Trash Can for RO/DI water?

Hi everyone! This is my first post. I recently purchased a RO/DI unit, and a plastic trash can at my local Wal-Mart to store the water in. I made a small amount of salt water and scrubbed the inside of the can with the water and extra salt. The can still smells like plastic, and I'm wondering if I should use it at all. Any comments?
Thanks, Frank

 

We've been using a trash can also for 3 months. We do a water change approximately every 10 days. No problems so far.

 

Plastic trash cans unless they are Rubbermaid food grade cans will and do leach Phosphates into the water and from what understand they do it rather fast. Here is a link to an article by Eric Borneman which explains what I mean.

And to be honest with you I really am not interested in spending anywhere between 200 to 250 for a plastic garbage can. My suggestion is to get either a Brine tank for a water softener which is made of a totally different kind of plastic that doesn't leach anything or a portable water tank either of which can be purchased for less than 100 bucks.

 

I use a food grade Rubbermaid Brute 30 gal. It is yellow. I got it at a local restaurant supply. I think I paid around 30.00 and went to Home Depot to get the wheel dolly that it fits on. Also around 30.00

 

Thats Cheap, I didn't realize that that price was for 4 so they are 50 to 65 buck which isnt too bad. I still like my Brine tanks, I have 2 both are 50 gallons. One for salt water and one for RODI.

 

yep get food grade brute trash cans or like gazoog says tank

 

that article by eric borneman was eye opening. i was planning to use a rubbermaid brute. not anymore. ive been using a rubbermaid storage container for mixing to date and usually test the source water occassionaly. havent seen PO4 yet, but oh well ill get a brine tank or something else. the most interesting thing in his article was about IO Salt.

my tanks been up for 6 months. i had originally started with another brand of salt until my LFS started carrying IO Reef Crystals for cheaper. since i started using it, and i really didnt put 2 and 2 together here until i read the article, i have been getting mini-cyano outbreaks! if i change my salt and the cyano goes away im so boycotting IO

edit: i started with coralife salt, then moved to red sea (so far the best from just a visual perspective on the health of the corals by comparison in salt mix), and now IO Reef Crystals

 

so its safe to say then if its made of 100% FDA molded polyethylene its ok for water storage?

 

I have used nothing but Reef Crystals since I set my tanks up, never had a problem.

 

then i wont attribute the recent cyano outbreak to that