Rubbermaid BRUTE Cans

[PaulPerger]

Best to get new... you never know what had already been stored in those trash cans if purchasing used.

I thought of that after I posted, so I asked. He said they were used to ship Apple Juice. On one hand, I think I should be able to clean them out pretty well. It's not like they had pickles in them...

I had actually planned to buy three containers anyway, at ~$40 each. One for fresh RODI water, one for mixing SW, and one for waste water from the RODI which I plan to use to water plants, etc.

So, I'll buy two (I can only fit two in my car anyway). If I can get them clean enough, I'll buy two more, and have two waste water storage containers instead of one, and I save ~$60. If I can't get them clean enough, I'll buy two Brute cans for RODI and SW mixing and use the two barrels for RODI waste water, and I save ~$10. And, either way, I win with more RODI Waste water storage capacity and less expense.

 

[Idoc]

The wheels for the brute snap on and don't come off. Furniture dollies won't grip the can full of water.

A Brute even only half full of water won't even budge on the furniture cart. I roll mine over a door frame (using a 1/4" plywood piece as a small ramp) and then over a tile floor about 30 feet and it never moves!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

They may have changed the plastic. Ten years ago or so my local club had (I forget his name) had a guest speaker who was one of the first to raise captive bred clowns and a few other species. He did a talk about his experiences and some of the pitfalls that he found along the way.

One was that clown larvae are attracted to light and they would literally bash their brains trying to get to anything bright in if not raised in the dark. They started using Brute cans because every reefer uses Brute cans. They found that all of the fish became deformed. They switched to glass tanks painted black and everything was fine. His theory was that something in the grey, not food safe, cans was causing damage to the tiny fish.

There's also been a few other reports from roughly the same time period of studies done on marine life where the scientists used grey Brute cans (like everyone does). I remember reading that chromosomal damage was occurring when the Grey cans were used. The food grade seemed ok.

Again this was roughly ten to twelve years ago. It's possible that Rubbermaid is using the same plastic for their FG (food grade) and non FG cans. Also proving (or disproving) chromosomal damage would probably take a breeder or at the very least some long term studies with controls. Otherwise like most things in this hobby it's heresay and anectodal evidence at best.

Just a few years ago we found out that BPA wasn't good and for a decade (or more) it's what we made baby bottles out of. That entire time everyone thought BPA was totally safe. Now we know it can disrupt quite a bit in a small persons body.

I like to stick with containers made to hold potable water. It's the same price, I'm not reinventing the wheel or trying to put a square peg in a round hole. I never feel safe with those Brute cans. I always feel like it might bend and dump water all over. Polyethylene cans are made to hold water, even high SG water and are as tough, if not more than Brute.

Was this Eric Bornemann?

Eric's comments on that reported event were less than informed, scientifically. I give them little to no credence. he had (at least at the time and later when reporting it) zero knowledge of what is actually added to which kinds plastics.

When challenged, he never even claimed he washed the cans before use. Bird poop, pesticides and all sorts of things might have been in a trash can from home depot.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I bought a grey one bout a month ago just for ro water and it has a funny smell, what should I do?

What does it smell like?

I'd rinse it out with warm soapy water, lots of rinsing, and it is likely good to go.

 

[Fritzhamer]

Was this Eric Bornemann?

Eric's comments on that reported event were less than informed, scientifically. I give them little to no credence. he had (at least at the time and later when reporting it) zero knowledge of what is actually added to which kinds plastics.

When challenged, he never even claimed he washed the cans before use. Bird poop, pesticides and all sorts of things might have been in a trash can from home depot.

I believe it was and those are really good points.

Thanks.

 

[Tink]

From Rubbermaid's website concerning their BRUTE containers:

• Gray, White and Yellow are USDA Meat & Poultry Equipment Group Listed and assist in complying with HACCP guidelines.
• Certified to NSF Standards #2 and #21
  

I will say that both of mine do have a bit of a "cat pee" smell even after a year + of use.

 

[Pola0502ds]

Are there any reports of them failing? Like cracking and leaking? I use them too and often wonder if im gonna come home to water all over the floor. When i do a water change the water is within a 1” from the top so they are cery full. That is a ton of weight pushing against the sides.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Are there any reports of them failing? Like cracking and leaking? I use them too and often wonder if im gonna come home to water all over the floor. When i do a water change the water is within a 1” from the top so they are cery full. That is a ton of weight pushing against the sides.

I've had some in use more than 10 years without failing.

