Sorry for the newbie question. I have a new 5gal bucket from Home Depot. Do I need to clean it in a special way before using for ro/di and mixing salt water?
I just use a drop or two of dawn dish soap on a rag to wash stuff like that im using for my tank.. Just make sure you rinse very well and air dry before use. I purchased a couple food grade buckets from Wally World.. A 5 gallon and a 2.5 gallon, paid like $7 for both.. They are in the paint section you need to read the bottom of bucket as some where food grade other where not.
I would prefer something food grade for storing water - especially RODI - for any length of time.
Even a recycled bakery or fast-food bucket, but you can purchase them from places like usplastic.com too.
If you're spending any time carrying water around by hand, I'd actually recommend upgrading from a bucket.
Most people get by on recycled salt buckets or hardware store buckets - I have my share of them too, and they are a great $free place to start - but water is heavy and there are already too many excuses not to do a water change.
To minimize the displeasure of moving water by hand, I have six of these carboys. They are darn-near perfect. (Even much better than any other carboy I've seen.) Though it may seem like a lot when you have free buckets, in the long run $13 isn't even memorable....unless you post on the forum about it and remind yourself. :rolleyes::p:p:D
You may not think much from looking at it, but - among its many excellent features - that handle is several times the thickness of a bucket handle. That makes this carboy about 75 times easier to carry. (There is actually an attachment you can buy for a bucket handle that does the same thing.....but just get the carboy!)
It's also square, so it has a smaller footprint than a bucket.
It comes with a tap that fits standard 1/2" tubing...
...and a standard lid if you don't want the tap.
It's graduated to the half-gallon on two sides so you can read the quantity of liquid with it standing up or laying flat.
If I could just get the time to use them more often!!!! :rolleyes::D:D
http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=22676&catid=816
Split a larger quantity order with your club or friends for a good discount to help with the shipping. (Check any local places you have that might sell them too....cleaning/office supply sometimes cuz I suspect the tap makes them good dispensers for liquid cleaners.)