cleaning 55 gallon drums for water storage

Snakebyt · 08/23/2009, 10:49 PM

me and a friend picked up a few of the blue 55 gallon barrels for water storage.
We got them from a snow cone place and flavoring was in them. We have rinsed and rinsed them with water, soaked them in water for a couple days, added some vinegar and soaked some more.

Still have the smell of the flavoring that was in them. If you put your nose over the hole you can smell pina colada, strawberry, cherry ect..

what can be done to make this things ready to store water? Just more rinsing and soaking? Should we wait till there is no smell at all before we attempt to use them?

szwab · 08/23/2009, 11:09 PM

Try pouring some bleach in and letting it sit for a few days. Then rinse it really well a few times

If you can smell the flavor it's still in there more than likely absorbed by the plastic. The idea is to hold pure water so IMO I wouldn't take the chance.

Snakebyt · 08/23/2009, 11:11 PM

so would a gallon of bleach in 54 gallons of water be too much?

szwab · 08/23/2009, 11:15 PM

yes I'd start with a cup or 2.

Snakebyt · 08/23/2009, 11:16 PM

ok, thanks.. we will give that a try

coralfragger101 · 08/24/2009, 03:54 AM

I agree.

If you can smell it - it's still there.

Pick up some cheap water softening salt and make salt water to soak it with using tap water (RO/DI even better). Add a couple of cups of bleach to it every couple of days while it is sitting for at least a week - 2 would be better. You need to keep adding the bleach as the chlorine oxidizes rapidly.

Rinse well.
Make up some new cheap salt water with RO/DI water this time and let sit another week or two with no bleach.

Rinse well.
Let sit in the air (Sun if possible) for another week or so.

Smell should be gone.

The theory behind using saltwater for the curing process is that you are going to be using this in a saltwater application. Some things embedded in the plastic may react with saltwater but not react with plain water. You want to get it all out.

CORRECTION: IF you are going to use the drum strictly for your RO/DI reservoir then you can cure without salt water (same other steps though).
If you are going to use the drum for a saltwater reservoir then cure it with saltwater.

billdogg · 08/24/2009, 06:16 AM

My 55g drum (blue, like yours) was, in its previous life, a container of photographic developer or fixer - can't remember which - its been too long. I washed it out with water, scrubbed it with some comet cleaner, rinsed a couple more times with tap water and put it to use. That was over 20 years ago - so far, no problems. because yours was for a food product - if it were me, i wouldn't worry too much about it - it may have a slight odor for awhile - if in doubt - fill it up, wait a week or so and test the water. if all is ok - use it!

troylee · 08/24/2009, 07:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by billdogg
My 55g drum (blue, like yours) was, in its previous life, a container of photographic developer or fixer - can't remember which - its been too long. I washed it out with water, scrubbed it with some comet cleaner, rinsed a couple more times with tap water and put it to use. That was over 20 years ago - so far, no problems. because yours was for a food product - if it were me, i wouldn't worry too much about it - it may have a slight odor for awhile - if in doubt - fill it up, wait a week or so and test the water. if all is ok - use it!

+1 just clean with bleach and rinse well...out here everyone I know gets there drums used from a juice factory and the smell stays around for a year or so and not one person has anything bad to report....we just buy them clean them out and put into service......no worries.....

Snakebyt · 08/24/2009, 09:47 AM

thanks for all the advice, will try the bleach and then put them into use

dahenley · 08/24/2009, 10:10 AM

i think you should leave it alone. your might get some nice corals with the pina colada smelling drum!!!
either that or your fish might be all ramped up from the sugar..

(you know i am messing with you) but where here local did you get a empty 55gal drum of snow cone syrup? that is a lot of snow cones, plus i am thinking of getting a drum my self for storage.

Snakebyt · 08/24/2009, 11:53 AM

i put a post on criagslist and the lady from Bahama Bucks contacted me, and me and John got some barrels from her.

