Does this make sense?

[Mad Mike]

Ok so the Nitrates are on the rise again. I test the water coming out of the RO DI unit and it comes out zero. I test it in the Drum that I mix in and I get Zero. So I mixed up some salt in a glass jar to 80 Deg F, 1.025 and tested again Zero.

Added the salt to the drum test and get 5.

Whats interesting here is if I dont add salt to the drum, and just leave it fresh I get a zero reading, the minute I add the salt it goes to 5. Yet test the salt sepperately and its zero. My only conclusion is the salt is eroding the drum. Everything is fine on it's own.

Is it possiable that the drum that I use is shot. I bought it brand new and used it for fresh water for about 5 years. I just recently started mixing the salt in the drum. Its a heavy plastic 55 gallon drum made for chemicals but again was purchased brand new. I ask because I read someplace here that containers do get old and leech after a bit.

I changed salts so its not the salt.
I tested the water its not the water.
It has to be the mixing drum.

Am I nuts?

 

[Witfull]

well, you have a reeftank,,,so yeah, your nuts~

you seem to have eliminated everything except the drum.try taking a scraping uf the drum, drop a lil vinigar on it and test. its a mild acid and might bring an answer...not sure,,,but its a thought.

 

[Woodstock]

Interesting....

 

[cheeks69]

I read a thread recently that talked about mixing containers for a reef tank and from what I understand the container must be food grade otherwise it may lead to leaching problems.

 

[mps9506]

yar... but why would it leach nitrates?
Might be a stupid question but have you cleaned out the tub really well with bleach and water (and then obviously rinsed it well ). My tub gets gunky after a few weeks of use and I clean it out.
Maybe easiest answer is just to get a new drum.

 

[cheeks69]

Cuddlefish:

Plastic is made from oil (yep- petroleum). The hydrocarcons used can contain some serious contaminants like sulfur, benzene, and other stuff. These must be removed from the hydrocarbons or you have to clean the plastic bucket and hope that there won't be any leaching. The chemicals used to color the plastic are suspect as well. I assume the plastic used in the food industry is refined to prevent this from happening.

 

[Mad Mike]

Well I'm mixing up a new batch of water in a plain old 5 gallon clean bucket. We'll try again.

My logic for buying the drum that I did was it being a drum made for chemical storage it should have been more durable. ANd it really has been I have had it for 10 years. The food grade comments make sense.

It's gotta be the drum.

BTW I do clean it between fillings. Just nice warm water and paper towel.

 

[Little Luey]

What about the pump/powerhead you are using for mixing? can this be leaking anything (Rio ph) or can it just be dirty?

 

[Gina]

We use a 30g Rubbermaid trash container with the label
LDPE 04
Here is a list of numbers that are considered food safe.

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com/plastics.html#foodgrade

 

[Mad Mike]

I dont know how and I dont know why but it's deffinately the drum. I mixed up 2 different batches,(BTW I dont use a pump to mix, I use a paddle, good idea though) and the batch in the drum comes up 5 the other doesn't.

Go figure.

Gonna look into the new containers, thanks G.

 

[oldsaint]

I got my 55g drums from this place http://www.allamericancontainers.com/. They are a wholesaler in Tampa, but they may have a distributor in your area. BTW all of their containers are food grade.

 

[Mad Mike]

So I went with fish grade I had a 35 gallon tank that I used to store rock. Gave it a nice scrubbing, lil vinegar, lotta nice frsh cool water, I'll fill it with RO/DI dump it and refill it and we'll see if it's GTG.

35 should be enough to do top offs and changes in a 180.

 

[Witfull]

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