Advice on stock tank drainage

[jax]

I have been testing my soil for water saturation, due to the yellowing on some of my vegetables and my soil seems to consistently be too wet. I have roughly 20, inch sized holes on each of my stock tanks.
Stock tanks are directly on the ground, they are 2ftx2ftx6ft. Should I drill more holes on the sides of the tanks to provide better drainage?
Thanks in advance!

 

[DirtMechanic]

They are attractive so I would not. Any problem getting them up on feet? If you do not have a drainage layer in there and your holes plug up you will empty them anyway. If I were desperate, I would drill straight down on either end and the middle and run a perforated grey pvc conduit pipe that had some kind of screen or sock on it for this season.

 

[jax]

Yea no drainage layer. First time doing a stock tank, and missed that somehow.

I would raise them up, but Ive held off because there is about 3/4 ton of soil in there...I'd do it as a last resort if it means my vegetables survive.

 

[Ruderunner]

Clear plastic shields to keep rain out? Ugly but temporary.

 

[jax]

Clear plastic shields to keep rain out? Ugly but temporary.

That'd work until these bad boys are massive. I may just have to dig these out...

I got these 2ft deep tanks for $43 each on clearance, I would have gotten the 1ft ones if they weren't $129 each.

 

[DirtMechanic]

That'd work until these bad boys are massive. I may just have to dig these out...

I got these 2ft deep tanks for $43 each on clearance, I would have gotten the 1ft ones if they weren't $129 each.

Can you use some sort of a jack and some wedges?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

A longish lever and a bit of 4x4 as a fulcrum. Cut a hole with a spade under one end for the lever and slip a piece of timber under it whilst it is lifted, then do the same the other end. Something with a bit of width, like a scaffold plank, would stop it tipping sideways. "Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum to balance it on and I will move the Earth", or at least 3/4 of a ton of it

 

[Ruderunner]

That'd work until these bad boys are massive. I may just have to dig these out...

I got these 2ft deep tanks for $43 each on clearance, I would have gotten the 1ft ones if they weren't $129 each.

I didn't mean just a lid on the tanks but rather something supported above. Like a mini pavilion. Let's sun, wind and bugs in but sheds rain off to the side.

 

[Mr_Yan]

how desperate are you and do you have a wet-dry shop vac?

Drive a section of something like 4" PVC vertically down to the bottom of the tank and remove the soil from that. Use that stand pipe like a sump well and vac out any standing water that accumulates.

Long term Dirt Mechanic is right. You'll be removing the soil and adding a drain layer.