I want to store 6 gallons in the factory containers, has anyone had them leak or the containers go bad?

Nope. I usually store mine high & dry.
One thing: DO NOT store plastic stuff in direct contact with the concrete. I had some water stored that way and the concrete broke down the plastic. Fortunately it was in an outdoor pool cabana, so no harm was done to my home.

They should be okay.

Make sure that you rotate through your stock, though. Bleach can go bad over time, in the sense that it will lose its effectiveness.

bleach loses effectiveness starting at around 3 months. First I stored liquid bleach. However now I store Pool Shock. ( powdered calcium hypochlorite) Just make sure it doesn't have any other active chemicals like anti-fungals and such. It will store a very long time, just keep it dry. It will treats tons of water for a small package

Survival Link

EPA Link

stored about 4 gallons on a well painted 1/2 plywood shelf (with good supports)... one leaked and it ate a 3" hole in the shelf and got all over the crap underneath it over time.

I'm storing/using pool shock from now on.

This is true and very important.

yes, they will leak.   i bought a 3 gallon pack of chlorox last year and they all started to leak within 3 weeks of each other.  for long term storage get the powder.  as a side note my miox (water purifyer) makes a mixed oxidant compound containing bleach on demand.  it can be used in place of stored bottled bleach for laundry, and water and wound purification.

For long-term storage simply stock some calcium hypochlorite (65% without any added algaecides fungicides etc) then make your own as you need it.

What is the ratio for mixing pool shock to  say a gallon of water ???

Here is what I found:  http://www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/emerg.html

Pay attention to the section on granular calcium hypochlorite to disinfect water. Read the whole thing as it paints a big picture to understand but I really liked the idea of being able to treat a lot of water, for just a couple bucks.

Granular calcium hypochlorite is available from Leslie's pool supply in 73% strength with a minimum average yield of 70% chlorine - perfect for what we need. (see pic for example of product) Its sold as common everyday Pool Shock.

Read the label of the pool shock closely! All you want to use for this is high concentration of Granular Calcium Hypochlorite and nothing else. Be careful to avoid the multi-function pool shocks that have chemicals like algicides and other 'multi function 4-in-1' products. All you want is Calcium Hypochlorite at 65% or stronger. Don't worry about the ingredients listed as 'other' those are the inert parts to keep the concentrations down to where they want them. So long as no other chemical is specifically listed then its OK.

Materials needed (maybe 10 bucks worth of stuff):
1 bag of Leslie's 73% Calcium Hypochlorite Pool Shock ($4)
a couple 5 gallon buckets ($0 - $5 depending on how you get them)
a funnel ($1)
a couple empty bleach containers ($0 save them as you use them normally)

Step 1: Make bleach
1 heaping teaspoon of pool shock makes 2 gallons of bleach
- place 2 gallons of water into a 5 gallon bucket
- place 1 heaping *teaspoon* of pool shock into bucket
- stir into solution thoroughly
- place funnel into empty 1gallon bleach container
- pour 1 gallon out of bucket into bleach container
- repeat for other bleach container

Now you have made two gallons of normal household bleach that you can use for anything you would normally use bleach for like cleaning, disinfecting etc.

Step 2: Use bleach to disinfect water
- 2.5 *tablespoons* of bleach solution goes into 1 gallon of water for disinfecting
- stir into solution and wait 30 mins
- sample taste the disinfected water, if it tastes too strong of chlorine then aerate the water by simply pouring 1 gallon from one container into another a couple times and this will help remove the objectionable taste, if any.

Leslies Pool Shock



Hope this helps

Thanks for the good info.

Do you have any websites for the right kind of pool shock? I think since its winter it will be alittle difficult to find in stores.

