White Rain Barrels

[iantower]

http://rainbarrel.ca/tca/

Hey guys, I've bought some of these before when they were in Sarnia and have worked out great with the reef.  I use one as part of my sump that I use for sediment removal, the DT overflows into this barrel where it cyclones and sediment settles out at the bottom and when I do water changes I just drain from the bottom drain that is already there.
Anyways, great price for what it is.

Cheers

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

Have you tested new 0 tds madeup water in a few days later.?...

 

[iantower]

No can't say that I have buddy, but then again I'm not a big believer in significant leaching from plastics that cause harm, but I've been wrong before haha. I've been using them for a few years and they're the least of my worries.

 

[reeffreak]

White Rain Barrels

No offence but you're wrong again lol... Water storage containers can leach enough to ruin you're system and cause major headaches. I would triple check that they don't leach before adding it onto my system or using it for new water changes.

 

[MrHermit85]

Its easy to check, most plastic containers are graded from 1-5...
I usually stick to 4 & 5's. I have had RO/DI water in a rubbermaid listed as a 4 for over two weeks with no signs of leeching and I tested wIth aTDS meter yesterday.

 

[reeffreak]

White Rain Barrels

Its easy to check, most plastic containers are graded from 1-5...
I usually stick to 4 & 5's. I have had RO/DI water in a rubbermaid listed as a 4 for over two weeks with no signs of leeching and I tested wIth aTDS meter yesterday.

Test with a phosphate test kit opposed to a TDS meter.

 

[unibob]

White Rain Barrels

I find adding a heater speeds up leeching. For the amount of water my ato adds each time room temperature is fine for me.

 

[Petercar (RIP Dec 2017)]

I full up the 5 gallon culligan jugs  the problem with them is i cant get my tunzes ato in the neck. Soi used a 2 gallon glass aquarium    But when summers coming that open top tank is gonna atract floes ad bugs.  S on monday i wemt over to port huron. Ad found a 5 gallon culligan jug that i can get my pump in  then ill poke a hole in the cap for the lines

 

[MrHermit85]

[quote author=MrHermit85 link=topic=5456.msg1#msg1 date=1369836612]
Its easy to check, most plastic containers are graded from 1-5...
I usually stick to 4 & 5's. I have had RO/DI water in a rubbermaid listed as a 4 for over two weeks with no signs of leeching and I tested wIth aTDS meter yesterday.

Test with a phosphate test kit opposed to a TDS meter.
[/quote]

My point wasnt the fact that we can test the water. I meant its easy to check whether the plastic is food grade by using the ratings. The ratings clearly state whether the plastic should be reused or whether it is known to leach. appologies if I wasnt clear on that.  :?

 

[reeffreak]

White Rain Barrels

Food grade containers still leach out. I've been threw 2 Rubbermaid bins and 1 brute trash can, all food grade and all leached. So I just went with a glass tank for holding water. I didn't mean to offend you ... I'm just saying don't just go by the rating on the container, or what TdS levels say, they can both lead you to believe its not going to leach but from my experience some still do.

 

[unibob]

White Rain Barrels

Food grade containers still leach out. I've been threw 2 Rubbermaid bins and 1 brute trash can, all food grade and all leached. So I just went with a glass tank for holding water.

Rubbermaid and brute trash cans aren't food grade.

Food grade will be white hard plastic usually. Soft coloured plastic stay away from.

 

[MrHermit85]

Food grade containers still leach out. I've been threw 2 Rubbermaid bins and 1 brute trash can, all food grade and all leached. So I just went with a glass tank for holding water.

[quote author=reeffreak link=topic=5456.msg1#msg1 date=1369841643]
Food grade containers still leach out. I've been threw 2 Rubbermaid bins and 1 brute trash can, all food grade and all leached. So I just went with a glass tank for holding water.

Rubbermaid and brute trash cans aren't food grade.

Good to know. What is best then? A glass tank?


