Need Help On A Water Storage Unit and Pump

[samcatj]

Hello -

If anyone has an opinion on a good, strong, heavy duty garbage can to be used as a water storage unit I would appreciate hearing about it. I am thinking about purchasing a 55 gallon Brute plastic garbage can but was wondering what other people are using and if they are happy with their current system.

Also, any information on a good, powerful pump to move the water from the storage unit to the aquariums would be helpful.

Thanking you in advance for your response. Happy New Year to all.

Samcatj

[Jhhnn]

Brute trashcans are widely used and apparently fine for the purpose. I use 55gal recycled blue plastic drums, but you need to be careful of the source and the previous contents. I use submersible Danner 9.5 mag drive pumps, but I need to lift water from the cellar up to my tanks. I'd suggest you call Ken at Kensfish, explain your setup, let him advise you. he carries a variety of pumps likely suitable to your purposes. I like the submersibles because I never take them out of the barrel. It's smart to cover the barrel, and to insulate it with rigid foam on the bottom and reflectix or a water heater insulating jacket cut to fit. Saves money on heating the water in the long run.

[Eddie]

Distance and height for the water to travel would be something good for others to know, to advise on a pump.

[discussmith]

I can't recommend any particular garbage can, as I was fortunate enough to aquire some 55 gal. plastic drums which would be the best if available. Sump pumps are designed to do exactly what we need and I use the all plastic variety. They are inexpensive and readily available at most lumber or farm stores. I have a mag 2400 that I was using but I found it to be an unneeded power and expense as these other pumps are under $50 and pump hard and fast enough.

[Jhhnn]

I can't recommend any particular garbage can, as I was fortunate enough to aquire some 55 gal. plastic drums which would be the best if available. Sump pumps are designed to do exactly what we need and I use the all plastic variety. They are inexpensive and readily available at most lumber or farm stores. I have a mag 2400 that I was using but I found it to be an unneeded power and expense as these other pumps are under $50 and pump hard and fast enough.

Yeh- a mag 2400 is entirely too much pump unless you're filling an enormous aquarium at high head and long distance. It's a pump for outdoor water features...

[DiscusOnly]

I use the brute container for my RO water. Very sturdy and well worth the money. Sure you can find some used food graded 55gal barrels but I just can't trust them.

[foreese]

I only had a single 55 gallon drum and it was taking three days to change all of my tanks so I purchased a 200 gallon tank from Plastic-Mart http://www.plastic-mart.com/class.php?cat=109 and a Corallife 580-p from Dr. Foster. Plumbed it to the house supply and added ball valves to control the flow. Furthermore, I left my 55 gallon drum up and it now has RO only that I mix 75/25 when I pump it to different tanks. Now I can change 10 tanks ~315 gallons between 50 and 80% and maintenance in a couple hours twice a week and three juvenile tanks at 80% twice a day in 15 minutes.