Bought this trashcan to mix up 30 gallons of saltwater in a tank upgrade

[wesreyn]

I bought this from good old walmart and im not sure what soap, if any, I should use to clean it with before mixing. Should I just rinse it out with ro water or use some kind of detergent? I know it stinks like plastic right now. Any info would be appreciated.

[seabass]

Their website doesn't say if they use food grade plastic like Rubbermaid Brute containers. Some people don't think that's such a big of a deal, but I feel it's a good precaution to take. However, I wouldn't worry too much about it if you are just using it once for a tank upgrade.

 

I wouldn't waste RO water on rinsing it; plain tap water is fine to use for this purpose. If you want to disinfect it, a bleach solution is OK to use (just rinse it well, and soak it using a dechlorinator when you are finished).

[bitts]

[quote

I wouldn't waste RO water on rinsing it; plain tap water is fine to use for this purpose. If you want to disinfect it, a bleach solution is OK to use (just rinse it well, and soak it using a dechlorinator when you are finished).

 

+1

when I sanstize my beer bottles its bleachwater to the rescue then rinse 4 times.

[yardboy]

I would personally wash it with dishwashing liquid, a voluminous rinse with tap water, and for an extra precaution rinse in RO water, which is just used to get traces of tap water out. In other words, a gallon or less swirled around in it and poured out. But then, I'm just an OCD chemist.

[robpardee]

I wouldn't use dish liquid because small soap films could remain even after a thurough rinsing. I would say a vinegar and water mix would probably be good.

 

or +1 to bitts

[wombat]

I wouldn't use it in the first place. You have no idea what that plastic is leaching into your water--Rubbermaid BRUTEs are time tested, food safe, and don't crack and leak like some cheap plastic garbage cans do when they're exposed to seawater.

 

If you decide to use it don't use any kind of soap or detergent--any organics they would remove can be just as easily removed with bleach or vinegar which can then be easily neutralized. Soap can't.

[MGDMIRAGE]

I wouldn't use dish liquid because small soap films could remain even after a thurough rinsing. I would say a vinegar and water mix would probably be good.

 

or +1 to bitts

 

Agree, i wouldn't use any type of soap to wash it out.

 

Flip the thing over and find out what type of plastic it is made out of, the type should be inside of a triangle at the bottom.

 

Check out this thread for more information> Reef Safe Plastics

 

Having linked that, i would still only use the brute containers just for the fact that so many of used it with success. I think the extra cost is worth it when weighed against the cost of replacing all the livestock in a reef tank.

[wesreyn]

Very informative post. It is a 4 so I should be good. It was just a one time thing so I shouldnt have any problems.