Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I I'd had the waggon or the trailer today I'd have bought one. I'll probably head off to B on Monday and get one to use as the sump for the second bed that I am adding to the barra system.

I guess the thing that really annoys me about these cheap-but-possibly-cancerous storage containers is that they are cheap. Let me explain: the minute that anyone slaps a food grade label on anything the price gets squared. This is clearly an exercise in price gouging. The manufacturing procedure is an injection moulding (or maybe a plastic weld), the material is some form of polypropylene (or fibreglass) or some other dirt cheap substance and, more importantly, it can clearly be made and sold for $99 bucks for a profit.

I can't afford to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars on a product that cost less than a hundred bucks to make. It's a rort and it sucks.

The only way I can think of using these bins safely at the moment is to line them with something food safe. A more fragile food safe liner could be used, as it wouldn't be bearing any real weight.

So the question is what to line the bin with. Suggestions?

I'm pretty anal when it comes to these kinds of things - but I'm going to use it without lining or anything. My reasonning includes that it is PP 5, is not black (black is normally the colour used to conceal all sorts of recyled shit used in the product, it is signed as a rainwater tank at B with nothing to say it should not be used for drinking and it is not made in China.

glad wrap? maybe a giant condom. I got nothing. people use pond liners and it doesn't seem to warrant the same concerns. If VB is going to use one then I have no concerns about it. I'm using hydroponic chemicals on my GB's right now cause I have no fish, I'm really more concerned about them being harmful than the tank I have.

I am simply expressing my own opinion and reason why I am going to use one. This certainly does not have any relevance to whether they are in fact safe or not and everybody must draw their own opinions on this. I should point out that I much prefer to use a proper rainwater tank and that my use of the B tank will be short term and hence will reduce any associated risks. I intend to retire this tank as soon as I put my big system together.

nice disclaimer...

fact is - I am no more knowledgable on this subject than any other around here - and probably much less knowledgable than many. Therefore I am certainly not in a position to be used as an expert of example for others.