cleaning food grade barrels for AWC system. How to?

Devaji

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long story short I cant get the fancy norwesco white vertical water storage in my area and shipping is more than the tank..................................

SOO I ended up with some nice white 55gal food grade barrels paid $15 bucks each ( yeah I had to drive 4.5hr each way ) was the best thing I could find after a few months of looking.

the barrels are HDPE #2 and came from i think Pepsi or or coke plant? IDK I dont drink the stuff. they smell of mountain due so a lemon citric thing going on inside.

here is what I have done:
1. pressure wash the inside
2. a very light bleach soak of 1/2 cup to a barrel let sit for 24+ hours.
3. a good rinse and let sit for 48+ hrs to air out.
4. 1/2 gal vinegar per barrel and let soak for 24+ hrs fallowed by a good rinse and let sit to air out for about a week.
5. blue dawn soak for 24+ hrs then a good rinse.

the smell has come down but is still pretty strong if you put your nose right to the openings.
so my questions are:
is there anything I am messing here in my cleaning process?
and do you think they are safe to use one will be RODI res for ATO and SW mixing station and the other will be SW for AWC.

thoughts?
cheers
D
 

redfishbluefish

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You're good to go. Whatever is there, if anything, is a carbon source for the bacteria in your tank.....not to mention the dilution factor would make it non-detectable. Use them!
 

monkeyCmonkeyDo

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If i put fresh rodi in my old 55gal barrel and the tds rose i would take the fish tank scrub brush and rodi trickle output and scrub and rinse. Ect. Repeat.
U can use a cleaner such ad bleach and or vinegar and rinse well with equal to smae results. Hths
D
 

KrisReef

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Isn’t baking soda the cure for stinky refrigerator and socks? If you are worried maybe a paste of rodi & baking soda smeared or caked on the walls with a Mr Clean sponge, let it stand a few minutes(or hours?) and then rinse it off to remove the Dew smell?
 

pelicansreef

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I use these same barrels. I get them from a local source and have used both the Mountain Dew and the Pepsi barrels. I wash them with tap water and then I use 2 cups Baking soda in about 20 gal of tap water to cut the citric acid, (I buy a 12 lb. bag of Arm and Hammer from Costco) then I rinse them good. I have used them for RODI for Top off water and makeup water for Saltwater prior to water changes. I have never had any issues.
 

DaneGer21

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I have two of the same ones also. I also have two that had tomato paste in them. I think I rinsed mine 2-3 times and put them into use. 3yrs later and thousands of gallons through all four barrels; zero issues
 
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