Calcium hydroxide bucket for a fermentor

[robanna]

I know that Calcium hydroxide is used as a water softener but...

What are people's thought on using an empty Calcium hydroxide bucket as a fermentor after completely cleaning it and few day exposure to sunlight?

I figure the part/million would be less than you'd swallow in a weeks worth of swimming

I have axcess to quite a few 5 and 10 gallon buckets like this:

 

[l3asturd]

The only question I'd have is if the bucket material is food grade. If it is, I don't think I'd worry about what was in it before, unless it was anthrax or something.

 

[robanna]

Never mind: This is Calcium Hypochlorite. Different.

 

[robanna]

They are #2 HDPE buckets and Calcium Hypochlorite is used as drinking water treatment.
I'm on the fence on this one...someone give me a push one way or another.

 

[nasty_rabbit]

Chances are that the material that was in the pail, no mater Calcium whatever, was granular causing many many small scratches in the walls. The question to you is; is it worth the money that you save worth risking a batch of beer?

 

[l3asturd]

I'm not so sure about Hypochlorite. This one would kina make me nervous. I read the MSDS:

PHYSICAL STATE; APPEARANCE:
WHITE SOLID IN VARIOUS FORMS , WITH PUNGENT ODOUR.

CHEMICAL DANGERS:
The substance decomposes rapidly on heating above 175°C and on contact with acids producing chlorine and oxygen and causing fire and explosion hazard. The substance is a strong oxidant and reacts violently with combustible and reducing materials. The solution in water is a medium strong base. Reacts violently with ammonia, amines nitrogen compounds and many other substances, causing explosion hazard. Attacks many metals forming flammable/explosive gas (hydrogen - see ICSC 0001). Attacks plastic.

Proper cleaning of the HDPE could be ok. But now I'm wondering if the Hypochlorite has reacted with the HDPE at all.

 

[ChuckO]

I have been offered several of these in the past. There is usually a warning on them about NOT reusing them. It's probably there for a reason.