The plumbing fixtures might crack and the pipe if there is water in it, but I think it would have to be really cold for a long time for the tank to freeze. My tanks are much larger (10,000 gallon) and we have heat tape on the supply pipes that have water in them. It supplies our whole house so there is water in it at all times. I guess one could wrap your smaller tank with bubble wrap and that would hold the warmth of the water longer.

I have 4 barrels of various sizes, mostly 55 or 60 gallons each. The water freezes but I have never had a problem with cracking.

I have the 50 gallon barrels and dont do anything to them. going on 4 years I think with no issues so far

I can't remember if DH drained them last winter or not, but I wasn't planning to drain them this winter. We have almost 1,000 gallons in 4 tanks of various sizes.

Hello,

i have a chance to buy an Ibc, but has had new motor oil one time usage, does anyone know if this is advisable for gardening usage only? I plan on rainwater harvesting, thanks

motor oil would be so difficult to clean out of the tank, I would pass if I were you.

We found ours at the Facebook group/online garage sale for this neighborhood.

I know this is an old thread, but as to cleaning plastic containers for water storage, note that plastics absorb oils. I have some cook books that advise against using plastic bowls for beating egg whites. No matter how well you wash them, if a plastic bowl has ever had oil in it, that oil can inhibit the egg whites from foaming. If you can't remove vegetable oil from plastic, you will NEVER be able to clean plastics that contained motor oil.