Cleaning Plastic 30-55 Gallon Barrels

[nuxx]

I'm curious if it was be OK to buy 30 or 55 gallon plastic barrels that had help detergents/soaps?

Can they be cleaned, or just avoided?

Also, anybody know where to buy 30 gallon barrels in town? 55s seem easy enough to find, not the 30s though.

[jestep]

I would avoid if they're going to be used for a fish tank, RO, mixing, etc. I'd probably avoid any used rain barrels. Rain in cities isn't exactly the cleanest substance either.

[nuxx]

Oh ok, just didn't know how much they'd leech into the food grade plastic.

[jestep]

Someone else may have a more scientific suggestion. I tend to not risk it based on how much I have invested in my tanks.

[Woods]

I bought a 55g barrel off Craigslist that had been used for drink syrups or something food related for like $25. It has worked very nicely for the past year.

[nuxx]

I have a 55 from Austin Home Brew, but need a little smaller footprint.

Might just get a new one from Plastic Mart on 620. They seem to have a ton of choices.

Will be for ATO and Saltwater.

[mFrame]

I've bought used Dr. Pepper syrup barrels on Craigslist. The guy has 15g, 30g, and 55g barrels, they're the blue plastic with dual threaded lids. I actually like making RO because even after a few years I still get the occasional scent of Dr. Pepper.

[nuxx]

I've bought used Dr. Pepper syrup barrels on Craigslist. The guy has 15g, 30g, and 55g barrels, they're the blue plastic with dual threaded lids. I actually like making RO because even after a few years I still get the occasional scent of Dr. Pepper.

Do you have his contact info? So many on CL to wade through :/

[jestep]

Prior food storage should be fine. I'm mainly referring to chemicals or unknown storage.

[nuxx]

Yeah found some just down the street but had soaps in them.

The Dr. Pepper ones sound great. Maybe my wife would like the hobby more if it smelled like Dr. Pepper lol

[10gReef]

I know you can get 32g brute trash cans from home depot or lowes for about $30. http://www.lowes.com/pd_46994-1097-FG863220+GRAY_0__?productId=3088677&Ntt=brute+trash+can&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dbrute%2Btrash%2Bcan&facetInfo=

[nuxx]

Found a 50 gallon rain barrel that's only 16" wide and 22" deep.

Would probably work perfect. Also only $100 brand new.

Not too bad...

[subsea]

$100 for 50G storage seems expensive.

Beer ingredients come in 55G barrels. Seems like $20 was the cost. If the ingredients are good enough for human consumption, it should be safe for aquaculture.

Patrick

[nuxx]

Problem is that I don't have space for a 24" barrel

[nuxx]

Just bought one of these:

http://www.norwesco.com/page.cfm?menu=34

50 gallon capacity and only 18". I can handle the 53" height. I only bought one to see if I can make it fit in the tighter spot... might need to cut a shelf

Made of FDA approved plastic and new, so no chance of anything harmful being used prior.

Also just read about some pretty neat dual head pumps for automatic water changes that pump and pull the exact same amount of water for new saltwater and draining the old salt water.

[nuxx]

Here it is, fits pretty well.

Need to find a fitting to seal it now.

See I didn't have the horizontal space to fit a normal barrel, but had enough vertical room