AquaTank 2 60 gallon Water Bladder

[JPBeck]

I got a new table cloth today... it doubles as a 60 gallon water bladder.


Just kidding-- this is a water bladder that comes in 4 sizes: 30 gallon, 60 gallon and 150 gallon, and 300 gallon.

The reviews on this are great, the durability of it is one thing that people rave about. To me it feels like it's made out of the same material as a Thermo-Rest sleeping pad. So it's no wonder it's tough.

It has two hose bibs, one on at each end and opposite top and bottom. It comes with a plastic hose shut off valve.




It's amazingly light, in fact I bet the few negative reviews stem from this fact. How can something so light be durable. But I've had enough sleeping pads to know that the material used in those pads is just about bomb proof.

Value wise-- It's twice as much as my 55 gallon barrel was, but with the barrel I needed to connect my water pump to fill up the fresh water tank on the trailer. With this bladder I can just sit on it and that will create enough pressure to start a siphon (so no need to hook up the pump). The barrel took up the whole bed of the truck filled or not filled. The 55 gallon barrel was more conspicuous, where as this one lays flat out of sight. So value wise -- I'd say it's ok. If it frees up space it's worth it.


It folds up to the size of a paperback book.


I filled it up and sanitized it, no leaks. It will get used alot this summer on our 3 month dry camping trip. So I'll update this when it gets a work out. One thing I wanted to try was to see if I could fill this bag without any water pressure, and am happy to say that it pours in easily. The bag does not expand so there's no need for the water source to be pressurize. I also filled it with my portable water transfer pump from a bucket to simulate getting water from a stream. It worked fine as well.

I got the 60 because our fresh water tank is 30 gallons and lasts about 5 days-- so this will extend us out to 15 days, without having to refill.

I got it on Amazon for $135, the 150 bladder is $200, and the 300 gallon is $300. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Mine was shipped out of Arizona so I got it the next day via Prime.

[Seann45]

I have the "other brand" that is made out of the same material as a water bed.. its 10 years old .. no leaks so far.. when I do have to replace it I will go with the one you got. But maybe the 300 gallon size and haul water to my Boondocking friends, may as well make a few $$$

[JPBeck]

I like the way you think! Portable water wagon will travel. ��

[JPBeck]

https://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnp...PXRhoCqRzw_wcB





It didn't Shift while driving.

[Screwby]

I literally have this exact bladder showing up tomorrow. Glad to see I'm not the only one crazy enough to want one as well. With 3 girls my 80 gallons lasted 5 days with washing dishes and no showers. Better paper plates would have made it much longer but I figured with a bladder I could "live a little". Next time I won't have to yell when I hear the pump kick on for too long!

[JPBeck]

I made of video of it getting filled, and then in the back of the truck to see if it would slide around or shift. It doesn't seem like anyone is interested in this though so I might just state that it didn't shift or slide. It just jiggled around.

One thing I will say is that I'll probably still use the transfer pump because with just gravity filling the trailer it will take a long time. The opening on the bladder is only 1/2".

[Screwby]

I put a 12v pump in my cart but saved it for later. I just think you'd have to be cautious not to walk away and let it suck it dry and vacuum seal it lol

[JPBeck]

Yes those transfer pumps are cooled via the water, and will burn out in less then a minute without the water going through them... ask me how I know.

[Seann45]

I just used an old RV water pump on mine...

[JohnWedell]

If you don't want to keep transferring the water to the RV tank, what I do is use a RV water pump and hook the hose to the city water inlet and let the pump take the water from the bladder and use it just like city water. When the truck is away we use the water in the tank. It also saves wear and tear on the trailer water pump.

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by JohnWedell

If you don't want to keep transferring the water to the RV tank, what I do is use a RV water pump and hook the hose to the city water inlet and let the pump take the water from the bladder and use it just like city water. When the truck is away we use the water in the tank. It also saves wear and tear on the trailer water pump.

Hey, now that's a good idea! I'm passing it on to a friend who uses a small pop up with a tiny tank on remote land. This would work perfect for his situation allowing him to use the bladder as a large tank. In theory you could have as big of a bladder tanks as would fit in your truck instead of trying to match RVs tank capacity.

[JPBeck]

intresting. You could just tie this into your onboard pump by using the winterization valve, just add another section of hose, then tie that hose to the bladder. I did that with my 55 gallon barrel one season, but I was afraid of wear and tare on that shurflo pump (they are pricey). That's why I bought that $30 Harbor Frieght pump (which is going on its fourth season and still works like a sewing machine!). But you have to fill the tank with the HF pump because it doesn't have that on demand sensor.

An old pump would be great, but the ones I see the people want almost retail for their used pumps, it's crazy.

[Screwby]

I'd probably run a separate pump and set it in the truck bed next to the bladder. It would be its own separate system. I'd hook it's hose to city water then use the bypass valve under sink for my TTs onboard pump to switch between outboard bladder in bed (city water connection) and onboard belly tank. Once bladder was getting empty I'd switch TT valve to onboard water, go fill bladder when I could and never miss a beat. Sweet, a new project

Another benefit would be having two separate pumps, so if one did go down you'd have an extra. Two is one and one is none...

[JPBeck]

Originally Posted by Screwby

:

So did you did you get yours yet? When you picked it up for the first time were you surprised how light it was? It's surprisingly light for something that can hold 500lbs of water.

[Screwby]

60 gallon AquaTank II in the back of Suburban

[JPBeck]

Finished editing-- this is a filling and stability test.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLrX...ature=youtu.be