FAQ

More than a decade – we’re in our 11th year. After only supplying the Australian market we now ship our tanks all over the world.

Absolutely. Email the Head office directly at enquiries@novatank.com.au

There are 172 components to each tank and they are made on 3 continents and in 13 different factories.

First of all you need to be 2 guys and it should not take you longer than 15 minutes. Most assemblies take 10 minutes following the procedure in the Instruction Manual that comes with the tank or that you can download here.

Only one 13mm spanner.

Novatank does not compete with rigid tanks – it’s completely different in what users want to achieve in a big tank. Customers buy Novatank due to it’s functionality but mostly for 4 reasons

1. A homeowner can easily collapse and store the tank under a deck or in a garage
2. Unlike bladders, the liner is in a sealed case and it remains clean
3. You can clean the inside of the tank easily which neither the rigid or bladder tanks allow, and
4. 25,000L of Novatank liquid storage capacity uses the space of a 5,000L rigid tank

It’s not recommended but there is a way of achieving this:

1. Remove one of the pole retainers and remove the poles
2. Remove the cover
3. Lift the top steel ring slightly up on one side
4. Place the ring about 100mm over the edge of the base. Do the same on the opposite side
5. Place two poles onto two adjacent bottom ring spigots that you can see
6. Stand between the two poles facing the tank
7. Lift the top ring so that it rests on the two poles. The ring will now be at about 45 degrees
8. Fetch one pole and go to the side where the top ring is the lowest
9. Holding the pole in your one hand, lift the ring with your other until level
10. Ensure the ring does not slip off either of the two poles on the opposite side
11. Place the pole under the ring to keep it up
12. Fetch the last pole and place it over one of the bottom ring spigots
13. Holding the loose pole, carefully lift the ring
14. Place the top ring ontop of the third pole that is on the spigot
15. Place the last pole over the spare spigot
16. Work your way around the top ring lifting the ring and placing the top spigots into the poles
17. Roll the cover to the tank and lean the cover against the tank with the inside facing down
18. Go to where the cover touches the ground and lift and slide the cover onto the top ring
19. Rotate the cover so that the bolt holes are aligned
20. Bolt the tank together as per Instruction Manual

There are a few considerations

1. Make sure the ground is absolutely level, even and stable
2. For more on the substratum etc. go to page 5 in the Instruction Manual you can download here
3. Place the tank away from strong winds and don’t leave an empty tank outdoors
4. If you’re harvesting rainwater, position your tank close to a downpipe
5. Before filling, rotate your tank so that your outlet and drain faces the area of water use

The tank liners are truncated to prevent bulging at the bottom and pressure on the poles. As long as your tank is erected on an absolutely flat area, you can store liquids in there indefinitely. In 10 years Novatank has never had a single problem with the liners.

After years of considering what the market wants we have stayed with just one size of tank: 5,000L.

1. Download the Flyer here
2. Download the 24 page Instruction Manual and Warranties here
3. Download the 3 minute Assembly Video here
4. Download the appearance of Novatank on TV here
5. Download the animated collapse/assembly here

No, the tanks are supplied complete. Under the dust cover you will find 9 fittings and you will find a list of the fittings here.

Yes, though you might require an adaptor for your Pressure Cleaner. The Novatank comes supplied with a 19mm Female Reducer that screws into the 1″ Drain Valve. If your cleaner is fitted with a 3/4″ connection, you’ll need a 19mm – 19mm (3/4″ – 3/4″) Male – Male BSP nipple for your water feed on your cleaner.

A 12mm (1/2″) hosepipe connected to the Novatank delivers approximately 10 litres of water per minute. This means the 5,000 litre Novatank will drain, from full, in about 8 hours 20 minutes.

Yes, all 172 components. You can build an entire tank ordering the components separately but it will unfortunately cost you nearly double the price.

Absolutely. This is achieved by simply clamping a 50mm (2″) pipe to the outlets and adding a 50mm T-piece halfway between tanks. From the T-piece you can add a short pipe and then clamp in a 50mm (2″) valve. Now you have 10,000 litres of water capacity with both tanks at the same level controlled by a single valve. The pressure will still be the same as a single tank but you’ll have nearly 17 hours of watering using a 12mm (1/2″) hosepipe.

It depends on the destination port. Order lead-times, from placing the order to landing the pallet or container varies in different parts of the world. For example, ocean Freight from the Novatank Distribution Centre port to Long Beach on the west coast of the USA takes 14 days, Rotterdam in the EU takes 35 days and Durban in South Africa takes 24 days.

We will send your shipment to most ports in the world. For Europe we usually ship through Rotterdam, the USA though Long Beach and Africa through Durban. Usually, your FOB consignment will be on a ship within 2 weeks.

All Novatank sales are FOB: You pay for CIF (Customs Insurance and Freight). Novatank recommends you use GAC Freight as they have worldwide footprint. The most economical way for you to ship is to use GAC to ship to one of their DC warehouses at a port and then for you to organise a local delivery from the DC to your premises.

Example: The CIF (Customs, Insurance and Freight) for one Novatank to the port at Long Beach in the USA is about US$620. For a Pallet of 5 tanks (click here and scroll down to see what a pallet looks like) the CIF is US$700. This excludes the FOB price of the tanks. For prices and discounts go here.

