Since you can smell something from the barrel, it means that it can leach something into the water. Since it's a food item, it may be harmless, but why take that chance.
I would recommend you put it through the curing process until you no longer can smell anything.
Put 50g of water and 2 cups of bleach in it today... gonna take the top off tomorrow and scrub it out then put a new batch of bleach and water in it to soak away. Then do some freshwater with dechlorinator for a few days then burn it out open air.
Well now this all makes perfect sense and seems like from a chemical process point of view needs to be done. I mainly use (new) rubbermaid "BRUT" 44 gallon garabage can with wheels for mixing smaller salt batches and have used them to store ocean water (when I lived in Fla). I thought very seriously about the toxin leaching possibility but did little about CURING the Can except for rinsing out the can with copious amounts of fresh tap water. So far I have NOT had any problems from tocinf leaching (that I know about). As with any thing like this procede with caution and at your own risk. I mention my experience with this because there was question long ago asking about (possibly at another site) about using 55 gallon detergent drums from a car wash for mixing /storeing sea water. the person insisted on the fact he wanted to use them since he had access to them for free. I was pretty adiment about discouraging this idea because of leaching. Well no matter what I said I wasnt going to convince this guy that he was flirtng with disaster. After a few kill offs I thing he finally got the message. I guess the bottom line here is to make sure the container is new clean free of any smells or contaminates and rinsing cannot be done enough even between batches. Dedicating a vat just for salt batches is a very good practice, this helps to eliminate cross contamination but DOES NOT GUARANTEE THEM.
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I would think that after you used the rubbermaid cans for awhile, you'd cure them. It never hurts to be extra careful when using non-aquarium items around your reef.
The section about the guy using car wash detergent drums makes an excellent point. Sometimes free is the worst possible choice. Why risk your reef for a small savings of money? If the savings were going to be something like $500, then maybe, but for the cost of a new garbage can, why?
But wouldn't the detergent cause the skimmer to foam more and remove more waste? Makes me wonder about stuff sold in LFS that "enhance" skimmer operation....
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I know this is an old thread but here is a picture of my RO and new salt water containers.
I put in the bucket RO water measuring 0-TDS. After it is nearly full I test the water in it and it is 34-TDS. Is this because of the container not being cured and is it still the recommendation to cure it as the 1st post suggest?
How about a Rubbermaid Brute? I have always just rinsed them out. I have my first bag of Bio-Sea mixing up in it right now so it won't be doing any more breathing. It didn't have much of an odor anyway. Anytime I use my TDS meter in any storage container I get a high reading. I have to catch the water in a clean glass beaker right as it comes out to get a 0 read.
I would normally go ahead an cure any container to include Brute trashcans (a favorite of mine), though it's a little too late for you now. It probably won't do much harm; it's one of those steps you may decide to take when you want to take things to the next level. You are correct in using your TDS meter; the container for which you are reading TDS should be squeaky clean. I use the lid to the TDS meter; it's always easy to find.
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