Transporting water in Brute trash cans.

[iamwhatiam52]

I am moving my 180 gal tank and 180 gal sump to my new home 30 miles away. My current plan is to move the water in Brute trash cans. How high do I fill the cans so they don't slosh out all over the place. No matter how slowly and carefully I drive, I know this will be a problem.

Is there any way practicle way to seal the tops? Maybe put a plastic bag ovet the top, duct tape the heck out of it and put the lid over it?

 

[SlowCobra]

Taping will probably be your best bet. Maybe shrink wrap them about 10 time then tape.

 

[AMIFL]

I use those. Just fill it up like 3/4 or else they will probably break. If it is new, rinse it out well.

 

[mille239]

another trick is to cut a disk of the pink insulating foam to fit inside the top of the trashcan right on top of the water level. It doesn't have to be real snug to the sides, because you want it floating on the surface. It won't seal the water in the brute container, but will act as a wave-supressor and prevent most of the sloshing! HTH!

 

[uscharalph]

That's a lot of water to move. I'm sure you're also going to place your rock in some tubs with water also.

 

[iamwhatiam52]

Thanks for the tips.

It will take me a few trips.

I picked up a used 180 on craigs list for a hundred bucks, so I am going to set that up temporarily before my tank gets broken down.

The rock and critters will be moved over the course of a few days in buckets and bins to the temporary tank, then the main tank will be moved.

Breaks my heart to take it apart since everything is grown into the rock. It will never fit back in one tank.

 

[Roy G. Biv]

If you want to take a trip to Jersey.
http://www.njreefers.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=26&topic=6118.0

 

[stevenw56]

It's more like how much can you lift. It gets real heavy at 8 lbs a gal.

 

[lflint]

I've done this before. Go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy the really heavy duty black garbage bags contractors use to clear out demolition waste. Buy the biggest size you can. Line the Brute with two of them. Fill the brute up with water and then put a knot in the top of the garbage bag and put the lid on. This will contain the water in the bag and prevent it from sloshing out. I learned this trick and it works well.

The first time I tried to move water it was with a 125 gallon. We used four Brutes and lost about 1/3 of the water due to sloshing. The trailer was soaked and had to give it a thorough cleaning to prevent rust. The second time we moved the same tank but went twice as far and didn't spill a drop.

 

[poppin_fresh]

How about 360 one gallon jugs?

Sorry... thats the only idea I have, although its probably not as good as some of the others. Do you really need to move all the water? What about mixing some NSW at the new place? Say, 50%?

 

[jayke]

I agree with poppin your best bet is to make as much NSW as you can at the new place. The biggest problem with moving them in trash cans is the weight. At 8lbs / gallon, the containers get heavy quick. I have had the sides buckle in heavy duty rubbermaid containers and trash cans. Even the Brute containers are not made to take that kind of weight.