Need help with used barrel question.

[Loki]

There are a few of the blue food safe barrels posted on Craigslist locally. I am needing one. I called the guy and he said two were used with iodine and the others had a 5% chlorine solution.

It sounds like they were used at a dairy farm I am not willing to risk the iodine barrels because he said thy have a sticker on them that says not for use with aquatic life.

My question is can I rinse out one that was used with a 5% chlorine solution and make it safe to mix saltwater in?

I currently have a barrel for holding my RODI water. I want one to hold salt water.

Let me know your thoughts. I feel that it would be okay since it's a food safe barrel but I don't want to risk it if chlorine could be in the plastic somehow.

The barrels are $10 each.

I haven't found any locally for under $90!

 

[Loki]

Bump

 

[ritter6788]

I doubt much, if any, chlorine would remain if you cleaned it really well. Baking soda and/or vinegar to clean it? Chlorine evaporates doesnt it?

 

[Loki]

That was my thoughts but I wanted to make sure. I will rinse it out but I don't think I can scrub it down very well. It doesn't have the screw off lid like my other barrel does. My plans are to drill a few inches off of the bottom (on the side) of it and add a bulkhead and some pvc. I may have to cut a hole in it to give me more access to the top.

55 gallon Plastic Barrel

 

[Saltgator]

IMO, I'd go for it. I've used 15 and 55 gallon barrels before that had a bleach solution that was strong enough to rust metal! I took these out and rinsed, rinsed, rinsed the bleach out. After I thought it might all have been washed out, I allowed water to sit in them 3 days, then rinsed, rinsed, rinsed them. I needed the barrels to assist with a move accross town (around 180 gallons). Before I added any of my fish, I allowed 3 of my margarita(?) snails to stay in there for 3-5 days. During this time, I observed them to see if there was any indications of a chemical. During those days, each snail was out and about. So, right before the move, I added corals and fish to the water, but because I always have a habit of changing my decisions, I added Seachem Prime, just in case. All fish, corals, and inverts made the trip and stayed in the 55 gallon barrel for well over a week while preperations were made on the new home/tank area across town.

 

[Loki]

actually I may just swap the two barrels out. The one I have now is drilled and has the screw off lid.

 

[Loki]

IMO, I'd go for it. I've used 15 and 55 gallon barrels before that had a bleach solution that was strong enough to rust metal! I took these out and rinsed, rinsed, rinsed the bleach out. After I thought it might all have been washed out, I allowed water to sit in them 3 days, then rinsed, rinsed, rinsed them. I needed the barrels to assist with a move accross town (around 180 gallons). Before I added any of my fish, I allowed 3 of my margarita(?) snails to stay in there for 3-5 days. During this time, I observed them to see if there was any indications of a chemical. During those days, each snail was out and about. So, right before the move, I added corals and fish to the water, but because I always have a habit of changing my decisions, I added Seachem Prime, just in case. All fish, corals, and inverts made the trip and stayed in the 55 gallon barrel for well over a week while preperations were made on the new home/tank area across town.

Yeah I am going to go for it. Ill call the guy back and pick one up tomorrow

Thanks Ritter and Saltgator

 

[Loki]

I picked the barrel up and have rinsed it out several times. I took it to the car wash and washed it (rinse cycle only no soap), filled it and let it sit for a day. I dumped it out and it is much better but it still smells slightly like chlorine.

 

[Loki]

I went to get chlorine remover but didn't just because the bottles would "treat" 500+ gallons. I figured I would ask here before doing that. Would you think that a chlorine remover would help this out. I have never used any type of chlorine remover. I still maintain that it hasn't soaked into the plastic of the barrel.

 

[uall8up]

+1 on some vinegar, it will stop the reaction of the chlorine. When I decap my brine shrimp I use vinegar.

 

[seafansar]

Let it sit dry for a while and the chlorine should evaporate.

We used a jigsaw on ours and cut the tops off of them, so they are easy to clean out. I put a strip of plastic over them and put the top on top of the plastic to keep things from getting into the barrels.

 

[H2O]

i would use straight vinigar to clean it with then rince let it dry 100% and should be good to go

 

[Loki]

I let it sit dry for several days and it was still quite pungent. I have yet to try vinegar. I'll try to pick some up and give it a shot.

 

[Loki]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the responses.