55 gallon drum

[Charlied81]

I would like to try to may my own sump for pool pond. I'm adding up my cart it is an awful lot all the things i need. The main piece I need being the 55 gallon drum is a good $150 for a new food grade one. We have a ton of them at work and I could take one for free. They probably had some really nasty stuff in them though. I have a good pressure washer do you think if I cleaned it out good it would be safe to make my sump?

 

[Charlied81]

Or there are some pretty cheap ones on Craigslist near me that say they were used for dishwashing they had soap in them. Maybe that might be better than something that probably had chemicals in it?

 

[Polypterus_36]

I personally wouldn't risk it with either option.
Chemicals and soap would probably still linger on the drum even after a good wash.

 

[FJB]

$150 sounds like a lot.
Around where I live (PA), some ethnic-aimed stores (Hispanic and Asian) sell brand new (never used) 55gal drums fairly inexpensively (under $50). People use them to send domestic goods back home. Two store names that sell them are Cousins and Supremo. I don't know if they always have them but I have seen them a number of times.
Another alternative is that concentrated grape and apple juice is imported from various places into the USA (such as from Chile and South Africa), and the drums are sold used by various companies. Sometimes salvage stores get hold of these and resale them cheaply.
Good luck!

 

[dogofwar]

Worst case scenario put a large trash bag or liner in a used one. Good as new...

 

[Charlied81]

$150 sounds like a lot.
Around where I live (PA), some ethnic-aimed stores (Hispanic and Asian) sell brand new (never used) 55gal drums fairly inexpensively (under $50). People use them to send domestic goods back home. Two store names that sell them are Cousins and Supremo. I don't know if they always have them but I have seen them a number of times.
Another alternative is that concentrated grape and apple juice is imported from various places into the USA (such as from Chile and South Africa), and the drums are sold used by various companies. Sometimes salvage stores get hold of these and resale them cheaply.
Good luck!

I live in Pa also

 

[Charlied81]

I personally wouldn't risk it with either option.
Chemicals and soap would probably still linger on the drum even after a good wash.

I was thinking that as well. I guess I just needed to hear someone else say it so I didn't try.

 

[Charlied81]

I scored a good one for $35

 

[FJB]

Congrats on 35 bucks. A good deal!
I use 2 of them for 'aging' the water change water for my tanks. I actually only age for a couple of hours, but do it to produce the correct temp, and because I will never again fill my tanks directly from the tap (following a very serious experience, not my fault). City water services can do nasty things, with little or no notice, or seasonally. My 'aging' gives me a second chance at detecting a problem, and adds no additional work.

 

[Charlied81]

Congrats on 35 bucks. A good deal!
I use 2 of them for 'aging' the water change water for my tanks. I actually only age for a couple of hours, but do it to produce the correct temp, and because I will never again fill my tanks directly from the tap (following a very serious experience, not my fault). City water services can do nasty things, with little or no notice, or seasonally. My 'aging' gives me a second chance at detecting a problem, and adds no additional work.

I have a 300g huge water tub with a lid out back. I think I'm gonna fill it and let it sit in the sun to warm up for water changes. At least during the summer anyway.