Have you tried here?

http://www.lesliespool.com/Shop

Alright now should I buy this one? and thanks for the link.

http://www.lesliespool.com/browse/Home/Pool-Chemicals/Pool-Shock/Power-Powder-Plus-6-Pack/D/30100/P/1:100:1000:100010/I/14673

I got mine in walmart

Ok wal mart had HTH Sock It', Shock 'N Swim, in stock for like $2.56 per 1 lb bag. Is this the right stuff?

http://www.waterwarehouse.com/products/HTH-SOCK-IT-Shock-n-Swim.html?engine=paidinc

THIS


i've taken several classes on water treatment and the above is good info.

when mixing bleach into water that you intend to drink there is no magic formula. bleach is not a poison, so if you drink too much you'll just throw up. the up side is that to get sick the mixture of bleach to water would need to be so strong that any person with a nose would not be able to drink it.

don't forget that hydrogen peroxide works well to treat water.

I really need to pick up some of the granulated chlorine.  

I completely forgot about it.

This is not a tag.








No, Really!


Vulcan94

http://www.med.cornell.edu/ehs/faq/biological_safety.htm

Frequently Asked Questions
Biological Safety Topics

How long does diluted bleach last?

   For the answer to this question, see the [email protected] email to the Director of WCMC EHS dated February 6, 2003:

   Thank you for asking about the shelf life of Ultra regular CLOROX liquid bleach.

   When bleach and water are mixed together to create a cleaning or disinfecting solution, the solution is only good for 24 hours. The temperature of the water does not affect the cleaning or disinfecting abilities of the solution. After the 24 hours, the solution begins to lose needed disinfecting properties. Therefore, it is recommended that for disinfecting purposes, the solution is made fresh daily.

   Our bottles do not have an expiration date, however, they do have a production date. Once you understand how to read the production date, you can decipher the shelf life of the bottle. Please look below for a chart explaining our production codes.
   CODE PLANT YEAR DATE
   MD21002 MD2 1= 2001 002nd day of year
   A90288 A9 0= 2000 288th day of year

   We recommend storing our bleach at room temperatures. It can be stored for about 6 months at temperatures between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. After this time, bleach will be begin to degrade at a rate of 20% each year until totally degraded to salt and water. Storing at temperatures much higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit could cause the bleach to lose its effectiveness and degrade more rapidly. However, if you require 6% sodium hypochlorite, you should change your supply every 3 months.

   I hope this information is helpful. Again, thank you for giving me this opportunity to discuss our product.

   Sincerely,
   Mary Brylinski Product Specialist

   MEB/cl
   3463673A

How often does a biological safety cabinet have to be certified?

   Generally, biological safety cabinets (BSC) must be certified on an annual basis. Some special operations may require certification every six months. Relocating a BSC requires re-certification and may require decontamination. Contact the Biological Safety Officer at EHS when a cabinet is to be relocated.

Is a pipette tip considered a sharp?

   According to the College's "Waste Disposal Procedures" a sharp is any glass, metal, plastic instrument or item that can cut or has the potential to cut, puncture, scratch or abrade skin, whether it is contaminated or not. Using this definition a pipette tip is considered a sharp and must be placed in a sharps container. If you have any doubt, use a sharps container for disposal.

When does work with recombinant DNA or other biological materials require approval?

   All research involving recombinant DNA (including transgenic animals and gene transfer) must be reviewed by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC) prior to its initiation. Forms to be filed for reporting such research to the Committee can be obtained from the Grants & Contracts Division of Research and Sponsored Programs. In addition, certain specific categories of research, designated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of Biotechnology Activities (OBA), require prior notification and/or prior approval by the NIH before initiation. Reporting such research to other Federal agencies (e.g., FDA, CDC) may be required in special circumstances. Faculty initiating research involving development of transgenic animals or gene transfer should consult with the Biological Safety Officer (BSO), who can be reached through Environmental Health and Safety, for advice on reporting/approval requirements in specific cases.

Which Clorox products are EPA-registered disinfectants?

   For the answer to this question, see the [email protected] email to the Director of WCMC EHS dated March 28, 2003:

   Thank you for your recent email. We appreciate your interest in our products.