• It only costs US$80 (13%) more to import a Pallet to the same destination as a single tank
• This is US$140 per tank which is 77% less than US$620. Put another way,
• Importing a single tank costs 350% or US$480 more than each tank on a Pallet

There are a few reasons why it costs so much more to import a single tank:

• First of all, CIF calculations are per shipment, not per tank
• This means minimum charges applies to one tank instead of to a Pallet
  1. Minimum Insurance
  2. Minimum Pack, Transfer and Handling fees
  3. Minimum Customs etc., and
  4. Minimum Freight charges

• All Novatank stock are on Pallets of 5 tanks in the DC’s (Distribution Centers)
• This means the Freight Forwarding (FF) company has to, firstly, strip the pallets
• Then the FF company has to re-palletise the single tank, and thereafter
• The FF company has to load the tank into a LCL (Less than a Container Load).

It’s actually far quicker for the FF company to load 7 pallets (35 tanks) into a 40′ Container than to ship one single tank. Due to the CIF costs per single tank, customers worldwide often instead order a pallet, keep one tank for themselves and sell the other four tanks and thus so quite easily recoup their shipping costs.

When 3 to 5 tanks are transported, they must stand upright. Transport a maximum of only two tanks lying flat, one on top of the other. For storage a maximum of 5 tanks can be stacked horizontally, one ontop of another by aligning the impressions and buttresses.

The most economical way to import tanks is the maximum discount of 10% which you can see here. If 35 tanks are way more than you need, order a pallet of 5 tanks where you qualify for a 5% discount.

Because for most countries Novatanks are imported, there are 3 steps (but 6 forms) for each order:

1. Firstly an estimate of costs is provided to you. Upon your acceptance of this estimate, then
2. A Pro Forma Invoice is sent to you which you use to do the payment to Novatank
3. After your funds have cleared, an Invoice is sent to you and shipping arrangements are made

Step-by-step, this is what happens:

1. Firstly, email your order to Novatank at orders@novatank.com.au
   • For tank prices go here
   • Remember to include your address and telephone number
   • Novatank acknowledges your email
   • Novatank sends your request to our Freight Forwarders (FF’s) for an estimate
   • The FF’s reply with the estimated cost for CIF (Customs Insurance and Freight)
   • This CIF estimate will be to a port closest to your address
   • This port will have a FF DC (Distribution Centre)
2. Novatank emails you an Estimate which includes the FOB (Free On Board) and CIF costs
   • This Estimate includes the FF’s quote in #1 for transparency
   • You now need to approach a local delivery company to get a quote
   • For sizes and weights of tanks or pallets click here
   • This quote is for the transport of your order from the port DC to your address
3. After you accept the Estimate in #2 and your local delivery costs
   • Reply to the Estimate email in #2 and notify Novatank of your acceptance
   • Novatank now requests an official quote (RFQ) from the FF’s for CIF
4. Novatank issues a PFI (Pro Forma Invoice) to you
   • This PFI will include the updated RFQ CIF charges
   • The official RFQ is again included
   • This RFQ is usually the same as the estimate in #1, often even less
5. You pay the PFI
   • Again, reply to the PFI email in #4 with your proof of payment attached
   • Novatank now waits for funds to appear in the bank
   • Novatank then confirms final dates with the FF’s
   • A Picking Slip, Shipping Instruction and POD (Proof of Delivery) is generated for the FF
   • The FF issues a Tracking Number to Novatank
6. An Invoice and the Tracking Number is emailed to you
   • This Invoice has the same totals as the PFI in #4
   • The FF’s will keep you posted on ETA’s (Expected Date/Time of Arrival)

There are 3 different warranty periods on different components. The manufacturer warrants that your Novatank is free from defects in materials and workmanship as follows from the date of purchase

1. The steel frame and the polyethylene shell, for five years
2. The thermoplastic liner, three years, and
3. All valves, overflows and other fittings, one year

Before you make a purchase decision of the Novatank , please make absolutely sure the Novatank is what you need. All Novatanks are imported to your country and thus there are high CIF fees to consider with returns. It is very unusual for Novatank to do refunds.

Warranty in the event of faulty tanks

Click here and turn to page 21 and 22 for the Novatank Warranty to read more of what happens in the event of defects.

I have changed my mind: Returning a Tank

If you, for whatever reason, change your mind, Novatank may, at it’s discretion, offer a refund

1. Applications for refunds will only be accepted within 7 days of receipt of tank
2. Notify Novatank of your intentions at service@novatank.com.au
3. Include your Invoice and serial number(s) as proof of purchase in your email

If you change your mind, conditions of return include

1. Tanks must be in their original packaging including fittings, manuals etc.
2. The returned tanks must be in a new sellable condition and not used or opened
3. You will be liable for the CIF return charges
4. Novatank reserves the right to assess the condition of the returned tank
5. Delivery and/or cancellation charges may apply

Cancelling an Order

A cancellation fee of 25% of the Invoice amount will be levied and subtracted from the refund amount.

Novatank is a great bolt-on to an existing business and opens new, previously unavailable markets. There are some qualifications Novatank considers before appointing a Distributor in a territory and if you would like to investigate this opportunity you can let us know at service@novatank.com.au

Will Maltman is the Managing Director and Owner. He lives in Melbourne, Australia.