RE: Off topic: Storing water

["Douglas Dunlop" <ddunlop@nortelnetworks.com>]

After my second Rubbermaid garbage can split (can't remember what the model
was but it wasn't particularly thick plastic and had wheels on the bottom
and was cylindrical with two handles). I brought in the heavy artillery.
>From a commercial car wash I got a white plastic barrel in which car washing
soap or wax comes.  I cut the top out with a Sawzall and then rinsed the
barrel with the water from the car wash (also washed my car), followed by
hot soapy water at home followed by a gallon of isopropyl alcohol to
dissolve any residual car wax.  I rinsed once more and began to use the
water after I had it tested by a friend who does testing for contaminants in
water for a living.  
Total cost was one hour of my time and about $5 for alcohol.
Next time I would feel free to skip the testing step since I know that my
method removes the particular brand of soap that my local car wash uses.
I should also give the following warnings:
Chemicals are dangerous.  If you use a barrel with unknown chemicals in it,
they might not be compatible with whatever you want to clean the barrel
with.  
I store soft water (for apistos of course) in my barrels.  I also tend to
acidify it.  Soft acidic water will more easily absorb "stuff" from the
storage container than hard water.  
Hope this helps,
Doug
	-----Original Message-----
	From:	Tim R [SMTP:trutz@alex-extrusion.com]
	Sent:	February 3, 1999 1:42 PM
	To:	apisto
	Subject:	Off topic: Storing water
	I was not able to find a 'food safe' barrel where I live for storing
RO
	


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