   The following products are EPA registered disinfectants:

       * Ultra regular CLOROX liquid bleach
       * Ultra CLOROX Germicidal Bleach
       * Ultra Institutional CLOROX bleach

   I hope this information is helpful.

   Again, thank you for contacting us.

   Sincerely,

   Jyll E. Bowman Product Specialist

   JEB/cl

   3536264B

Can I use a bunsen burner inside a biological safety cabinet?

   Most biological safety cabinets at the College recirculate air within the cabinet allowing flammable gases to concentrate. Therefore, Bunsen burners which use natural gas and other flammable gases should not be used within a biological safety cabinet. See the EHS Update "Flammable Gases in Biological Safety Cabinets" for further information.

Are human cell lines applicable to OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard?

   Yes, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration considers human cell lines applicable to the bloodborne pathogen standard. Human cell lines at the College are treated at least at Biological Safety Level 2 (BSL2). The following Frequently Asked Question regarding human cell line biosafety from ATCC provides additional insight.
   
I don't want to change my bleach squirt bottle daily. Are there any other options?

   Yes, there are products that leave bleach and other disinfectants in their concentrated form until they are used. An example is the "Fresh-mix Bleach Sprayer" from MarketLab. Other products are available. If you have a products you have found useful, please let us know.
 

Can I use paraformaldehyde to decontaminate my contaminated equipment?

   No, the paraformaldehyde decontamination procedure can be very dangerous if not performed correctly. This procedure may only be performed by trained professionals with appropriate equipment. Contact EHS or an approved certifier for more information.

I work with mice. Do I need to attend the Bloodborne Pathogen training?

   If you are injecting mice with any bloodborne pathogens like human cell lines, HIV, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis C virus, you fall into the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen requirements and must attend the WMC Bloodborne Pathogens training.

Bump for a great thread, along with a question.

Where do boiling, pool shock/bleach, and reverse osmosis overlap each other, or not?

I.e.:
1. Pool water - could you boil it to make it safe?
2. Boiling > pool shock/bleach but obviously doesn't take care of large particles where a simple filter would be necessary
3. What would a Sawyer Water Purification system not handle?
4. What does Reverse Osmosis do that boiling + filter or bleach not do?

Thanks in advance, kind of confusing to someone who was not a Chem major.

Does anyone know about using 99.0% Trichloro-s triazinetrione instead of the 73% Calcium Hypochlorite? Am I smoking crack?

ETA: Here's the info on the 99% Trichloro-s mentioned above...



And here's the Wiki on it. Doesn't say crap about using it to make potable water though...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichloro-s-triazinetrione

ETA2: I found some information on Oxy.com regarding this but would still like to hear others opinions before I test it.

http://www.oxy.com/Our_Businesses/chemicals/Pages/chem_products_basic_acl.aspx

Leslies pool shcok FTW!

If you use something else be sure they are not a 'multi use' product. You want sodium hyporchlorite.

Looks like another trip to the store and thanks for the info on the bleach.

This should be a sticky!  The bleach I have stored is from Y2K!!!  Looks like I will be replacing it with some pool shock asap!  


By the way, it never leaked.

Thanks for the info.  I picked up a couple of bags yesterday and printed the directions from Romad to put in the bag with the shock.  I appeciate the help!

Dont use the HTH at wallmart it dosent have the right chems in it.  Ive been looking for a wile for just calciumhypochlorite,  thanks for the referance to leslies have been every where but there.

ok, so how long does pool shock stay usable?

Turns out there's a Leslie's only a mile away, so I finally have some of the pool shock.  I don't know if a vacuum seal bag will hold if the packages are at all leaky but just for the heck of it I packaged mine with the printed instructions.  At least they have a better chance of not getting moisture from humid air if the seal holds.

bump

you need to be careful with calcium hypochlorite(HTH and other brands).....if it comes in contact with petrolem products, it can violently combust. i used to work at a waste water treatment plant, we used it to clean algae from final contact chambers years ago. we made some great pryotechnics  using HTH and brake fluid.