Water tank in attic images

Seanachai

Hello , I think there may be dead bats in my attic water tank. I have access to some cameras & flashes from a friend and I was wondering if anybody could give any advice on trying to capture an image of the inside of the tank as it is in a tiny attic and I cannot peer into the tank to see what's inside. Thanks.

stephendevlin

Seanachai wrote: »

Hello , I think there may be dead bats in my attic water tank. I have access to some cameras & flashes from a friend and I was wondering if anybody could give any advice on trying to capture an image of the inside of the tank as it is in a tiny attic and I cannot peer into the tank to see what's inside. Thanks.

If its difficult to peer into it. How you gonna get your hand up there to remove the bats?

Effects

I'd say you need to shut off the supply valve and drain the tank first.

City-Exile

Surely this thread should be in the D.I.Y. Forum?

nilhg

Just to comment on the photography side of it, I'd imagine that you'd get so much reflection of the flash from the surface of the water that it'd be impossible to see down into the tank.

Effects

That's why I suggested draining it

Seanachai

I should have given more detail. The tank is wedged into the corner of a very small roof and while it is possible to place your hand in it or a camera over it you cannot get the elevation to look into the tank. I was hoping to raise a camera with a flash over the tank and get an image of what's inside the tank. Would placing a flash light strategically make this possible?.

Effects

Drain the tank, set the focus manually at the depth of the tank and take a photo. You will not see anything unless you drain the tank I'd say.
Might be just as easy to drain the tank and then use a mirror on a stick to look into the tank while using a light to see what you are doing.

Seanachai

Yeah , I think I'm going to drain the tank and take an image that way. Too much reflection otherwise , that and the possibility of dropping a €1500 camera into a water tank .

eas

Maybe try and get your hands on one of those underwater point and shoots?

Just curious, what makes you think you have bats in your tank?

Effects

DRAIN THE TANK. He's not trying to find the Titanic.

Nforce

Hold a mirror over the tank. Problem solved.

eas

Not sure why no one else has suggested it, but you could try draining the tank?

Effects

Drain the tank, drill a whole in the side of the tank and install a water proof camera, seal around the camera and then fill the tank again, look at display from camera.

DaireQuinlan

Buy underwater housing for camera and semi-autonomous RSV (remote controlled submersible vehicle). Place into tank and do a rigorous grid search pattern, alert for any signs of dead flying mammals. Alternatively, equip said RSV with collection basket and articulated gripping arm to collect said debris if found and carry safely to the surface.

Pros: No need to drain the tank.
Cons: RSV might be bigger than tank, might need to buy bigger tank into which to place said RSV, and add bats.

Effects

Sometimes I don't understand why people offer complicated solutions to simple problems.

DaireQuinlan

Effects wrote: »

Sometimes I don't understand why people offer complicated solutions to simple problems.

You're right. My new solution ...

Teach bats how to swim.
Simples.

They won't get drownded in future, and while the first batch are doing lengths in the water tank they can pick out the remains of their dead brethren or sisteren ( or cistern ... hahah ! I made a funny ! ).

Effects

Again, a complicated solution. Starting from now it makes no sense to teach the remaining bats to swim when the simple solution is to cover the tank.

DaireQuinlan

Effects wrote: »

... the simple solution is to cover the tank.

How the hell are they meant to be able to get out after their swim then ? You'll end up with dead bats in the tank ! That's -precisely- the problem we're trying to avoid in the first place ! Jeez ...

magicbastarder

add more bats to the tank. if the existing problem gets worse, it was probably bats in the first place. drain the tank and remove them.
if you get a new problem - e.g. the water suddenly starts smelling of rotten bat - drain the tank and remove them.

punchdrunk

sheesh

deploy the the de-lough-enator !

"aaagh pumping is hard"

anyway on topic just go up with a camera and a flashlight and see what you can get

Swampy

I for one would like to see some artsy images of water tanks in attics. I might go up to mine later and post one.

City-Exile

Seanachai wrote: »

Hello , I think there may be dead bats in my attic water tank.

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

How the hell are they meant to be able to get out after their swim then ? You'll end up with dead bats in the tank ! That's -precisely- the problem we're trying to avoid in the first place ! Jeez ...

You might be a bit late to be saving the bats, Daire.

Adrian.Sadlier

Would a circular polariser help reduce reflections from flash? If not, try this http://www.adverts.ie/camera-accessories/waterproof-housing-for-compact-camera/247416

dinneenp

eas wrote: »

Maybe try and get your hands on one of those underwater point and shoots?

Just curious, what makes you think you have bats in your tank?

+1 what makes you think there's dead bats in it?
Does your water taste of bats?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvBOLCFRAFc

JayEnnis

Rubber gloves
Reach around inside tank
Check for bats
???
PROFIT!

Effects

Adrian.Sadlier wrote: »

Would a circular polariser help reduce reflections from flash? If not, try this http://www.adverts.ie/camera-accessories/waterproof-housing-for-compact-camera/247416

Maybe put the circular polariser on a 400mm lens, remove a section of the roof and shoot straight down into the tank from a hired crane?

Seanachai

JayEnnis wrote: »

Rubber gloves
Reach around inside tank
Check for bats
???
PROFIT!

Imagine a water tank wedged in against one side of the roof of a large dog kennel , that's how tight it is in this attic. They must have built the roof around the tank!!. Sorted it now anyway , drained the tank and used an aquarium net and fished out a load of debris from an old roof and what could have possibly been bat guano.

Nforce

Seanachai wrote: »

bat guano.

Remind me of..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONUe58qtjjs