height above the point where the water is being supplied. This is often impractical in urban settings.

Q7

How do I know which pump will best suit my needs?

A

Choosing the right pressure pump depends on how the tank water will be used:

1. For an urban house or dwelling that needs rainwater connected to toilets, laundry or other building approval requirements, a pump system with automatic mains water backup is normally required. Two common options are:

External pump bundle with automatic rain-to-mains valve: Suitable for slimline and round poly tanks.

Submersible pump bundle with automatic rain-to-mains valve: Suitable for underground tanks, and can also be used with slimline and round tanks.

2. For garden watering, we offer a pump bundle designed to supply 1 or 2 garden hoses with handheld nozzles:

Garden pump bundle.

For properties with reticulated irrigation systems, additional pump options may be available.

3. For rural properties without mains water supply, pump sizing depends on the household size, pipework and expected use.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

Q8

What’s the best way to get my tank installed? Does The Tank Factory offer an installation service?

A

Our team manufactures and arranges delivery of your new rainwater tank. Installation is best handled by a qualified plumber, although some customers choose to install the tank themselves. The Tank Factory does not provide installation services.

If you have a plumber you have used before and are happy with, that is usually the best place to start. We also have a water tank installation guide detailing base requirements for different tank types. It is best practice for any tradesperson or self-installer to follow these directions for warranty purposes.

Q9

What will my new water tank cost?

AOur tanks are always very competitively priced. Tank pricing is included on our website next to each tank model. Click here to browse our range of tanks (and see tank pricing). These pages, along with the tank specials page, will show the best available deals.

Q10

What tanks do you have in stock?

A

Most tanks (either poly or steel) are made to order.

For poly tanks, we offer 24 colours, 22 round poly tank sizes, and 11 slimline poly tank sizes. This creates hundreds of possible size and colour combinations, so tanks are generally manufactured to suit each customer’s specific order.

Q11

What payment methods are accepted?

A

We accept the following payment methods:

1. EFT transfer or bank deposit. Payment details can be provided once a tax invoice has been generated.
2. BPAY. Payment details can be provided once a tax invoice has been generated.
3. Visa or Mastercard. Phone us during business hours to have a payment securely processed on 1300 TANK FACTORY (1300 826 532).

Please note: Visa and Mastercard payments incur a 1% merchant fee surcharge.

Q12

Does my new tank come with a warranty?

ADuraplas Industries is an “Australian, family owned business which has been manufacturing locally since 1984.” That’s right the same owners since the early eighties. This is unique in the tank industry and ensures you peace of mind that you are dealing with people that really care. Your tank is covered by a warranty you can TRUST.

Duraplas poly water tanks are warranted to perform the function for which they were designed, namely holding potable water at ambient rainwater temperatures for a period of 20 years, backed by a 20-year guarantee (10 + 10).

What’s more, our tanks lead the industry with New Generation™ Poly Tank Technology, meaning careful computer aided rib design, no vertical join lines, no centre pole, and dome self-supporting roof providing extra tank strength and rigidity. Guaranteed heavy-duty ‘shot weights’ mean thicker walls and more rigidity than other makes, and ensuring your quality tank will serve you faithfully year upon year.

Lattice Poly Underground & Poly Underdeck tanks are warranted for a period of 5 years. Industrial, chemical, molasses tanks, troughing are warranted for a period of 5 years.

Kingspan steel tank range is backed by a 20 year corrosion warranty on the BlueScope Aquaplate® steel material and a 10 year construction/workmanship guarantee.

To read more about your tank warranty, please make a selection below:

>> Poly tank warranty information
>> Steel tank warranty information

Q13

What fittings are included when I purchase a Duraplas Tank?

AWater tanks come standard with one stainless steel mesh Inlet leaf strainer, a Watermark approved brass outlet and ball valve (25mm) and a 90mm overflow Spout/flange complete with a stainless steel mesh cap.

A comprehensive range of rain harvesting fittings and accessories are available and can be viewed on the tank accessories page.

Q14

Should I buy a poly tank or a steel tank? What are the main differences?

