Rubbermaid Totes - What is the final word on their safety?

[Anonymous]

Are they reef safe? Is it an old wives tale that they will leach chemical's? Are there particular series or brands that are better than others? I am thinking about a $10 31 gallon gray tote from Home Depot.
Thanks

 

[liquid]

Got a pic or a URL? I've personally used the 20 gal Sterlite cheapie tote for a sump and haven't had any problems w/ them. I know *many* people that have used the Rubbermaid livestock troughs w/o problems...

Shane

 

[Anonymous]

No, I have been looking and of course can't find one. It is either the Roughneck series or Brute series plastic storage container. It is essentially the same as the sterlite one except for being Rubbermaid.

 

[Anonymous]

Good question, Bier. I'm getting tired of using Instant Ocean jugs...it would be nice to use one big container.

 

[WannaBeReefer]

Just make sure it is food grade, my rubbermaid had a sticker on it with a bunch of food in it. Does not leach at all, sometimes I have the same batch of RO/DI water in it for a week or two and have no problems.

 

[hillbilly]

I used a rubbermaid trash can for couple of years as a mixing barrel for my water changes, never had a problem with it until it cracked and would no longer hold water.

 

[elpescado]

I use a 45gal Brute (Home Depot, $35), and a RubberMaid 34gal plastic el cheap'o garbage can. I have never had any problems.
My sump is a RubberMaid storage tote (harder plastic than some of the others though). No problems there either.
My only caution is that you look for one with a stiffer plastic. The "flimsy" ones have a tendancy to bow out at the sides.

 

[JohnD]

I second wannabeareefer. I bought a food grade barrell and lid from Home Depot several years back and have never had a problem.

Actually, I did have a problem - the barrell gets very heavy after a few gallons of water are in it. So, the best purchase I ever made for tank keeping was the purchase of the dolly for the barrell. It cost maybe $25, but it is well worth it.

My $.02.

 

[mrrrkva]

Dont use the ROUGHNECK. They leach solids into water. Using a TDS meter I found that it leeched 1-2 tds per day. Brutes are fine. Usually greys are good.

 

[Luis]

oh noooo!!!!, I just got a roughneck and it looked perfect for a sump until I read all this, well I will take it back to the store....

What about "Tuff stuff" they are made of Recycled LDPE (low density polyethylene)?, they are used as stock tanks...

 

[Arch01]

Hmm.... Anyone else had this problem with Roughnecks? I purchased a couple of them for water changes, but I haven't used them yet.

Alex
_________________
Dementia Forum

 

[Anonymous]

Just get a trash can and line it with plain black plastic trash bags. They're chemically inert.

 

[John_Brandt]

Just make sure it is food grade, my rubbermaid had a sticker on it with a bunch of food in it. Does not leach at all, sometimes I have the same batch of RO/DI water in it for a week or two and have no problems.

Do you have information that the "non-food grade" Rubbermaid containers are dangerous?

Dont use the ROUGHNECK. They leach solids into water. Using a TDS meter I found that it leeched 1-2 tds per day.

How were you able to determine that the dissolved solids were leached from the container, as opposed to coming from some other source?

Just get a trash can and line it with plain black plastic trash bags. They're chemically inert.

Is it true that some plastic trashcan liners contain anti-bacterial compounds? I thought I heard or read that.

 

[Anonymous]

In my experience it's almost always noted (plus, they usually cost more). I've found that if you go for cheap, you get plain. It should be obvious, but some folks don't realize, don't get anti-mildew, don't get deodorized, don't get any bells or whistles, not even the built-in ties - just the plainest plastic you can find.

 

[Luis]

Well, I did the test myself...

I fill my roughneck with water from my R.O. filter and I fill a specimen container (believe me; specimen containers are "reefsafe" :wink: ) with the same water I measure the solids in both with a tds meter and I got 12 ppm then I left them uncovered overnight, next day I measure both again and guess what? both were 17 ppm, next day the water in the specimen container had 23 ppm and the water in the roughneck was 20.

My conclusion is: there has to be something else; bacteria, dust .... but I think the roughneck did not leach anything into the water if so, then the specimen container leached something too (I doubt so). The disolved solids came from some other source as John noted.

 

[Anonymous]

I am using 2 rubbermaids that I got at a container store. They dis not say food safe or roughneck or bture. I use one for my holding area of RO/DI for my auto top off and 1 for my water changes.

I use 2 food grade 5 gallon jugs to place the RO/DI/DI water into the carry across the house to the rubbermaids.


I tested the water in the jugs and the RO/DI/DI is 0 TDS.

My tank is full of hair algae and I have been searching and searching for my fuel source.

Maybe its the rubbermaids that are the auto topoff storage leaching something into the water?

I got to check this out when I get home.
_________________
grape ape plant

 

[Anonymous]

Holy $%&.

I tested the water again in the jugs and it is 0 TDS.

The Rubbermaid holding tank that has water in it for 2 days has a 57 TDS already.

I think I finally found my fuel source for the hair algae.

Now I have to go out and find another container.
_________________
recession history united states

 

[John_Brandt]

Holy $%&. I tested the water again in the jugs and it is 0 TDS. The Rubbermaid holding tank that has water in it for 2 days has a 57 TDS already. I think I finally found my fuel source for the hair algae. Now I have to go out and find another container.

The "fuel source" for hair algae is nitrogen and phosphorus. I doubt that your plastic tank is leaching that into your water. Your TDS meter does not tell you what it is detecting and that lack of information might cost you the price of a new plastic holding tank.

 

[Anonymous]

The container is definetly leaching something into the water since I put 0 TDS water into the tub and 2 days later it is 57.

The 57 reading on the TDS meter cant be good for the tank?

If that is not the source of the algae then I have no idea where it is.

I have tested for phosphates and nitrates and they read both 0.
_________________
Rehab Forums

 

[Anonymous]

The only thing that will not leach ANYTHING is glass. All plastic, even food grade, will leach something.