Approximate cost of Tank Tumbling?

[grf88]

You are going to end up being a tank geek if you don't watch it, mister.

Probably too late for the warning.

 

[SlugLife]

Once the dust settled (literally), there appears to be a couple small spots I missed on the bottom of one tank (but not the other), but the sides look good. Every millimeter of the insides is also coated with a thin layer of rust-dust. Tomorrow, I'll see if my DIY whip can get the bottom, and make adjustments to the whip if it can't.

Next on my list is figuring out what I'm going to do for washing the tanks, and preventing flash-rust. While I might have to whip and wash these a 2nd time after hydro, I'd rather not bring the tanks in for hydro coated in rust-powder. For cleaning, I've got plenty of simple green, it's the rust prevention I'm less sure about. Ideally an inexpensive solution.

• phosphoric acid - This seems like a great solution, but I'm not sure where to buy it locally. I tried searching the home-depot website, but only seemed to find clears with other junk in them. Online is an option, but that's a little on the expensive side (~$30) for something I'll use once or twice.
• isopropyl alcohol - My instructor mentioned mixing isopropyl alcohol with water, blowing them out, and air-drying. Has anyone tried this? This would be rather inexpensive.
• other solutions?

I'm not going to be processing large numbers of steel tanks, and storage-space is limited. In short, I'll probably wash and dry these two tanks either once or twice, and then not again for many years. Maybe I'll find some craigslist-special steel tanks later, but I rarely see them for sale locally.

You are going to end up being a tank geek if you don't watch it, mister.

A "DIY geek" is an "everything geek." Sometimes you just have to be okay with who and what you are.

Probably too late for the warning.

In the 5 stages of grief, I'm somewhere around stage 24.

 

[grf88]

Washing, rinsing with very hot water and blowing out with scuba air seems to work quite well with LP tanks but for some reason not with my high pressure tanks. I made this attachment to blow out the tanks that works well. Second photo in post.:

WTB Tank Whip (For Cleaning)

I have made a whip a little bit ago. Similar to the happydiver pic. I did some lighting projects a while back and ended up with 500' of 1/16" stainless braided cable. If you would like to try it, I would gladly send you some to do this. Hell, I would even cut it into any length you want.

scubaboard.com

Phosphoric acid can be found at Hydroponic Suppliers. If you want to use Isopropyl Alcohol use 99% and don't defeat the purpose by adding water to it. Make sure it is well vented before filling again by blowing it out with scuba air. Use this method at your own risk. I have tried all methods and the whip and blow gun is my go to. I did make a whip for the bottom and will try to post later. The blow gun has the vacuum attachment.

 

[SlugLife]

Washing, rinsing ...

Ah, you made two whips! I was thinking I might have to in order to brush the bottom, but we'll see. What did you use for the rod?

I hadn't thought of just going straight 99% isopropyl alcohol, that may do the trick, and I wouldn't need that much. Maybe rinse with boiling water, and then 99% alcohol?

I had another idea, what about citric acid? That stuff is pretty cheap and I already have quite a lot of it. It can apparently remove rust. I'll obviously want to get the tank dry soon after, I'll need to get one of those compressor-wands.

edit: Here is an interesting post about using alcohol. He also has an interesting setup with a heat-gun.