ABoth poly and steel tanks are great products with a number of key strengths:

Poly Tank Strengths:

• Very cost effective
• Robust, durable and easy to handle and install
• Wide array of colours to suit most Colorbond colours
• 20 year manufacturer’s warranty

Steel tank Strengths:

• Traditional architectural look
• Massive array of size combinations with made to measure options available on request
• Meets bushfire water storage standards without the need for a cinder shield
• Aquaplate steel tanks carry a 10-year manufacturer’s construction/workmanship warranty and a 20-year BlueScope Aquaplate steel corrosion warranty.

Poly tanks generally provide the best value-for-money, whereas steel tanks have more options available for unique situations. When looking at the warranty for either steel or poly, the life expectancy is very similar. Our experienced team are happy to discuss the various options and assist with any queries you might have; just use our contact us page.

Q15

Can you take away my old tank when delivering the new one?

AExisting rainwater tank removal is not a service we provide. Many old rainwater tanks are being replaced because of structural problems and are not safe or practical to transport on the road. We suggest cutting the tank up into smaller, more manageable sections and disposing of the tank via a recycling service.

Q16

Can I safely drink rainwater from the tanks you provide?

ABoth our Steel and Poly Tanks are made from food grade materials, safe for potable grade drinking water. Final drinking water quality also depends on the roof catchment, gutters, pipework, filtration, maintenance and local water quality requirements. Customers should seek advice from a suitably qualified professional if the tank water will be used for drinking.

Q17

Will your tanks give drinking water an unpleasant ‘plastic’ taste?

ANeither our Poly or Steel tanks will give drinking water an unpleasant ‘plastic’ taste.

We would suggest that all our clients ensure that all pipework (downpipes and supply lines) be checked to ensure they are made from food grade material. The great water from a food grade tank can be tainted by cheap non-food grade pipework.

We have a blog article that discusses the primary differences in the 2 commonly used grades of poly pipe.

Q18

Where are your tanks manufactured?

AOur Poly Tanks are manufactured on the North Coast of NSW, centrally located to service areas as far south as Canberra ACT and as far north as Rockhampton QLD (and even areas beyond that upon request).

The steel water tanks offered through The Tank Factory are manufactured by Kingspan, our external steel tank supply partner, with manufacturing and delivery capability across multiple eastern Australian states (VIC, NSW and QLD).

Q19

What do I need to do before the tank arrives?

AA few key points to think about or check before your new tank arrives:

• Check your invoice to ensure the tank you will receive is correct, including dimensions, colour and fitting layout.
• Check for overhead clearance, depending on the size of the tank(s) on the truck, our trucks can sometimes be up to 4.8 metres tall
• Check for access obstructions to the ‘tank site’ or ‘pad’
• We suggest for the smoothest possible placement of the tank that the ‘tank site’ or ‘pad’ be prepared (to our recommendations as per our website) prior to the delivery date. For steel tanks it is a must that the tank site is already prepared prior to the arrival of the delivery truck

Q20

Do I need state or local government approval to install a rainwater tank?

A

Approval requirements for rainwater tanks can vary depending on your local council, property zoning, tank size, installation type and intended use.

Many standard residential rainwater tanks may not require formal approval, but customers should confirm requirements with their local council before ordering or installing a tank.

Q21

Do you sell used or second-grade tanks?

AWe offer brand new A1 quality, first-grade tanks. We do not offer used or second-grade tanks for sale.

Second-grade tanks represent an exceptionally small percentage of total Duraplas poly tank production. Keeping second-grade production very low helps us maintain the A1 quality Duraplas tanks are known for.

Q22

Can you conduct a site visit to my property?

AWe are happy to arrange the sale and delivery of rainwater tanks, but we do not provide onsite consultation or site visits. The Tank Factory is a web-based business operating from Alstonville on the NSW Far North Coast, and we do not have field representatives to quote onsite. Site access and placement conditions remain under the property owner’s control. If onsite guidance is needed, we recommend engaging a licensed plumber local to your area.

Q23

Do you offer a trade discount?

AWe are a web-based business offering competitive prices direct to the public, including private customers and trade businesses. Please contact us directly for a quote.

Q24

Can I cut the top off a round design poly tank and convert it to be used as a swimming / plunge pool?

