water strorage

kclewis · 07/17/2006, 10:44 AM

i work for a drycleaner here in indianapolis. we get alot of our cleaning solutions in in nice 55 gallon plastic containers. heavy duty plastic, handle on top, and a screw in plug, all of course water tight. when we are done with them we just throw them away. they would be great for mixing and storage of water. all of the solutions are enzymed based maerials. does anyone out there think these could be cleaned enough to be safe for this application? any suggestions?
thanks
kcl

Dubbin1 · 07/17/2006, 10:46 AM

If you are sure that you can get them clean then they should be fine. I would bleach the living daylights out of them though.

anydarnthing · 07/17/2006, 10:52 AM

I wouldn't use them dry cleaning chemicals are very caustic and plastics in general absorb chemicals and then release them slowly over time. So the longer the water sits in the container the more polluted its going to get. I wouldn't risk it with expensive fish when a 32gal Rubbermaid trash can from Wally world cost $10.

theop · 07/17/2006, 11:46 AM

If they are truly enzymatic solutions then they should be fine as enzymes are just proteins. As long as you are sure they didn't contain any solvents then you should be ok.

Agreed that a good bleaching would clean it right up. That would denature any protein.

07/17/2006, 10:44 AM	#1
kclewis REEFER Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Beautiful Bargersville, IN Posts: 383	water strorage i work for a drycleaner here in indianapolis. we get alot of our cleaning solutions in in nice 55 gallon plastic containers. heavy duty plastic, handle on top, and a screw in plug, all of course water tight. when we are done with them we just throw them away. they would be great for mixing and storage of water. all of the solutions are enzymed based maerials. does anyone out there think these could be cleaned enough to be safe for this application? any suggestions? thanks kcl

07/17/2006, 10:52 AM	#3
anydarnthing Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Omaha Posts: 657	I wouldn't use them dry cleaning chemicals are very caustic and plastics in general absorb chemicals and then release them slowly over time. So the longer the water sits in the container the more polluted its going to get. I wouldn't risk it with expensive fish when a 32gal Rubbermaid trash can from Wally world cost $10. __________________ No good deed goes unpunished... Current Tank Info: 240gal softy Reef, 220gal Reef, 29gal Nano reef, 75gal holding tank, H&S A200 3xF2001 & A250 2x1260, 2x 72" Current Orbit 250W MH actinic T5's. Geo Calcium Rx.

07/17/2006, 10:46 AM	#2
Dubbin1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Findlay, Ohio Posts: 11,540	If you are sure that you can get them clean then they should be fine. I would bleach the living daylights out of them though.

07/17/2006, 11:46 AM	#4
theop Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 1,493	If they are truly enzymatic solutions then they should be fine as enzymes are just proteins. As long as you are sure they didn't contain any solvents then you should be ok. Agreed that a good bleaching would clean it right up. That would denature any protein.