All Grain Storage

[JohnQ]

I'm getting ready for the several hundred pounds of grain that's on the way and researching storage options...
I like the look of these Rubbermaids...

http://tinyurl.com/69n2v5x

They are clear, which would make it easy to see if anything goes wrong in storage, but I'm not sure if there is a degradation due to light issue.
I can easily create a 'dark space' if that is a problem.

Thoughts?

JW

edited by Richard: shortened URL as it was stretching this topic sideways

[Thomas]

The regular, blue rubbermaid containers are the cheapest option and work fine. They hold just over a full bag of grain and are not light permeable. I gave mine a good cleaning first and let them air out the plastic smell for a few days before putting my grain in. Even then, I put the full bag in the container then split it open so that the grain doesn't really contact the plastic, not that it would hurt the grain if it did touch.

[Richard]

I'm guessing they're tough enough that they can still stack whilst that loaded?

[JohnQ]

I know the blue ones can stack perfectly, I've got about 30 of them filled with everything from food to toys to books to school supplies in my basement. We used to use them to mail stuff to ourselves when we lived in Labrador and would go on shopping trips to the rock.
The clear ones are a couple dollars more, but they seem to be a little more airtight, have  a lock latch, and have the added benefit of being able to see the stuff. They too stack really well.
Since they'll be stored in my pantry right now at a temp lower than the buggies grow at (according to a site I checked out) and the room is dark for 23.75 hours/day I wasn't too worried about light causing the grain to degrade.  Just wondering if the light issue is one I need to worry about at all.  The clear ones don't seem to have the plastic smell that the blue ones do, but if washing and drying works, I'll take a look again at the price difference.  If it's only $20 total difference by the time I've got 10 bins of various sizes, I'm not too worried about that.
JW

[Thomas]

Yep, the regular blue ones are tough as hell. I had four of them full of grain stacked on top of each other. I went to another room and heard this huge crash, all four had fallen over and there was grain everywhere. BUT, the grain was a small baggie of wheat malt that had exploded, none of the rubbermaids did so much as bend a little bit and all the lids were still firmly snapped on. Lesson learned: only stack them 3 high and don't put stuff on top of them.
Anyhow, the blue ones work well and fit my budget. The clear one will work as well, if not better, so to each his own.

[Brian_S]

I just picked up a few Rubbermaid Roughneck 121L containers.  When shopping I wasn't sure how many L a 55 bag equated to so I went big.  Let me tell you 121L will hold 2 and a bit full bags and most likely 3 if you just dumped the grain in.

The Roughneck are stackable and so far so good but I've only got 2 full.

B

[shazapple]

I know this topic is older, but figured I would post my setup.

I bought foodsafe buckets from Home Depot with a sealing lid.
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/19l-5-gallon-white-food-approved-bucket/850006
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/19l-5-gallon-white-gasket-and-flex-spout-lid/849988

They'll fit exactly half a bag, but it's tight so I put some in ziploc bags. I may grab some Gamma Seal lids in the future.

[Two Wheeler]

That's a good idea... I've been thinking of moving to something like this.

@DeMerch uses some pretty good quality (pricey) buckets from Costco I think

[DeMerch]

Yeah I use these and they are awesome, but pricy. The female part of the lid is also on your bucket forever as far as I can tell, and they don't stack great once it's on there.

http://www.costco.ca/Gamma-Seal-Lids-and-22.7-L-Pails.product.10366286.html

[shazapple]

Glad to hear of someone else using them. The costco price is the best I've seen so I just bought the 12 pack of lids

[Eric]

if you are interested I will like to buy half (6) pieces??
If you don't use all of them.