Ok, for a few days, I was in hog heaven, thought we got a good deal, and now I don't know what to use it for. Hubby was given a 250 gallon poly tank, which is incased in a welded wire cage and mounted on a pallet. This was given along with another one to our volunteer fire dept. They used one for diesel fuel, and gave him this one. I thought it smelled like plastic, but after checking with the local feed store, also selling an identical tank, found out they formerly contained a "polyethelene like substance". The feed store owner told me people had been buying them to use in pickups to haul water to trees at remote sites, etc. Now, my concern is how safe would it be to use this tank for water for a garden? There is no residual liquid in the tank, only a slight odor. If not used for watering anything that would eventually go into the food chain, any other uses I could put it too? The cage is easy to remove, and could be put to another use, so that isn't a problem. I originally had thought that if the tank leaked, I could cut a door into it and use it for a small shelter for goats, or a dog house, etc. Any thoughts as to the safety of using it, and possible uses? Thanks, Jan

-- Jan in CO (Janice12@aol.com), January 21, 2002

Answers

It's perfectly safe to use for water. Here in our area everyone hauls all their water (no one has a private well) and many of the folks have the type tank you're speaking of in the wire cage. You are lucky to get it for nothing, around here they sell for $175.

-- Grannytoo (jacres40@hotmail.com), January 21, 2002.

Thanks, and before anyone gets too antsy, it was a POLYURETHANE substance, not polyethelene in the tank. Had a senior moment there! Our local feed store sells them for $125. I was feeling lucky, until I found out what had been in them, and then wasn't sure. Jan

-- Jan in Co (Janice12@aol.com), January 21, 2002.

Jan, If I knew more specifically what was in it, I could give you a better answer. As is, I would not use it for anything that is to be consumed and would not even use it for a dog/animal house. But that is me.

-- BC (desertdweller44@yahoo.com), January 21, 2002.

I just saw 15 advertised here at $90 each. They were said to have been used for 'food grade products' then cleaned and were listed as 264 gallon capacity. Sounds like a cheap fuel tank to me. I'm thinking of getting one for gas and one for diesel.

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), January 23, 2002.

This sounds like the type of fuel tank I would like as well. Where would I find these tanks other than at the local feed store? Also, when I stored gas in steel drums, I had a tough time getting the fuel out using a cheap gas syphon. Is there a better way to get the fuel out of drums at ground level?

-- Sharon/WI (pinnow@inwave.com), January 23, 2002.