Water change containers?

[Northstar24]

So, my rubbermaid storage container I had been using for the last few years decided to pop a seam while I was in the process of hauling water upstairs for a water change. Several towels and a very upset wife later the mess was all clenaed up. Thankfully it happened while I was around and able to prevent all 20 gallons from spilling into the living room.

Obviously I dont want to have this problem again. I'm thinking about getting one of the Rubbermaid 'Brute' Garbage cans. For those of you with large tanks (and large water changes) what do you use for mixing saltwater?

 

[Lesely]

Hi. Yeah what a pain. Flooded our floors more than once. We don't lift water at all for that very reason. So we have a 1000lt nsw storage container outside

Then we pump from this to a 200lt pickle barrel in the laundry to heat. & test. And pump straight from here into the tank. Not sure if this helps as you said you climb stairs. But can you just pump. ?

 

[Northstar24]

One of these days I'll get around to engineering something that will let me do water changes without hauling water up from the basement - in the meantime I think one of the brute cans will have to suffice

 

[Karen]

Do you have a way to store water closer to the tank. Seems to me the failure might have been because of too much moving around. The trash can will probably work much better for you, though.

 

[wontonflip]

Sorry, just saw this post.....I previously used a large 32g trash can, too. It wasn't brute, but I've had it for a few years now and hasn't had problems (although the way it bows out is scary LOL). Since getting back into hobby mode, I did buy a 55g Brute trash can that is obviously stronger. Then I saw someone on Craigslist selling 5g barrels for $30 each! I jumped on it. They were nice and clean, and owner says it was only used for rainwater. I trust it....they were so clean and so was their house. The only drawback is that I can't mix saltwater in it. No way to fit a powerhead in it I'm considering opening up the top

My first trash bin that cracked:

Now I have these:

 

[mariobrothersleeve]

These are all good containers to use. Just be careful, these containers are typically used for bulk chemicals. I'd be scared of the plastic leaching chemicals back into the supply.

 

[Northstar24]

The Brutes are usda listed for meat and poultry service. While not exactly 'food grade' rated I imagine the leeching shouldn't be of much concern. I did rise / wash it out several times to get rid of any mold release left from manufacture

 

[IraqVeteran]

I know this is an old post, but still a valid concern. I have two 32 gallon Brute cans. One, I keep water from the RO/DI in the garage filled to about 30 gallons along with an airstone for aeration. Each week I wheel my other 32 gallon Brute can to the garage and siphon 20 gallons of fresh water into it and wheel it back inside to the laundry room where I then add the AquaVitro salt mix, 200w heater and PH. I let that mix for a few days to a week and then I do my water changes. After that, I do the process all over again. Not too hard....takes about 15 minutes to do.

I was just wondering how others do it and with all of the new folks on here it might help them with ideas of different ways to do mixing and saltwater storage.

Also, who knows how long mixed saltwater can be stored before it shouldnt be used for water changes....and why, if at all, would it go bad?

 

[fastrd400]

Your Aquavitro Salt is not designed to be mixed that long. Per Seachem, their salt mix starts losing it's alk content when mixed more than a day. This is the main reason I quit using rheir salt.

 

[IraqVeteran]

Thanks for the info. What brand do you use? With regular water changes I dont want to have to dose much.

 

[fastrd400]

I have been using the Red Sea

 

[IraqVeteran]

So I decided to call Seachem and talk to them about their AquaVitro Salinity salt mix. They informed me that the best way to mix their salt is, in my situation, to use my 32gal Brute and if I have, say 25 gallons of ro/di water in it, add salt for 10 gallons and mix and allow to dissolve over say 15 minutes, then do another 10 gallons and then the 5 gallons. They said I can use a PH to mix for 12 to 24 hours if I wish. After that he said dont mix. He said he stores his saltwater mix and it works fine.

He said a lot of folks continue to heat the water and mix via PH and that is where the alk lowers. He said the best way would be to mix the saltwater and use it the next day.

So now I will mix up my saltwater on Fridays and do the WC on Saturdays. He said you can store it in containers with lids for a couple of weeks without issue....sometimes longer.

 

[Big K]

It's threads like this that make me thankful for my basement sump system with storage tank above it. Two ball valves opened and shut after the correct amount is exchanged and I'm done!

 

[IraqVeteran]

Basement....you must love up North. We had one when I lived in Chicage as a kid, but here in the SW Houston Texas area...people dont have basements.

Its not ao bad doing the water change the way I do it. It takes no time at all. Did 20gal in the 90gal tank and 5gal in the 14gal tank yesterday in no time at all. Mixed the 25gal in the Brute Friday evening and Saturday morning did the wayer change. About 15 minutes in overall time.

Your setup for water changes sounds awesome and super easy.

 

[LymanBay]

I use a Rubbermaid 20 gallon which works very well; no seams to split as it is extruded plastic. I've placed it on a pedestal and installed a beverage-grade spigot. This allows me to mix my water and then take what I need from the tap easily.

 

[IraqVeteran]

I use a Rubbermaid 20 gallon which works very well; no seams to split as it is extruded plastic. I've placed it on a pedestal and installed a beverage-grade spigot. This allows me to mix my water and then take what I need from the tap easily.

Good idea with the spigot. I usually just throw a large pump in one of mine and transfer what I need to my other Brute 32 and roll it into the house on Thursday so the water can get room temp. Then on Friday after work I add the salt and a powerhead. Then Saturday I do my water change.....pretty quick process.