AQuite a few people make this request of us so it’s not that unusual an idea. The major problem you will encounter in cutting down a poly tank is that once the lid has been cut off, the tanks lose their structure (support) and even when filled with water the tank will continue to collapse in on itself making the tank unsuitable for use as a plunge pool.

We do however offer specially designed plunge pools with a rolled top edge to provide strength. These plunge pools can be viewed here.

Q25

How do I know what tank size is best for my needs? How much rainwater can my home roof / shed roof / hard surface capture?

A

There are 3 main factors to consider when choosing a rainwater tank/s:

1. Space available

2. Supply available (i.e. roof space X average rainfall)

3. Demand for water

Space available:

This is simply the amount of room there is for a tank within the chosen area. We rate this as the most important factor for urban situations.

Supply available:

For every 1 square metre of roof space, 1 mm of rainfall can produce about 1 litre of catchment into the tank. Roof space (m2) x rainfall (mm) = catchment in litres.

So by that we can estimate the average monthly supply.

For example the average rainfall per month for Coffs Harbour is about 95mm. (less in winter and much more during the summer months)

So for example, the roof catchment space is 250 square metres

250 x 95 = 23,750 litres of catchment per month.

Demand for water:

Now if the tank was supplying water for all your needs (which is unlikely in an urban situation), the average adult uses about 220 litres per day.

If there were say for example 3 adult people living in the home, the average DAILY usage would be 660 litres. Worked out monthly that would equate to about 19,800 litres of average usage.

However, if the water was just being used for watering the gardens, the average 1/2″ garden tap delivers water at a rate of approximately 12-15 litres per minute. For example, watering for 30 minutes a day from one garden tap would use approximately 405 litres. Do that every day for a month and you would use 12,150 litres.

So really it’s a balancing act between supply, demand and available space.

We have a catchment and usage calculator on our website to help you see how this would apply to your project.

Q26

Why are slimline tanks more expensive than round tanks?

ARound tanks have a naturally strong shape and are more efficient to manufacture. The oblong upright shape of slimline tanks requires more material and structural support when compared with round tanks. The extra material and the extra care required to produce a slimline tank add to the costs of the tank itself (For example, a round 5,000 litre poly tank requires approximately 125 kg of material, whereas a slimline tank of the same volume requires approximately 250 kg.).
With steel slimline and modline tanks, the same need for extra support is required. Steel slimline tanks have stainless steel support rods to provide extra strength, this adds to the material and construction costs of a steel slimline or modline tank.

Q27

Some of your underdeck and underground tanks look very similar, is there a difference? And why the difference in price?

AThere is a very important difference between underground tanks and underdeck tanks. Underdeck tanks are tanks that will not be buried and as such do not need to be as heavy duty as underground tanks. While some models of our underdeck tank range may look similar to our underground tanks, the thickness of the tank wall is much greater for the underground variants. It is crucially important that the correct model tank is ordered for the specific purpose. If the tank is going to be backfilled with soil-fill or buried, then an underground tank will be needed. As underground tanks are heavier and require more materials to manufacture, they are more expensive to produce than their underdeck counterparts.

Q28

What tank outlet/overflow location should I choose? How should I figure this out? Is there a common recommended setup?

A Depending on the type of tank, there are a number of fitting position options we provide to assist with installation. Having the outlet or overflow facing the right direction from the tank can make the plumbing layout cleaner and more practical.

Each tank installation is different, and as such, there is no ‘recommended’ or ‘standard’ tank layout. We would recommend (in consultation with a plumber, if required) sketching out the potential layout. Consider the available options for each tank type and the plumbing connections; filling the tank from the roof, overflowing to the stormwater service and the outlet to the pump.

Please refer to the tank outlet and overflow locations diagram which is included along with each tank listing, which will help you identify the best setup, or feel free to contact our friendly staff if you need assistance with this.

Q29

Are there products or services The Tank Factory does not offer?

A

Yes. The Tank Factory does not offer the following products or services:

• Stainless steel tanks.
• Concrete tanks.
• Onsite-assembled panel steel tanks.
• Installation or plumbing services.
• Tank removal, relocation, or disposal.
• Qualified plumbing, hydraulic or engineering design advice.

Q30

Have another question?

APlease contact our friendly staff today, who will be happy to assist with your enquiry.