 

[AlexReef100]

I'm using one of the 32 Gallon Brute cans to store my RO/DI water, I just scoop water out when I need it and my shutoff float valve on my RO/DI unit tops it off for me. I got one of the light blue cans and I've marked on the outside with sharpie and it is clearly visible.

I would recommend against using the dollies, once you get the can full of water its gonna be hard to move that 200+ lbs of water around on those small dollies, at best it will tip over and dump all that water on your floor. If you DO want to keep it mobile and use the dollies, I would suggest never filling it above halfway.

 

[Jongalt26]

The wheels for the brute snap on and don't come off. Furniture dollies won't grip the can full of water.

Except i had a brute wheel snap off and dumped a full 44 gallon can of rodi on the floor. We had just replaced the carpet with hardwood flooring.

 

[Idoc]

Are there any reports of them failing? Like cracking and leaking? I use them too and often wonder if im gonna come home to water all over the floor. When i do a water change the water is within a 1” from the top so they are cery full. That is a ton of weight pushing against the sides.

I think the whole circular design actually increases its strength by distributing the pressure all around the circumference of it rather than pushing on a one flat side or 90 degree joint/corners like in some square bins without solid tops..

 

[Gamma]

I have been using 25g grey brute with brute roller base for several years. One for rodi that is pumped to ATO containers when needed. Also use it to do my mixing for water changes. Other one is for waste from water change so I take out same amount as I have ready to go in plus I just roll it thru house outside to drainage ditch. Don't like putting saltwater in septic system. Never had issue rolling full can...best thing I ever used.

 

[theMeat]

I bought a grey one bout a month ago just for ro water and it has a funny smell, what should I do?

Hold your nose

 

[bblumberg]

See here for information on Brute containers

http://www.rubbermaidcommercial.com/rcp/brute/pdf/BruteBrochure.pdf
and
http://www.rubbermaidcommercial.com...tegoryCode=waste_brute_utility&rcpNum=1867531

Essentially, what these links say are that all Brute containers are manufactured to NSF 2 and 21 standards which certifies that they are allowable for food use
http://www.nsf.org/newsroom_pdf/nsf_2_2015_watermarked.pdf

HDPE has no smell so if you have a container with a smell, it is likely made (at least partly) from a different plastic, or has mold inhibitors or some other odorous stuff in it.

 

[Forsaken77]

The grey cans used to be the only food grade color of Brute can you could use, which is why everyone has grey. They may have simplified things and made all of their canns food grade, but I remember the blue wasn't food grade at Home Depot. Again, this may have changed.

I use the 44 gallon to store RODI water and it's on the Brute dolly because occasionally it has to be moved. The dolly is completely safe for a 44 gallon full to the top. They make different dollies though. Some are capable of more weight and have the quiet wheels.

I use another 25 gallon can to do 20 gallon water changes and it to is on the dolly. I have to wheel it outside and dump it. The only thing I would recommend with the dolly and saltwater is to put WD40 on the wheels because saltwater will rust them and lock them up. When you move them, it helps to spin them as you're moving it so the water doesn't slosh back & forth.

But the Grey can and dolly are safe. The only can I wouldn't 100% trust on the dolly is a full can that's 55 gallons. The 44 gallon is as far as I would take a full can of water on those dollies. Again, they make a dolly that's around $60 that can handle more weight and has quiet wheels.

 

[kswan]

I’m using grey Brutes for RO/DI storage and ATO reservoir. The bottom is for mixed saltwater. I was struggling with the visibility issue and added a sight gage which works great.

 

[Steve Fast]

Check these out:

http://duracast.com/tanks/open-top-tanks/

 

[theMeat]

Was this Eric Bornemann?

Eric's comments on that reported event were less than informed, scientifically. I give them little to no credence. he had (at least at the time and later when reporting it) zero knowledge of what is actually added to which kinds plastics.

When challenged, he never even claimed he washed the cans before use. Bird poop, pesticides and all sorts of things might have been in a trash can from home depot.

Agreed. And like so many other things it grows and spreads into a myth. Like if you hear it enough times or from enough people it must be true

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

White, grey, don’t matter. Brute cans are all the same and are all good. Look at recycle symbol on any container, will tell you if it’s safe

+1

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I would give the Brute a good scrub before using, just in case any release agents were used in the manufacture process. But I highly doubt one would find any measurable amount of leachate in stored RO/DI or saltwater from the HDPE itself, it is an extremely inert and stable material.