08/23/2009, 10:49 PM	#1
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	cleaning 55 gallon drums for water storage me and a friend picked up a few of the blue 55 gallon barrels for water storage. We got them from a snow cone place and flavoring was in them. We have rinsed and rinsed them with water, soaked them in water for a couple days, added some vinegar and soaked some more. Still have the smell of the flavoring that was in them. If you put your nose over the hole you can smell pina colada, strawberry, cherry ect.. what can be done to make this things ready to store water? Just more rinsing and soaking? Should we wait till there is no smell at all before we attempt to use them?

08/23/2009, 11:09 PM	#2
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	Try pouring some bleach in and letting it sit for a few days. Then rinse it really well a few times If you can smell the flavor it's still in there more than likely absorbed by the plastic. The idea is to hold pure water so IMO I wouldn't take the chance. __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

08/23/2009, 11:15 PM	#4
szwab RC Mod Join Date: May 2002 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 15,225	yes I'd start with a cup or 2. __________________ Mark "I got a fever, and the only prescription, is more cowbell" ~ Christopher Walken Current Tank Info: AGE 240 Flatback Hex

08/24/2009, 03:54 AM	#6
coralfragger101 Gone Postal Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Coral Springs, FL Posts: 5,461	I agree. If you can smell it - it's still there. Pick up some cheap water softening salt and make salt water to soak it with using tap water (RO/DI even better). Add a couple of cups of bleach to it every couple of days while it is sitting for at least a week - 2 would be better. You need to keep adding the bleach as the chlorine oxidizes rapidly. Rinse well. Make up some new cheap salt water with RO/DI water this time and let sit another week or two with no bleach. Rinse well. Let sit in the air (Sun if possible) for another week or so. Smell should be gone. The theory behind using saltwater for the curing process is that you are going to be using this in a saltwater application. Some things embedded in the plastic may react with saltwater but not react with plain water. You want to get it all out. CORRECTION: IF you are going to use the drum strictly for your RO/DI reservoir then you can cure without salt water (same other steps though). If you are going to use the drum for a saltwater reservoir then cure it with saltwater. __________________ Views expressed by this person are not neccessarily the views of any other person and may never be. Apology extended to any member who takes offense to any post. Offense is not meant nor intended. Current Tank Info: NONE - Sold - Can't afford it right now!

08/24/2009, 06:16 AM	#7
billdogg Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Grove City, Ohio Posts: 10,806	My 55g drum (blue, like yours) was, in its previous life, a container of photographic developer or fixer - can't remember which - its been too long. I washed it out with water, scrubbed it with some comet cleaner, rinsed a couple more times with tap water and put it to use. That was over 20 years ago - so far, no problems. because yours was for a food product - if it were me, i wouldn't worry too much about it - it may have a slight odor for awhile - if in doubt - fill it up, wait a week or so and test the water. if all is ok - use it! __________________ I'll try to be nice if you try to be smarter! I can't help that I grow older, but you can't make me grow up! Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef with 40b sump, RO 150 skimmer, AI Sol Blue x 2, and a 60g Frag Tank with 100g rubbermaid sump. 2 x Kessil A360w lights, BM curve 5 skimmer

08/23/2009, 11:11 PM	#3
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	so would a gallon of bleach in 54 gallons of water be too much?

08/23/2009, 11:16 PM	#5
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	ok, thanks.. we will give that a try

08/24/2009, 09:47 AM	#9
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	thanks for all the advice, will try the bleach and then put them into use

08/24/2009, 10:10 AM	#10
dahenley Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lubbock, Tx Posts: 3,165	i think you should leave it alone. your might get some nice corals with the pina colada smelling drum!!! either that or your fish might be all ramped up from the sugar.. (you know i am messing with you) but where here local did you get a empty 55gal drum of snow cone syrup? that is a lot of snow cones, plus i am thinking of getting a drum my self for storage. __________________ Its not just my tank, its OUR tank!!! :-) 240display, reef in progress Current Tank Info: 240 display, a few frags here and there. lots of fish, and lots of watching. (230 big screen getting re-sealed and going to add to the gallonage) My wife has no clue how addicted i really am.....

08/24/2009, 11:53 AM	#11
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	i put a post on criagslist and the lady from Bahama Bucks contacted me, and me and John got some barrels from her.