Prefered Trashcans/ Water Container 4 Auto-Topoff

Random Aquarist · #1 07/08/2007, 11:02 AM

I'd like to get 1 or 2 trashcans for water storage/mixing. Which trashcans do you guys usually get? Is there any difference?

Also, do you guys know of any tall, thin, containers I can put behind my tank to be used for auto-topping off? Will any Rubbermaid container work? I'm looking for <5" wide and <14" long. Any ideas?

d4a2n0k · #2 07/08/2007, 12:05 PM

Rubbermaid Brute. They are stronger than regular Rubbermaid stuff and food safe.

Some of the cheaper plastic bins can/will leach all sorts of bad stuff into the water.

kypatriot · #3 07/08/2007, 12:17 PM

For top-off, I also would like a tall thin container. I'm using a 5g bucket in front my sump right now.

For mixing and storage, I got a 37 gallon drum & lid made by Tuff Stuff Products. It was $25 at Tractor Supply. www.tufftubs.com

I called the company to be sure it would not leach ANYTHING into my RO water, and they assured me it would not. I've been using it for about 6 months with no problems at all.

HBtank · #4 07/08/2007, 12:52 PM

I went to target with some measurements and found a plastic container in the "storage container" section that was a good size.

As for leaching... I don't know, truthfully it is not a great concern for me, and maybe it should be.. someone may have more experience with it being a problem and making sure this does not happen.

The thought did pass through my mind, but I was confident in my purchase because it was intended to hold dog food (and was not just some trach can..) and was "shiny" and IMO less likely to leech. It holds 7 gallons.

andyjd · #5 07/08/2007, 01:08 PM

I use a Rubbermaid "wrap and craft bin" for my ATO

Snook65 · #6 07/08/2007, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by andyjd
I use a Rubbermaid "wrap and craft bin" for my ATO

I use the wrap bin for my auto top off as well and a Brute trash can for mixing my salt water.

frederickk · #7 07/09/2007, 04:51 PM

I have the rubbermaid one and it works well for me

hyperfocal · #8 07/09/2007, 06:36 PM

I've heard stories of Brutes rupturing if used to hold water 24/7. I'm using those translucent 5gal water containers -- I'd rather top one off every couple of days than have a failure and end up with 20 gals of RO/DI on the floor.

Random Aquarist · #9 07/09/2007, 06:46 PM

Where can I get a couple Brutes and 1 or 2 wrap bins?

kypatriot · #10 07/09/2007, 07:29 PM

I think Tractor Supply had some of the Brutes too. The Tuff Stuff ones were cheaper and were designed to hold water though.

Most farm supply places should have heavy duty water/storage containers.

andyjd · #11 07/09/2007, 08:03 PM

Brutes can be had anywhere(lowes,HD,SAMS etc) mine has been holding 24/7 for the past 18 months. My wrap bin came from Target, although they might be slightly seasonal.

Andy

JStorey · #12 07/10/2007, 09:57 AM

I bought a 10 gallon glass aquarium for less than $10 I use for my auto top off.

kypatriot · #13 07/10/2007, 12:11 PM

I considered making one out of 1/4" acrylic. I'd do it like a 20g Long tank turned on its side. Then it'd give me 20g storage but be small enough to hide away in the corner.

With some acrylic and weld-on it shouldn't be hard to do at all. I think you can even get somewhere like Lowe's to cut the acrylic for you.

rbursek · #14 07/10/2007, 04:36 PM

Made my sump/fuge out of a 4x8x1/4 acrylic, $110.00 for all the stuff.

kypatriot · #15 07/10/2007, 04:42 PM

$110?!? Does that count baffles, pump, pipes, etc?

I made my sump/fuge from a 29g glass tank that I put acrylic baffles in for about $50.

For the auto top-off I was thinking it would just be the cost of the acrylic and weld-on, which I expected to be probably $30.