# Drums for keeping water



## newflavor (Jun 19, 2013)

I am thinkign of buying a drum made of plastic for just keeping water for water change. Is there any specifications I should look for or anything at home depot will work? Any suggestions?


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## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

Check that the container is HDPE (should be stamped into the plastic) which makes it food safe. Some of the Rubbermaid garbage cans are HDPE but you need to make sure otherwise it could leach phosphates and other contaminants.


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## Dee2010 (Mar 26, 2013)

You can go to walmart and check out there camping water drums, that's what I use for my tanks and its been well over a year with no issues. Think they came in 5 and 10 gallons sizes.


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Might want to look at rain barrels, possibly ? Though I am not certain what plastics they are made of. 

Depends how large a drum you are looking for. There are some nice ones available, some quite fancy, others pretty utilitarian, most have at least some sort of tap near the bottom to drain them too. 

If raised on some type of support, they could easily fill a bucket from the drain.


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## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

Wht size are looking for? How many?
45 gallon drum? White plastic? I can resource some for ya. On Woodbine ave in Queensville.


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## newflavor (Jun 19, 2013)

Thanks for the reply guys. I don't think I need something too big. Badmedicine, how much are those drums? I want at least around minimum 20 gallons. I wonder how big they are.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

home despot carry these: 32 Gallon


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

I use Brutes as well but you have to fill, sit for a day, drain, repeat at least 5x to get as much of the leaching out of the plastic. An associate called me for for issues after a water change and it was identified that a new Brute can was used to store RO/DI water. The TDS was 550ppm where the RO/DI was zero and the lid was on. I've never had a problem in the past but RM must be using a new process in the mfg.

Just a heads up using the Brutes nowadays.


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## badmedicine (Oct 27, 2012)

The garbage can method is what I use. Mine (3) have wheels to move around. I think that 25 gallons is the right size (lots of volume but still able to move around).


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## newflavor (Jun 19, 2013)

Yah, maybe the garbage can method is what I will use. Can you see if you can help me find one badmedicine? How are the testers you won by the way? I was thinking of buying those.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

wtac said:


> I use Brutes as well but you have to fill, sit for a day, drain, repeat at least 5x to get as much of the leaching out of the plastic. An associate called me for for issues after a water change and it was identified that a new Brute can was used to store RO/DI water. The TDS was 550ppm where the RO/DI was zero and the lid was on. I've never had a problem in the past but RM must be using a new process in the mfg.
> 
> Just a heads up using the Brutes nowadays.


Thanks for the heads up on that. I thought they were good to go out of the store....


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## RR37 (Nov 6, 2012)

Check out Fabco in Vaughn, they sell really nice containers for storage. Ive got two 50Gs from them. Really nice stuff.


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## Bayinaung (Feb 24, 2012)

I'm not sure about using regular garbage cans. BPA can have impact on salt water fish too?


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## newflavor (Jun 19, 2013)

I just bought those hbpa from Lowes yesterday. I filled it with water and will let it stay like that for 2 days to hopefully get rid of some stuff on the plastic. I am still open for any suggestions though. If this is not good ill buy again. This has the number two on the recycle logo.


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## fesso clown (Nov 15, 2011)

Bayinaung said:


> I'm not sure about using regular garbage cans. BPA can have impact on salt water fish too?


Not regular garbage cans at all. Brute by Rubbermaid are classified as food safe and I have never had any leaching problems from mine. I just read a bunch on various forums and It seems to be a random issue reported now and then. Guess it's always good to check .


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## kyle (Oct 9, 2006)

You can also try kjiji. 

There are many food grade storage container/totes that may be useful. There are lots of supplies shipped from around the world to Ontario and then when they are done they dont need the containers anymore. 

Just make sure you know what was shipped in them before i.e. juice, fertilizer etc.... Just because the conatiner says food grade the items shipped in them may not be food and wash it out well ie pressure washer

I picked up a nice square plastic tote about 300 GAllons. Came with a metal frame cage and skid and had a lid on top and drain tap on bottom for about $75, to use for Maple syrup collection. They also have barrels


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Just fyi, leaching of chemicals like BPA from plastics into water has mainly been detected in water that's been heated in the plastic container to at least 30C. So for example, you might worry about water left in a car on hot days in a plastic bottle, but if it's in the house and not allowed to get that warm, leaching is not really much of a problem.

I think that's one reason Health Canada only banned BPA from baby bottles, because they are routinely heated. Doesn't mean there are not other chemicals that can cause problems, for sure, there are. Phthalates are one of the worst, because they mimic hormones but they have not yet found a substitute for phthalates in plastics, at least not one that's cost effective. And they are in almost all plastics.


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## jkoot (Apr 17, 2012)

I just grabbed two 15G HDPE white food grade containers for $20 off Kijiji ($10 each).

I don't know what they had but I'm washing them both thoroughly in case of chemicals or detergents (several scrubs/baths in beach and vinegar and than with some RO/DI).

I only plan to have the water sit for a day or two in them.

>jason


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