Water change bucket

paran · #1 05/16/2007, 04:33 PM

I heard from my local source that I should be concerned with the type of bucket I use to mix my salt and water in for a water change. Apparently, there are a lot of buckets out there that are not saltwater safe and can actually leak their chemicals into the saltwater.

Anyone else heard of this?

MTB · #2 05/16/2007, 04:37 PM

I never had. My LFS uses left over salt buckets. They gave me a couple to use. I have also used home depot buckets aswell with no apparent bad effects.

Neptune777 · #3 05/16/2007, 04:44 PM

Try to use buckets that are made from HDPE.....you should see the material listed on the bottom underside of your bucket.

paran · #4 05/16/2007, 05:08 PM

Whoops.. I meant to say the garbage pail I use to make my saltwater mix.

There is no writing on the bottom of it.

1SickReefer · #5 05/16/2007, 05:16 PM

yes this is common knowledge, a non-food grade bucket or trash can can leach it's chemicals. Brute trash cans from HD and lowes are food grade and is what I use to mix my saltwater and hold my topoff water.

KyleO · #6 05/16/2007, 05:26 PM

Brute trash buckets are definitely the way to go! For the money you can't beat the quality and ruggedness of the 20,30 & 55ga containers that are completely safe for us reefers (IMO)

frederickk · #7 05/17/2007, 04:10 PM

Anyone know about the Rubbermaid one?

KyleO · #8 05/17/2007, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by frederickk
Anyone know about the Rubbermaid one?

The Brute buckets we are referring to are made by Rubbermaid

seagirl · #9 05/17/2007, 04:31 PM

i recently purchased a tan 28 gallon container ant lowes for my saltwater mixing, it is not a brute. is this something i need to worry about?

KyleO · #10 05/17/2007, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Neptune777
Try to use buckets that are made from HDPE.....you should see the material listed on the bottom underside of your bucket.

You definitely don't want to be leaching anything into your water....worth looking into

paran · #11 05/17/2007, 09:41 PM

I went to my local source and yes, unless it is a brute, no other Rubbermaid container is certified to be used for salt water, UNLESS it is marked as "Food Container Safe"

frederickk · #12 05/17/2007, 09:47 PM

Well that's good to know. I thought they were two separate company.

moumda · #13 05/18/2007, 06:40 AM

Beware of using anything that isn't food grade. Had a tank crash because of using roughneck container instead of brute (that's what I'm blaming it on, couldn't of beeen me

).

gonzalezcp · #14 05/18/2007, 11:46 PM

orange home depot 5 gal buckets work for me.. no strange deaths thus far..

Hop · #15 05/19/2007, 12:12 AM

Most 5 gallon buckets that are sterile, never used for anything, are perfectly fine. Where people run into trouble is when they use other containers from the local big-box retailers

The brutes are definitely the way to go IMO if you have the room. Even if you only have a 20 gallon tank, it's nice to know that you have two water changes sitting, ready if needed

Princess Di · #16 05/19/2007, 12:16 AM

I use 55 gallon drums (food grade) purchased from a local grange. They work great.

paran · #17 05/19/2007, 08:45 PM

Very interesting comments.

I actually went out and bought me a Rubbermaid Brute, and I looked at the bottom. It says it's LDPE, but it IS a "Food Safe Container."

Wonder if there is any difference really.

TCKTME · #18 05/20/2007, 08:00 AM

HDPE=High Density Polyethelene
LDPE=Low "" ""

Quite possibly a spelling error or two in this post.

Jason