Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have found a cheap source of IBC's. They contained latex paint/dye. My question is: Has anyone dealt with cleaning out a water based paint, and if so, am I better to get the older/dried out ones, or newer, wetter ones? I know in a 5 gallon bucket, old paint will just peel right out. Much easier then washing/rinsing. Not sure if the IBC's will be the same. I may be able to get them free...they build up after a while and they run out of room and have been scrapping the frames and then paying to dispose of cut up tubs.

Water base should be fine, just use water to clean them, I worked in a paint factory a long time ago! Yes there will still be some toxins in the plastic once cleaned, but once filled with water, if you run your pump for a week or two, that will breakdown any toxins, my tanks had water based resin in them, I ran the pump a week or so and I had worms swimming in the bottom of my fish tank and sump tank? I have had goldfish swimming in there for three weeks and Marion on the sump tank, no deaths!

But keep pregnant women away from the paint fumes as it can cause miscarriage!

G'day coach, I read that a wire brush paint stripper for a grinder was effective, think jayendra used this method on his latex ibc's with success.
Hth.

skeggley and blizzard...thanks! I liked my idea of peeling it out.lol I have a pressure washer as well, that may work quicker then wire wheel/paint stripper. I guess I'll get 1 newer and one older and see which one cleans quicker.

if you cleaned it out pretty good with a power washer and a month later the water goes green and you start seeing a crap load of mosquito larvae you will know it is OK. I just had congealed dog food flavoring in mine. Some how dad made sure that he got the ones that had 10-15 gallons each of the crap in it.