Cleansing container for aging water storage

[BMac91]

To avoid an incredibly long story with pointless details the jist of this is my tap water is loaded with CO2 and drastically increases in pH over a 24hr period. It goes from 7.0 out of the tap to 8.2 after gassing off and is fairly hard water (I don't recall the estimated ppm, but GH = 7 drops, KH=7 drops).
I intend on using stored water to change water weekly as my new house doesn't have python compatible faucets and I would like to not add 7pH water directly to the tank knowing it is going to rise and could potentially affect water chemistry.

My question: I have found a local person that has 275 and 330 gallon metal palletized containers that were used to ship soap in. They say they have already heavily rinsed them out. I would more than likely pressure wash the one I got as well, but wanted to see if you guys had any ideas on what additional could be done to ensure all the soap residue was completely out. They don't know the exact ingredients of the soap, but described it as "general cleaning soap". The pricing is $45 for either size, so it is tough to turn down even if it takes a bit of work. The next closest priced ones new are $300 plus shipping.

This is what it looks like: https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...VE2t-Ch0RfgO6EAQYASABEgJny_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[TwoHedWlf]

You usually can't clean them reliably. I'd skip those ones and buy containers that are food grade or safe for potable water. I assume you're talking something like 1000liter IBCs, they're usually pretty common.

 

[BMac91]

I was kind of assuming soap was a dangerous play. Thanks!

 

[TwoHedWlf]

I'd have no worries about using it for collecting rainwater for the garden or similar. But for the fish I'd spend a little more to make sure.

 

[Drstrangelove]

Fish live in water where pH goes up and down all day long. Hobbyists change water everyday where the aquarium water drops and increases like that on every water change. Very normal.


What is your concern about the pH rising from 7.0 to 8.2 over a 24 hour period?

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

I would check Craigslist in your area. Around here, they have the same containers that were used for food grade products for about $70. I currently run two 55 gallon plastic barrels that were used for corn starch. They were a pain to clean, but have been working well for me for over a year. I do plan on getting one of the larger 270 or 330 gallon containers and insulating it in my garage eventually.

Definitely avoid anything that was used for soap or chemicals.

 

[BMac91]

Fish live in water where pH goes up and down all day long. Hobbyists change water everyday where the aquarium water drops and increases like that on every water change. Very normal.


What is your concern about the pH rising from 7.0 to 8.2 over a 24 hour period?

So, the pH rising was the easier explanation for using it without getting into deep details.
As mentioned above, my house's faucets aren't python compatible, so I have been filling up a brute trash can from the water hose but its only 40 gallons, my tank is 240 it makes it a pain to do a 50% change and I'd rather not do 3x 40 gallon changes every other day, etc. My house is new construction also, so it is warrantied for the next few years and if I swap a faucet out it will technically void the warranty on plumbing for the rest of the house (weird, I know).
Second, my sewer fees are outrageous and my tanks get drained into the yard anyways, so I fill up these containers from my sprinkler water meter instead of my house water to avoid sewer fees on water that never hits the sewer.
Third, I am currently experimenting with peat outside the aquarium and how it affects my pH and water parameters, etc. Ultimately my goal is to nail down a combination of peat to water to get closer to 6.8 or 7 while softening the water up. I have Uarus and Geos currently in QT and would like to nail down a good combo and slowly start changing them over.

I would check Craigslist in your area. Around here, they have the same containers that were used for food grade products for about $70. I currently run two 55 gallon plastic barrels that were used for corn starch. They were a pain to clean, but have been working well for me for over a year. I do plan on getting one of the larger 270 or 330 gallon containers and insulating it in my garage eventually.

Definitely avoid anything that was used for soap or chemicals.

Yeah, that's where these were. For whatever reason, there just isn't a lot of these around me. The two people I have found that can actually answer questions both were used for either soap or water-based automotive carpet applicator solution. So I will just have to sit tight it appears.

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Have you checked for 55 gallon barrels? Around here (Ohio) they sell for $10-15. You can cut half the top off and rinse it out and then use it to age your water.

Here is one of mine:



I have a second in the garage and they are both used for water changes on my 220, plus about 75-100 gallons of straight hose water.

 

[markstrimaran]

They can even be sealed, and hold with 15 ft of head.

 

[BMac91]

Appreciate it, but barrels aren’t the way I want to go. Will be much easier to fit one rectangular container in the corner it’s going.

In other news, I did find some totes a little bit further out that we’re food grade and had been used to store cooking oil or malasses.
Those sound safer? These are 270 gallon for $75