Food grade will be white hard plastic usually. Soft coloured plastic stay away from.
[/quote]

 

[reeffreak]

White Rain Barrels

That's funny my rubber maids have a #5 on the bottom, from what I've read that's food grade ..

 

[reeffreak]

White Rain Barrels

And they leached and there soft plastic. Just checked my brute can and its 4 also food grade, also leaches. Jerry's right the only good food grade is the clear or white hard plastic, I was looking into the farm supply ones but they want way to much.. 175$ for a 25 gallon storage

 

[MrHermit85]

Just found this article and it shows that all codes from 1 to 7 are food grade. I have only encountered 1-5 and rubbermaids are either 4's or 5's. I have been told that those two ratings are ok to use. So according to the article they are all food grade... I am confused now... 

'Only seven types of plastic are considered "food grade" by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. Plastics used to package food must be of high quality and cannot contain harmful dyes or chemicals. The Society of Plastics Industry has established a seven-point system of categorizing and labeling food-grade plastics. Learning how to tell if a plastic container is food-grade plastic is easy. Look for a triangle-shaped label with rounded corners made of three arrows, then check the number in the center to determine what type of plastic is in the container

Read more: How Do I Tell If it Is Food Grade Plastic? | eHow http://www.ehow.com/way_5819448_do-tell-food-grade-plastic_.html#ixzz2UhzR9jrE'

 

[GirDance]

I have an old Lowes bucket with a 5 on the bottom, it leeches phosphates and is now used as a cleaning bucket at work.

I have a white bucket that my salt came in that doesn't leech phosphates or TDS, but I'm not sure what number is on it - I can check that one when I get home from work.

If you read any of the descriptions shown many (even the food grade ones for your coffee cup lids and plastic wrap) still say they leech into food, are carcinogenic or suspected of causing cancer.

Even still - many plastics are only approved as food grade if they aren't scratched, heated, or left to sit in the sun - the same as a teflon frying pan being good to use up till the teflon is scratched or overheated.

IMO (and that's all it is) the only way to be 100% certain you won't have an issue is to use a new tank (or one you know the history of) or a large glass jug or to test the water before it goes into the tank.

 

[reeffreak]

White Rain Barrels

So back to one of my first comments, just because the number says food grade doesn't mean it won't leach lol

 

[reeffreak]

White Rain Barrels

I have an old Lowes bucket with a 5 on the bottom, it leeches phosphates and is now used as a cleaning bucket at work.

I have a white bucket that my salt came in that doesn't leech phosphates or TDS, but I'm not sure what number is on it - I can check that one when I get home from work.

If you read any of the descriptions shown many (even the food grade ones for your coffee cup lids and plastic wrap) still say they leech into food, are carcinogenic or suspected of causing cancer.

Even still - many plastics are only approved as food grade if they aren't scratched, heated, or left to sit in the sun - the same as a teflon frying pan being good to use up till the teflon is scratched or overheated.

IMO (and that's all it is) the only way to be 100% certain you won't have an issue is to use a new tank (or one you know the history of) or a large glass jug or to test the water before it goes into the tank.

I would agree that's why I just said screw it and used a glass tank, no problems at all there.

 

[MrHermit85]

Food grade containers still leach out. I've been threw 2 Rubbermaid bins and 1 brute trash can, all food grade and all leached. So I just went with a glass tank for holding water. I didn't mean to offend you ... I'm just saying don't just go by the rating on the container, or what TdS levels say, they can both lead you to believe its not going to leach but from my experience some still do.

You are correct though, according to the ratings most food grade containers will leach. I wonder to what extent though and whether they would be harmful... Our food is stored in it after all. LOL its funny that the plastics are considered food grade but can leach bad stuff and cause cancer lol  ;D. Thats not a very comforting thought.

Do the rainbarrels have any rating IanTower?

 

[reeffreak]

White Rain Barrels

I would imagine those white rain barrels that pulp has on the classifieds would not leach. It's that white hard plastic that's would be the best ones to use. IMO .. I have no experience with them but I bet they would work, I was going to grab one of them.