Why are farmers choosing bladder tanks for effluent storage?
Aside from the typical benefits of easy installation, portability and safety, here’s some of the common reasons farmers are choosing bladder tanks for effluent storage:
Additional Sump Storage
Lots of farmers have a pumping system with a sump that handles most of the effluent storage but need additional storage to handle rainy periods when effluent can’t be spread, or just to tick the box for council compliance.
Retention of Nitrogen Content
Nitrogen is a valuable fertiliser and proactive dairy farmers are investigating ways to maximise the free stuff they already deal with. Effluent stored in bladder tanks is more nutrient rich since it is not getting diluted by rainwater or evaporated into the atmosphere.
Reduced Workload
Farmers in high rainfall areas, or with high water tables know the pain of large fluctuations in effluent storage levels due to rain. Of course after heavy rainfall, you’re unlikely to be able to spread until the ground dries up, leaving more and more effluent to manage.
This is where a bladder tank can be handy. Being closed storage, the effluent is not getting the rainwater added to it, leaving a lot less to manage.
Aesthetics
There are various reasons why an effluent pond or above ground tank may not provide the look you’re after, especially when looking at additional storage. For example, the ideal placement may be in direct sight from the house. Bladder tanks can often be situated to blend into the landscape, making them less obvious, and they have much less odour.
Cost & Tax Advantages
Bladder tanks between 300-500mᶾ hit the sweet spot when it comes to value, costing no more than installing a pond while having all the benefits of closed storage. What’s more, tax wise bladder tanks depreciate on your books, so after around 5 years you can write them off.
Multi-Location Storage
Farmers with large or multiple farms have found that using bladder tanks to store effluent in multiple locations can greatly decrease spreading costs and increase efficiency. Slurry tankers can fill up from each location rather than needing to travel long distances to re-fill the tank and back again to spread around outer paddocks. It also means less disruption to cow flow and other farming operations.
Nevada’s bladder tanks are specifically designed for storing effluent, providing protection from algae and fungal growth, UV protection and using high performance fabric with outstanding puncture resistance. Find out more about Nevada’s effluent bladder tanks here or give us a call to discuss!
