300 gallon tote questions

[W]

So I just got a 300 gallon tote from some random person on Craigslist.  He said it was non-toxic stuff that was in it but I think he lied.  It seems to be some type of oil (light brown, does not smell like veggie oil).  I am sure the tote itself is not food grade plastic either if it was an industrial oil.

I can clean it out and find some type of plastic liner that is "food grade" for it.  Any suggestions on where to get plastics like this and not break the bank?  A pond liner would be way to thick for this type of application.  I may build an inner "cage" using CPVC to help keep the plastic in place and use clamps of some sort on the top.  I can also use that pipe as a future water heater.

I am also going to bury this thing in the ground so I can use gravity to my advantage when I piece the rest of the system together.  I am hoping the ground itself can help keep the water warmer in the wintertime too.  Should I remove the metal cage or should I just paint the metal cage to help prevent it from rusting?  I haven't identified if its steel or aluminum yet.

[TCLynx]

I know of people who have used degreaser on IBC's that had contained oil (as in petroleum type oil) and they are using them for aquaponics.  Now that is totally NON food grade and you will have to make up your own mind about doing such things.  Just because an IBC contained something that wasn't food grade doesn't mean the plastic wasn't made of FDA or USDA approved resin, the very fact that it is a recycled IBC means technically it's no longer really food grade since you can't prove what was in it before, hence why most commercial operations are not using recycled IBC's unless they can find paperwork that proves what was in the IBC's before.  But for personal use, it is really up to you. 

By the way, primary ingredients in many degreasers is Lye (perhaps sodium hydroxide lye instead of potassium hydroxide lye) and guess what is used to buffer pH in many systems?  Potassium Hydroxide, Lye.  Now the grade of the stuff used in most degreasers isn't food grade so you have a choice to make there too.  Sorry, all those pesky choices.

Now if you choose to use liner, I would probably tell you to remove the IBC plastic and secure your heavy pond liner to the cage rather than trying to support pond liner inside the IBC plastic liner.

[George]

You have good ideas.  The metal cage is probably serving as support for the plastic so it would probably be best to leave it in place.  If you can clean the plastic well, a liner may not be necessary - pond liner would work well and 300 gallons worth would probably not be all that expensive - You could even drape it over to protect the tank from the sun and cover the metal..  My tank is in the ground and I like it like that.  Good luck.

[TCLynx]

FYI, just to remind people not to step over the dollars to pick up pennies.  If you are avoiding getting a $210 dollar 300 gallon rubbermaid stock tank from tractor supply because it is too $$$$ but then you buy a $90 IBC and a $100 piece of liner and then some unknown amount of money trying to clean the IBC and then trying to secure the liner and the extra time and trouble to dig a deeper hole for the IBC and worrying about the cage rusting.  Well ya know the price of the stock tank starts looking better and better.  Also the stock tank won't collapse in with the weight of wet dirt pressing in against it in a hole in the ground while an IBC liner can if it isn't full of water all the time. 

Of course that whole equation changes if the IBC was free.

[George]

I'll probably go with the 300 gal rubbermaid for a breeding/fingerling tank - haven't measured yet to see whether it will fit my space. 

[Stalemate]

I have the 300 gallon tank and is working well for me for the first 6 months operation.  Does anyone who owns one know how high of a fill constitutes 300 gallon?    Because of drainspout height and evaporation I can typically only keep it filled about 5" below the rim where structural ledges curve in. 

[Matt T.]

If you were going to bury a tank in the ground, and use a liner, you could have done it "Will Allen" style. Just use 2 x 8" walls supported with 4 x 4's and line the insides. I think the whole purpose of the tote is to use it above ground, and its cheaply available. But throw in an EPDM pond liner, and the cost savings are gone. Most folks will argue the rubber liner system, but after using a foan backing, it really absorbs the vibrations from the pump sitting on it, whick will wear right through a vinyl liner in no time.

I have heard that a hot water preasure washer does a good job on cleaning totes also.....