55 gallon drum safe to use?

[usfpaul82]

I got ahold of a nice 55 gallon drum that I would like to use to store my ato/kaulk water. Problem is that it used to be used to hold chlorine. Can this can be made safe for my ro water? How? Smells like chlorine inside pretty strong.

[HighlandReefer]

If the 55 gallon drum has only small holes to allow access then the chlorine will take longer to brake down from air exposure. Using a product to remove chlorine from aquarium water (like Amquel) will help. I would triple rinse it first and then use the product to brake the chlorine down. I would test water in it for chlorine after you do this procedure with a chlorine kit. There should be no chlorine odors afterwards.

If you can cut the top of the drum off with a ciruclar saw and save the lid, it will make cleaning it out easier.

[usfpaul82]

Thanks. This one does noly have 2 small holes with screw on lids in the top. I was thinking about cutting off the lid, but like the idea of being able to have it completely sealed. I rinsed itout a few times yesterday then filled it back up and dumped a bunch of amquel in it. Let it sit for like 6 hours and rinsed it again....still smells like chlorine. :(

[HighlandReefer]

The chlorine will be on all the surfaces including the bottom of the lid & the vapor will not be able to escape easily with just small holes. I cut my barell just below the top. For our purposes, nothing has to be air tight as far as a lid.