Where is 5 Gallons on my buckets?

[twobytwo]

So, on the average bucket (Reef Crystals or a Home Depot bucket, for example) - where is it 5 Gallons, when filled with water. Is it right to the top, or one or the 'rims' around the side? Just curious because I use them to measure how much water I remove during a water-change.

 

[FUIceman]

Great question and I've wondered that myself. I've taken to using the line on the inside about an inch or two below the top. It's faint but clear. Don't know if that's right, but that's what I tend to go by. Following. Curious

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

So, on the average bucket (Reef Crystals or a Home Depot bucket, for example) - where is it 5 Gallons, when filled with water. Is it right to the top, or one or the 'rims' around the side? Just curious because I use them to measure how much water I remove during a water-change.

Total volume on standard 5 gallon buckets is usually to the first tab line down on the side of the bucket. The most efficient way to tell would be to put RODI water in the bucket tared on a scale and fill it to 41.7 lbs. Some weird ones like pool chemical buckets might be a bit different since those products have to have expansion volume, so the overall bucket might be a bit bigger than 5 gallons.

 

[5altkreep]

Seems like it would be much easier to just fill a milk jug (or any container that has measuring marks on it) 5 times so you know exactly?

 

[pelphrey]

Seems like it would be much easier to just fill a milk jug (or any container that has measuring marks on it) 5 times so you know exactly?

That is what I did with 2 of my buckets. I marked each gallon line with a sharpie. I did it twice because one was a home depot bucket and the other was menards.

 

[twobytwo]

Seems like it would be much easier to just fill a milk jug (or any container that has measuring marks on it) 5 times so you know exactly?

My milk comes in bags

 

[redfishbluefish]

Isn't it a moot point.....however much you make to some mark on the bucket, that's how much you take out. Don't really need to know volume. That is what I do with the two 32 gallon Brutes I have....make up approximately 25 gallons and note the height on the Brute, and that's how much I take out.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Total volume on standard 5 gallon buckets is usually to the first tab line down on the side of the bucket. The most efficient way to tell would be to put RODI water in the bucket tared on a scale and fill it to 41.7 lbs. Some weird ones like pool chemical buckets might be a bit different since those products have to have expansion volume, so the overall bucket might be a bit bigger than 5 gallons.

Correct. First tab line down.
I did the one gallon volume fill thing.

It's very helpful when making salt imo.
I use Io , it's 800 grams to five gallons. Comes out perfectly every time. I used to use Rcsp , and the grams needed are listed right on the bucket as well. (730?) as I recall.

 

[Radio_davio]

Great question and I've wondered that myself. I've taken to using the line on the inside about an inch or two below the top. It's faint but clear. Don't know if that's right, but that's what I tend to go by. Following. Curious

Good to know when you're trying to determine the flow rate of your home water well!

 

[RCS82]

On water change day you can just siphon water into some pails. Depending on what your tank size is you can figure out pretty easy how much you're dealing with.
With my 60 cube, if I account for glass thickness, let's say 3/8", and I empty 2" out of the tank into a pail. I can multiply 23.25x23.25x2" and end up with about 4.7 gallons.
Just another way of doing it.

 

[a4edwin]

My milk comes in bags

Thought they only did that in South America.

 

[Potatohead]

Thought they only did that in South America.

It's an eastern Canada thing too. They weirdos.

 

[TjB]

Correct. First tab line down.
I did the one gallon volume fill thing.

It's very helpful when making salt imo.
I use Io , it's 800 grams to five gallons. Comes out perfectly every time. I used to use Rcsp , and the grams needed are listed right on the bucket as well. (730?) as I recall.

Can I just mix 5 gallons at a time and add it to my brute container? Or should I just fill up 25 gallons into my container and then add the salt? I'm just wondering if mixing 5 gallons at a time would the salinity change when adding it all together? (Not sure if I explained that question very well lol)

 

[afrokobe]

I always assumed 5 gallons was as close to the top as you can get. I guess thats why I always end up having to adjust my salt mix lol.

 

[TjB]

I always assumed 5 gallons was as close to the top as you can get. I guess thats why I always end up having to adjust my salt mix lol.

My 5 gallon home depot bucket was about 5 gallons at just above the second rim around the bucket. I weighed it to 41.7 pounds lol and thats the mark I got

 

[jda]

You can buy a bucket with gallon marks on the side. I used to have one. Some buckets, like the old Oceanic that was 200 gallons were like almost 8 gallons.

You can fill a brute all of the way up, then add the salt and pump. Add the heater later. Cold water mixes better. FWIW - 44 gallon brute about an inch from the top take 50 gallon bag of IO perfectly to 1.026.

 

[calli]

It's an eastern Canada thing too. They weirdos.

Lol not here. Ontario has mostly 3x 1 litre bags. In Nova Scotia you mostly find 1 gallon jugs.

 

[SneaksMcdoogle]

My milk comes in bags

We know the weight of water per gallon and liters so we can calculate. Using a scale 0 out the weight of the bucket… slowly fill with water until you achieve 41.67lbs. If you are using a bathroom scale that you can’t 0 out weight of the bucket figure about 2lb.

 

[BeanAnimal]

2 year old thread you dredged up, but most bathroom scales are not nearly that accurate.