Food safe barrels?

[inetmug]

In another thread on the gray rubbermaid trash cans, I think it was established that the grey cans were "food safe". If I remember right, there was some sort of marking.

For the blue/white 55G hard drums, I know there are food quality type out there. I was just wondering if there was some way to tell if a drum was safe or not. I have access to several blue ones, but I am trying to track this down. I would like more capacity.

I have been using one for years on my 55G with no noticed ill effects. Just wondering if someone has a bead on this....

[inetmug]

bump to get a read, I need to upgrade, looking for opinions

[PolyReef]

http://r.ebay.com/dbeJau

[secure1347]

I'd like to know this too since the standard round barrels won't fit in the area I have. I need something rectangular in shape.

[ksed]

Look here
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/default.aspx?catid=845

[inetmug]

Just called Uline, they make drums that are FDA compliant resin, but are NOT rated for drinking water containment. They were unable to tell me what rating is required for drinking water, nor markings.

http://www.uline.com/BL_8154/Plastic-Drums

Here is Global Industrial, which say FDA food rating, wonder what the difference is...

http://www.globalindustrial.com/g/material-handling/drum-barrel/drums-pails/closed-open-head-plastic-drums

Here is another option, called them, all products FDA rated, they make the plastic and the drum, you can get a 65G urn for $60 at tractor supply

http://www.goodideasinc.com/products/rain-barrels/rain-wizard-urn-65/


The one PolyReef posted look good also, they say food rated as well. Just depends on where you are located.

[inetmug]

Turns out Wallymart has a ton of them...

[slief]

Not sure where you live but the blue food safe plastic 55 gallon barrels are a dime a dozen on Craigslist.

Just do a search for the following terms:
55 gallon barrel
55 gallon drum
Water storage
Food safe barrel

Any of the blue or even black plastic ones are food safe so if you have a line on some that are cheap enough and clean, you should be perfectly fine. You just don't want one used for chemical storage. I'd look for the ones with removable lids. You should be able to find them for $50 or less.

[inetmug]

slief,

I saw them on craigslist, in sarasota, not very close. The advertisement says food grade and previously used to store XYZ. I am sure these are legit claims, but they are just that... claims. They are mostly all used products. Most claim fruit concentrate, pickles, peppers, etc.

What started this thread, the core question was if there was some sort of marking that would indicate if a drum was made originally, or recycled, with FDA approved and BPA free resins. If you look at my post above, Uline, a big manufacturer of them, says theirs are NOT FDA approved. This may be because they use a different plastic, something with the lid or port design, or they just have not applied for the rating for business model reasons. It may be that the actual material is just fine, but they have not applied. In either case, they explicitly stated not rated when I called them, could be just liability.

A FDA approved container that is suitable for water storage for drinking water (obviously subjected to sanitation procedures - they have packets of stuff that makes the water potable for 5 years) has locking lids, and ports that meet the guidelines for sanitary reasons.

Chances are, that all of these things out there use the same BPA free resins, and are probably "food grade", but from what I can see, there is not way to tell, and I can not find any markings like what is on the rubbermaid trash cans.

Wallmart has a great deal on the "Big Blue", a food rated can, pre-drilled with two ports, with free shipping to the store for $80. It is kind of a no-brainer given the pre-drilled ports. You can use the ports as an autoleverer between cans, or for spouts, etc. Buy the time you get the $50 "claim", drill them, and put in spouts for drainage or whatever, you got $80.

I know of a local place that does not sell them, and I can get as many as I want, but they had light chemicals in them, nothing heavy, but chemicals none the less. Buyer beware...all I am sayin'...

[PolyReef]

Maybe only way to be sure is just purchase aquarium let's say 70 gallon when they running one dollar sale ......
This is the way I approach this problem:)

[sculptor]

I have several I got of craigslist. It will be obvious if they were used for food, they will smell like pickles/banana peppers etc. Some of them will also have food utensils stamped on them, which I assume means food grade.

[ghbrewer]

Have you considered Poly tanks?
Tractor supply sells some, as does usplastics.

[inetmug]

Poly tanks are awesome, and rated, the problem is expensive.

If I found any that had forks and knife imprint, I would tend to believe the same.

Using an aquarium is not a bad idea, vertical stacks saves space. Also, I like the blue cause no light gets in there to cause growth.

There are good options at tractor supply, that 65$ urn is FDA rated, and is only $60, but got to find a store nearby that has them, and they will not ship.

[secure1347]

Where on tractor supply do you see those that cheap?

[inetmug]

Where on tractor supply do you see those that cheap?

on the website, the rainmaster urn, a clearance, got to find a store with them in stock

[SaltTinker]

How about a black tub from a farming supply place.

I got one that is about 90g serving as my sump. It is oval shapped.

As to the rubbermaid trashcans. I have 2 gray ones on casters used for makeup water. A RO tube feeding one and a hose (air removed) between the two to double my supply. Another tube held in the bottom of one can with a weight holding it down feeds the float valve in the sump. I turn the RO on when I need until the cans are full.

[sniceley]

I second the Rubbermaid trashcans. I have even used them for fry grow-out for cichlids and quarantine/medicating for both fresh and marine. For cheap and sturdy moderate volumes you can't beat them. If you want to hold more then the stock tanks from tractor supply are great, just can't contain them quite as easy and take up a lot more space. But you can get them for far less than $1 a gallon.

[inetmug]

I also have the rubbermaid cans. I agree, they are great. My main thing is I am trying to get more capacity without have a rubbermaid can farm. I want to go vertical for space reasons versys horizontal. Also, I am looking at getting the automated change system, so I need the extra capacity as I only want to make water once/month to save those Di cartridges. More water out of your RODI at one time is better.

One other thing, regardless of how I clean the rubbermaid for ATO, it always seems to "stink" if I leave the lid on. The blue poly tanks seem to show no such odor. Not sure why, nor do I think it matters since a gazillion RC'ers use the gray rubbermaids, but just an observation.