permaculture

["Paul A Cross" <charybda@newmex.com>]

John, really great to see a project so thoroughly documented. I worked this summer on Lama Foundation's FC cistern for rain catch, and I was amazed at the labor required to tie the expanded metal lath to the remesh. I wonder if anyone has come up with a faster way than twisting with lineman's  or fencing pliers every 6" or so.

 

I wanted to discuss your footings a little bit more. Let me preface this that I am not a builder and have a lot to learn. It seems to me that the rebar which is pounded directly into the ground will rot (rust) away pretty quickly in a tropical environment, and that corrosion will travel up through the footers and into the walls of the structure. Was this something that you considered? Clearly, it's easier  and cheaper to pound in some rebar rather than building a whole perimter footer with rebar risers, but what has that choice done to the building's longevity?

 

I was curious as to why you did the three layers of poultry mesh. Certainly it adds strength, but would the expanded metal lath be enough on its own? Did you tie all four layers at once, or each one separately?

 

And while we are on the topic of ferrocement, I wonder if anyone knows how to calculate the maximum dimensions of a safe ferrocement cistern. I would like to understand how to calucalte that, as sometimes I muse about putting a really large tank on my land.

 

Thanks for any additional information you may provide.

 

Paul