My stupid question for the day

bcfiskins

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When mixing my salt or storing my top off RO water, can I buy any old cheap trash can, or should I buy a "high end" rubbermaid food safe can/container? $10 a can looks really nice....
 
Make sure its food safe. If not RO water will def. Make it leach toxins into the water.

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I had one that I stored outside until I needed it for mixing (kold ster-il unit). Long story short the cheap guys don't do well with cold weather then going inside to be filled with warm water, it cracked. Yup, 30g of saltwater all over my carpet. As long as you don't do that, I think you're good.
 
Although brutes seem to be the norm, there have been a few studies that showed that they will leach toxins after a while. And a close friend of mine had a complete system crash caused by brute cans leaching.

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I had a rubbermaid - not a BRUTE, but a nice can, or so I thought. It was inside the whole time. It cracked too after a bit. Not a huge crack, a nice little hairline crack - leaked for days - If you can spare the added expense, get the BRUTE to start - It will save you money (and a flood) in the long run. I wish I had.

I've stored water for weeks...I've never had any problems with contaminants leeching into the water that I know of.
 
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Honestly most plastic cans and bins are made in the same factories. I know of one here in Phoenix that makes stuff for Rubbermaid, Tupperware, Sterilite and many others on the same machines.
Rubermaid has taken the time and huge expense to have some of their products tested and certified by the ANSI/NSF as being food safe but their products are not much if any different from any other high end plastic product.

I use a 30 gallon Rubermaid Roughneck on wheels myself and have for years with no issues. I also use a 23 gallon Rubbermaid blue recycling can for my RO/DI ATO storage and it has never been emptied and cleaned in over 3 years or service and the TDS is still less than 1. Neither is rated as food safe by the NSF.
 
I just use a 45 gallon tupperware brand bin with a few koralias in it. Never had any problems with leaching toxins. If it's a major concern for you, you could always run some carbon in a reactor prior to using the water to take out contaminants.
 
I use a blue 50g food barrel. it was used to ship grape juice. they wont crack or leach anything into the water, I have been using it for years
you can get them usually for free from places like pepsi, or any place that bottles anything even from a car wash they get soap shipped to them in them just give them a good cleaning with bleach

or buy a new one for $50-$60
http://www.bayteccontainers.com/rcwb55.html
http://www.bayteccontainers.com/new30galwaba.html
 
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There are no stupid questions... only stupid people... just kidding.

I would recommend sticking with something food safe, but I know for mixing I have used a normal trash can. I have not used them for long term storage though. I have heard that any trash can is going to leach stuff, so I'd stick with the HDPE buckets like were linked above. I have a couple 15 gallon ones from a car wash that can work, but I am going to try hunt down some 30s for the new build.
 
I use a blue 50g food barrel. it was used to ship grape juice. they wont crack or leach anything into the water, I have been using it for years
you can get them usually for free from places like pepsi, or any place that bottles anything even from a car wash they get soap shipped to them in them just give them a good cleaning with bleach

or buy a new one for $50-$60
55 Gallon Reconditioned Plastic Water Storage Barrel - Water Barrels,Drums & Water Bags
NEW 30 GALLON WATER BARRELS, WATER DRUMS AND WATER STORAGE - Water Barrels,Drums & Water Bags

+1

I used ones from a local canning company. They were 65 gallons and held olives.
 
I always used food grade containers to be safe. I work in food manufacturing so about any size is available to me. Wherever you live there is probably some kind of manufacturing plant that you may be able to talk them out of a drum of the size you need. Check with food ingredient consumers, restaurants, bakeries etc. as well. They will definately have smaller containers (2, 4 or 5 gallon) that they received anything from pickles to chocolate icing in that can be cleaned.
 
I've always used extra tanks for mixing water. Right now I use 40B for mixing water for my display and sometimes (like right now) will use one of those tubs from Lowe's with the rope handles to mix smaller amounts for the quarantine system.
 

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