275 gallon tote

[rebecca100]

Several(3 or4) years ago I bought a 275 gal. tote for $50. You know the black ones that have the cage around them and the drain faucet at the bottom that come on a pallet. Well I got it from a guy that uses them to store water for his garden. Well it was new then, but had been washed out as it had previously held soap. Well, my dh has used it at work to hold water for the pressure washer and he has washed it out with ammonia and rinsed it very well. He now wants to use it as a catfish tank in the greenhouse. I'm not really sure. Soap doesn't sound that bad, I mean we use it to wash our hands, clothes, dishes, etc. But I have also read about antibacterial soaps which can cause birth defects and so on when mixed with water used on gardens. As far as I know, it was just regular soap. Anyway, I'm rambling. I think after several years it should be okay, but I don't know. You guys usually know about that kind of stuff. Buying an edible grade tote is totally out of the question. You can't even find them around here and if I drove 150 miles I MIGHT be able to find one for around $200. The other option is lining an old stainless steel commercial fridge with plastic liner.

 

[Wifezilla]

Of all the things I could worry about, contamination from ordinary soap has got to be at or near the bottom.

 

[justusnak]

I think after several years of useing clean water...and being rinsed...it would be OK. Add some water...and agitate it..soo if it suds up....if not, your good to go! At least....I would think so. I would use it!!

 

[Ldychef2k]

I am the wrong one to ask, as I laugh at the food police.

I planted my container garden in 5 and 7 gallon swimming pool chlorine buckets after filling them with water a few times to leach out the chemicals, and then letting them sit in blazing sun for about a week. Not one iota of chlorine smell, and all the plants are growing like crazy. I think you have a much better situation than that.

I also had my mouth washed out with soap a dozen times at least as a child, and am none the worse for it. Plus, I don't cuss. Bonus!

Personally, I think eating catfish is yuckier !!!!!

 

[SKR8PN]

If your really worried about it, those totes come apart and you can install a new liner in your existing cage. I had thought about getting one for rainwater myself, but found a great deal on a nearly new 400 gallon tank that fits in the back of a pickup.

 

[rebecca100]

Hee Hee! I don't like catfish either. Or any fish really. But.... they come free from the creek or $50 from the feed store for about 100 and they have GREAT poo. Great for gardens. Plus the benefit if we do decide to have a fish fry and the fun of just raising fish....... My compost worms are great feed, so our only extra expense would be the fish to start with if we don't catch enough at the creek. (iffy, but could be done, we caught two fingerlings with a net in 30 min. the other day. Or we could get a bunch 1/2 lbers fishing) I really wasn't sure about the soap thing, but my dh talked to the man we bought it from to get another and he said that the soap was non-toxic and he uses them to hold rainwater for his gardens so we may get another one from him.