Suggestions on where to buy mixing station containers

[brent311]

I finally decided to build a mixing station in my basement. I’m not sure why it took so long for me to finally decide to do it. I looked at some online examples and a lot of people use their brute trashcan‘s. This is an option but I’d like something a little bigger and possibly a little nicer looking. Looking online there are plenty of NSF containers that look nice, but with shipping can be well over $300. I did see someone on craigslist selling 55 gallon drums which are supposedly food safe for cheap. Has anybody tried the craigslist guy in Woodstock? Any local places where I can pick up a container so shipping doesn’t kill the deal?
Thanks

 

[Reefchef]

Tank depot, I will to find the card. It's in Griffith ga, 75 gallon like 260 for both I think

 

[Steve Burton]

I got 2 food grade 55 gallon drums on Craigslist for about $15 each

 

[brent311]

Tank depot, I will to find the card. It's in Griffith ga, 75 gallon like 260 for both I think

I just searched tank depot website and it says Griffin is a shipping location. Did they have a store in Griffin or did you have to call them and just pick it up there? I also see they have shipping locations closer to me in Alpharetta.

 

[brent311]

I got 2 food grade 55 gallon drums on Craigslist for about $15 each

This is probably the same ad I saw on craigslist. Do you remember if they told you what they were used for previously? Did they have any labels on the drums such as what was in them or if they are NSF certified?
Thanks

 

[popsbjd]

This is probably the same ad I saw on craigslist. Do you remember if they told you what they were used for previously? Did they have any labels on the drums such as what was in them or if they are NSF certified?
Thanks

Following along here. That seems like a good deal but almost too good to be true.

 

[Steve Burton]

Different person, he only had two, they had contained lemon juice concentrate I believe. Rinsed with tap water and soaked with a gallon of vinegar for a week before rinsing again, no problem. I would buy from the guy on Craigslist

 

[djatl]

I just searched tank depot website and it says Griffin is a shipping location. Did they have a store in Griffin or did you have to call them and just pick it up there? I also see they have shipping locations closer to me in Alpharetta.

I was looking at the ntotank.com website, and also noticed the Griffin pickup location with a $25 pickup charge. I assume you have to order through NTO, and they get it ready for pickup. Not sure if they operate their own storefront, or just a warehouse.

I've been considering a Norwesco 65g horizontal tank to replace the two 32g brutes I'm using for RODI water. It's hard to quickly tell if a brute is full, so I'd rather have the translucent plastic than the clear hose I plumbed in as a sight glass. I prefer the horizontal tank, since it's sitting on top of a heavy duty shelving unit.

Also, I notice that NTO frequently runs sales, so it's worth monitoring the website. For example, that horizontal tank is currently on sale for $150, instead of $225. Tractor Supply Co has it for $200 (on sale from $220). Adding the cost of gas, I might not come out ahead very much picking it up in Griffin.

 

[Adam]

I've gotten 55 gallon drums off craigslist but not the guy in Woodstock. You want to look for drums that had a food item like the ones Steve got. There are many different things that they are used for. The only chemical drum I've ever used is Propylene Glycol. It rinses out good and is fairly benign. All of the plastic ones I've seen have an NSF stamp on them.

Advanced Drum Service is another option. They have some that are 77 gallons too.

If you're going to go bigger than that then the places listed above are where I'd look 1st.

 

[Reefchef]

I just searched tank depot website and it says Griffin is a shipping location. Did they have a store in Griffin or did you have to call them and just pick it up there? I also see they have shipping locations closer to me in Alpharetta.

It is a shopping location, but below I will provide the card to a store location. Try the one near you also, I'm not sure about it. Picking it up at the shipping location can be a pain, because you have to wait in line unless you talk nice to the guy on the yard and he might grab them real quick for you. The pricing at the store and yard are about the same price but the store didn't have any in stock. They take about 2-3 weeks for them to make.

 

[brent311]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I ended up going to check out the guy from craigslist and buying 2 barrels for $60. I just couldnt bring myself to pay around 5x the amount and dive further just for a barrel that was new. The barrels didnt have the NSF stamp but they did have labels showing that they carried tomatoes. The guy said the tomatoes were in bags and never even contacted the container. Im going to clean them out well with vinegar before using.

 

[popsbjd]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I ended up going to check out the guy from craigslist and buying 2 barrels for $60. I just couldnt bring myself to pay around 5x the amount and dive further just for a barrel that was new. The barrels didnt have the NSF stamp but they did have labels showing that they carried tomatoes. The guy said the tomatoes were in bags and never even contacted the container. Im going to clean them out well with vinegar before using.

You feel good about them? I need a larger RODI storage tank. I'd feel better if it had the NSF rating.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[skriz]

Tank depot. Look to see which ones are shipped from GA and you can opt for a local pickup.

The used ones are sketchy.

 

[globalbutterfly]

You feel good about them? I need a larger RODI storage tank. I'd feel better if it had the NSF rating.

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I got all mine from the Woodstock guy. The latest were two 65 gal barrels with two part screw on lids. They had held some kind of olive or pepper. They were FUNKY when I got them. I washed them out with regular hose water. Let them sit full with clean hose water. Drained. Scrubbed them out with bleach (using a long handled scrub brush from Harbor Freight.) THEN diluted it and let it soak for a couple of days, then drained it. Scrubbed them out with vinegar. Diluted the vinegar and let it soak for a couple of days then drained it. Rinsed again with hose water, drained and let dry.

 

[globalbutterfly]

BTW, buy a handheld TDS meter. They are like $20. Before you go live with your tanks, fill them both all the way with regular tap water. Measure the tds right after you fill them. Then measure the tds at least daily for several days (several is at least three, but possibly more.)

If the tds readings are stable (increases no more than 1 - 2 tds after 3 days, you are probably ok to move on to mixing salt. If you get a bigger increase in either tank, go back to scrub with bleach, rinse, drain, let dry - then rinse with vinegar, drain and let dry. Then rinse with tap (hose) water, let sit then drain and dry.

 

[globalbutterfly]

Here’s my mix station.

 

[globalbutterfly]

The TDS meter thing I learned the hard way. A week after going automatic, a few corals started to look really “off”. Took samples of fresh and salt to LFS to verify my numbers. Water in the fresh RODi was off the chart high on TDS (something was not 100% cleaned or rinsed out.)

Now I periodically measure my fresh RODi to make sure I don’t have anything leaching or growing in the tank.

 

[brent311]

The TDS meter thing I learned the hard way. A week after going automatic, a few corals started to look really “off”. Took samples of fresh and salt to LFS to verify my numbers. Water in the fresh RODi was off the chart high on TDS (something was not 100% cleaned or rinsed out.)

Now I periodically measure my fresh RODi to make sure I don’t have anything leaching or growing in the tank.

Thanks for all the advice! I have scrubbed the drums twice now. I will buy a tds meeter and check it before I start using them. Also, your mixing station is pretty much exactly the plan I had drawn out.
What kind of stand is that? I was going to build a wood stand but would rather just buy one like that assuming its affordable.

 

[JPH]

I purchased a drum for carrying shower water to the hunt camp from the guy in Woodstock a while back. He told me it houses orange soda concentrate. I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned with vinegar and bleach etc. I could never get out the orange smell. Who cares it's just shower water. But I'm not sure id want to fool with having to clean one for a mixing station like I did for that shower water drum.

 

[camellia]

Hey I’ve got a 55 with lid that’s only been used for my saltwater tanks If interested?
also have the wheels...