Long Term Use of Brute Trash Cans

[brmreefer]

I am considering upgrading my salt mixing station using a brute trash can. The concern is the potential of anything leaching into the stored water with any of the different color brute containers (round trash can version). I was looking into getting the white version. Just looking for long term experience with using these containers. Thanks in advance for any inputs.

 

[Boostable]

Used the grey for years, not ill effects that I can speak of.

 

[homer1475]

I have the grey ones. Been in service 5 years now, I think? Nothing in my water I didn't put there.

 

[homer1475]

Was going to mention......

If you plan on drilling holes for pipes, do not use uniseals!!!! They leak regardless. Schedule 80 bulkheads work perfectly as the brutes are thin enough for the bulkhead to flatten them out, and make a good seal.

 

[brmreefer]

Was going to mention......

If you plan on drilling holes for pipes, do not use uniseals!!!! They leak regardless. Shedule 80 bulkheads work perfectly as the brutes are thin enough for the bulkhead to flatten out, and make a good seal.

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[homer1475]

While uniseals work great for thicker plastic(like a 5G bucket). The plastic on a brute trash can is too thin and flexible for the uniseals to make a perfect seal. Specially when working with larger diameter pipe(over 3/4").

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I used grey ones for nearly 20 years with no apparent issue. Kalkwasser, new salt water, RO/DI, sumps,a nd refugia. 13 of them in all. Now that the tnak is down I still use them for other purposes. They are truly Brutes. lol

 

[brmreefer]

I used grey ones for nearly 20 years with no apparent issue. Kalkwasser, new salt water, RO/DI, sumps,a nd refugia. 13 of them in all. Now that the tnak is down I still use them for other purposes. They are truly Brutes. lol

Thanks Randy. Glad to know the versatility of these things and the different uses over the years.

 

[Cory]

I used grey ones for nearly 20 years with no apparent issue. Kalkwasser, new salt water, RO/DI, sumps,a nd refugia. 13 of them in all. Now that the tnak is down I still use them for other purposes. They are truly Brutes. lol

Wow 13 is a lot! What did you use all 13 for?

 

[Jeffcb]

I don't know if the color maters. I used a yellow one for years. I have a grey one know.

 

[homer1475]

Color doesn't matter. As long as it's a Brute, your fine.

You can buy any color you want here:

Brute® Trash Cans in Stock - ULINE

Uline stocks a wide selection of Brute® Trash Cans. Order by 6 p.m. for same day shipping. Huge Catalog! Over 45,000 products in stock. 14 locations across USA, Canada and Mexico for fast delivery of Brute® Trash Cans.

www.uline.com

 

[Scotty8284]

Not sure about other colors, but the gray ones are rated “food safe” and pose no danger.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Wow 13 is a lot! What did you use all 13 for?

All 44 gallon:

3 for limewater top off so I could make it once a month or less. Plumbed together.

2 for new salt water for AWC so i could also make it once a month or so. Plumbed together.

2 for RO/DI, Plumbed together.

2-4 for rock filled refugia depending on the date. macroalgae on top. Water flow from bottom to top in each one. Two were on the gravity flow plumbing path from the main tank to the sump. Two were on a pump from the sump.

2 for the sump. One (first one) had the skimmer, limewater addition, and plastic tubing cooling coils. Second one had heaters and two float switches. One for top off, and a lower one for main pump shut down.

 

[rpkneumann]

I own a white standard Vented Brute 32 Gallon plus lid.
It's been great but does show every speck of dirt...inside and out.
I mix for 3 water changes (have a 32 gallon BioCube) .
After 3 weeks i do get a little algae specks forming inside. Cleaning with vinegar taks it right off.

Here is what i found out about leaching.... I think you're safe for use for aquariums and saltwater.
"Every color of Brute container is certified to NSF Standard 21, which means it meets requirements for safely storing waste. The gray, white, and yellow models are also certified for NSF Standard 2, meeting strict requirements for the disposal of food waste."
There are different models for brute 32 gal containers.
The standard home depot / lowes is food safe.
If you worried try to find the 32 gallon brute for food services. But i think you can only find it on amazon.
Brute Food Processing Can (44 gal)
Its more than twice as expensive. than the home depot store offers. I believe all reefers i know who use brutes, stick with the standard version.
The standard model complies with the following accepted standards:
Here is the link to the manufacturing site with all the specs and details:
Vented Brute 32 Gal different colors
Brute 32 Gallon Food Handling

 

[brmreefer]

Awesome. Thanks for all the info guys. I am going to go ahead get a gray one at the home improvement store. I was going to order online, however the shipping costs (~$36 to $40-ish) was kinda putting me off from making the purchase.

Again, thanks everyone.

 

[DeputyDog95]

So... I always wipe my grey brute mixing can to dry it after a water change. There was grey residue all over the white paper towels. The same color grey as the can.

Salt mix residue or the color of the can leaching out? Concerning to say the least.

 

[WVNed]

Used 44 gallon ones for years. No problems. I have 3 I keep in the fish room and use them for things like if I want to drain a tank down to fix the overflow. They used to be my water storage setup. The wheels are very nice.

 

[TnFishwater98]

So... I always wipe my grey brute mixing can to dry it after a water change. There was grey residue all over the white paper towels. The same color grey as the can.

Salt mix residue or the color of the can leaching out? Concerning to say the least.

Calcium residue from the saltwater?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So... I always wipe my grey brute mixing can to dry it after a water change. There was grey residue all over the white paper towels. The same color grey as the can.

Salt mix residue or the color of the can leaching out? Concerning to say the least.

Salt mix residue or bacteria. The cans to not release material like that.

 

[DeputyDog95]

Salt mix residue or bacteria. The cans to not release material like that.

I did just recently switch salts and went from using the Red Sea blue bucket to Reef Blueprint. For those that don't know, the owner of Reef Blueprint was the former owner of Brightwell. After he sold Brightwell, he started his own line of products.

Here's a link to his site. The site needs a little work, but the products seem to be pretty good and my corals are responding well to his Calcium and Alkalinity additives.
Reef Blueprint Website

When I used the Red Sea salt, I would often get a rusty brown residue when wiping the mixing can down. This is new and completely different.

I have the owner of the Reef Blueprint's contact info and emailed him this morning. He said that there should be zero residue left over from his salt mix.

So at this point, I'm not sure what it is... Or how to determine what's actually happening.

FWIW, the RB salt is anhydrous and has to be mixed slowly to not create a thermal reaction (per the instructions). That being said, I hold the pump in my hand in the water and slowly pour the salt into the pump flow in the mixing container and didn't notice any significant increase in the water temp. However, I know someone else who used it, didn't follow the instructions, and melted a hole in their mixing can because they dumped all the salt in at the same time. I did get some small clumps that settled on the bottom, but I pointed the pump nozzle at them and they quickly dispersed.