[Kaoshavoc]

I have recently found out where I can get some food grade 55 gallon plastic drums to hold drinking water. Now, I have a couple questions about how to store my drums.

1) Is it best to build a rack for them, I plan on having 3 total, or could I use paracord to suspend them in my basement from the supports up above. I know that sounds weird, but I rather like the idea, but considering the nearly 500 weight of each one, I would probably be pushing the limits of the paracord over the long haul.

2) Is there any real difference between standing them up or laying them down other than the method you have to use to retrieve water from it, and how much water you can fit in it.

3) I have also heard about products you can add that will take out the excess oxygen in the tank after you seal it upto help preserve the water even better? Is that a good idea? or just a waste of money considering properly treated it should be safe to drink for several years

4) I have been told to change out the water every 2 years and wash out the drum. Does that sound about right?

Any help would be of great service to me. I am still reading so much on the forums and may likely come across all of these answers in time, but you know how it can be when you have so many new questions burning inside you and you have just started to scratch the surface of something.

 

[Bullets~n~Beans]

I wouldn't be hanging them if I were you. First, I doubt the paracord would hold it for long and second, I doubt that the structure is engineered for it. Your liable to create some problems to the house.

There is nothing wrong with just standing them up or even building a rack.

 

[PreparingPatriot]

Grab a wood pallet from the back of any department store to put the tanks on. You'll need two pallets for 3 drums, that's the same set up I have. Trying to suspend them in the air isn't going to work they are WAY to heavy.

add this to the tank as you fill it with water

Amazon.com: Aquamira Water Treatment, 2 Oz, Part A and B, Chlorine Dioxide: Sports & Outdoors

Should be good for 4 years, no need to change it out sooner unless you just want to be extra careful. I've had mine in the garage for about 6 months just checked it last week and everything is good to go.

 

[goat daddy]

Just pick up a good pump and leave them on the floor. I have 275 gallon containers in my barn. I put a 3/4 hose fitting on it and water my garden with it a couple times a year. The chlorine doesn't hurt the plants and the water is rotated. During the last couple of years I used them for water for my garden and animals. I put one in the truck and filled it up in a local stream then pumped the water to two in the barn. the three that I have would last a week or two. At that time I did not put chlorine in the water. I paid $30 for them from a farmer. They originally held an organic fertilizer. they have been filled and emptied many times. One of my better investments.

 

[PreparingPatriot]

Don't leave them on the concrete floor, I read that chemicals can get in them over time if they are in direct contact with the concrete floor. That's why I have mine on a wood pallet to act as a barrier between them and the concrete floor.

 

[Kaoshavoc]

I plan on storing them in my basement. I happen to have a few pallets already down there we keep everything else on as well since basements tend to be moist and flood frequently.
Thanks for all the info guys. Keep it coming. Anyone know of any blueprint plans for a 3 tier 55 gallon drum rack ?

 

[LordOpie]

I'm pretty sure that not putting it on concrete is just an old-wives tale; however, if you put them on treated wood, rubber or something that would leach a great deal more than whatever cement was used is a bad idea.

I'm sure that palettes aren't treated, but make sure nothing (eg. oil) spilled on them. I'd hesistate using palettes unless I was really sure they could take the weight indefinitely.

If you wanna do the rack for fun, cool, but why not just lay a piece of wood across your barrels and use it as a shelf?

 

[PreparingPatriot]

Best if you have the space to leave them standing up, if you lay them down you lose a lot of space on the top of the drum for storing water, you won't store a true 55 gallons that way maybe 40-46 gallons.

 

[PreparingPatriot]

I'm pretty sure that not putting it on concrete is just an old-wives tale; however, if you put them on treated wood, rubber or something that would leach a great deal more than whatever cement was used is a bad idea.

I'm sure that palettes aren't treated, but make sure nothing (eg. oil) spilled on them. I'd hesistate using palettes unless I was really sure they could take the weight indefinitely.

If you wanna do the rack for fun, cool, but why not just lay a piece of wood across your barrels and use it as a shelf?

Pallets can handle the weight no problem, I unload pallets that weigh 2000lbs+ every day. The purpose of putting them on pallets is two fold, keeps chemicals from seeping up from the ground, and acts as an insulator against the heat on a concrete floor. I know at least in Florida even garage floors get pretty hot.

 

[PreparingPatriot]

Here's the setup I have for my barrels, notice the first one I filled BEFORE I got the pallet in the garage after filling it with water it was WAY to heavy to life up onto the pallet, but the other two sit on the pallet fine.

 

[twinight]

I have 2 barrels.
I stack one barrel on top of another with a sheet of 3/4" plywood in between.
The top one has water heater straps to hold it against the wall.

 

[Kaoshavoc]

Wow, guys, all this info is awesome. Even includes pics.

How do you guys fill them up. I figure I will use a drinking water safe garden hose and just fill them up in the basement where I plan on storing them. As far as changing them out, I have not figured out that part yet. That will be a a lot of water to lug up and down the stairs to get out of the basement. But hopefully we only have to do it once with the setup we got here. I would like to think I am going to move to a better location before I have to swap out the water a second time.

 

[LordOpie]

...keeps chemicals from seeping up from the ground...

I suppose it depends on what kind of cement was used in the concrete mix, but i think it'd be great if you could substantiate that rumor of leaching. thanks

 

[PreparingPatriot]

Wow, guys, all this info is awesome. Even includes pics.

How do you guys fill them up. I figure I will use a drinking water safe garden hose and just fill them up in the basement where I plan on storing them. As far as changing them out, I have not figured out that part yet. That will be a a lot of water to lug up and down the stairs to get out of the basement. But hopefully we only have to do it once with the setup we got here. I would like to think I am going to move to a better location before I have to swap out the water a second time.

Emergency Essentials sells siphon hoses for under 10 bucks, that seems to be the easiest way to get the water out when ever needed. Like I said if you add the chemicals before filling you should be fine for 4 years.

I suppose it depends on what kind of cement was used in the concrete mix, but i think it'd be great if you could substantiate that rumor of leaching. thanks

I don't have any "concrete" proof that chemicals can leach from the ground, however it's better to be safe then sorry is my best belief. How hard is it to put a "barrier" between your water storage before filling?

 

[LordOpie]

I don't have any "concrete" proof that chemicals can leach from the ground, however it's better to be safe then sorry is my best belief. How hard is it to put a "barrier" between your water storage before filling?

I agree, but my point is that the barrier must be definitively safer than the concrete. I've read all kinds of posts where it was obvious that the solution was worse than the problem. I'm sure using crates is a good idea, unless they collapse :

 

[Kaoshavoc]

OK, Now that I know where I am getting my drums when they come in. I have a couple more questions. Winter. If I have these bad boys in my shed, are they going to crack open if they freeze? Is my basement the best place to put them? (that is going to be a hard place to put them, it is really more like a shelter basement, you can't even stand up fully except where your head can fit through the boards.)

can I put them outside if I don't fill them all the way to leave room for the ice expansion, or is it just too much water to let freeze

 

[MikeK]

Ice doesn't just expand upward. Even with space on top, it's still going to expand outward too. You might look for alternatives. Can you bury them somehow? Or insulated them?

 

[PreparingPatriot]

I'm in Florida, sorry no help with ICE experience here lol.