# White  Scoop away kitty litter buckets



## Flyinghigh (Dec 25, 2009)

Is it good to paint the outside of the Scoop away kitty litter buckets and let it set.?
Wash out the inside good..!


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## 2Dog (Dec 25, 2009)

I would spray paint it and let it air out..course the hydro people will know more..


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## pcduck (Dec 25, 2009)

If soil grower no need to paint

If hydro will need to paint it with some good durable enamel paint.


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## legalize_freedom (Dec 25, 2009)

Zip uses them with soil, no paint, I've never heard him say anything negative about it other than haveing a mountain of kitty litter laying around...lol


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## GeezerBudd (Dec 25, 2009)

I get the Tidy Cats yellow buckets. I pay the guy a few bucks for them.
I'm waiting on one more-lol

Gb


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## DonJones (Dec 25, 2009)

Flyinghigh,

You would probably get better response in either the HYDRO in DIY sections.

From what I've read the majority opinion seems to be that you NEVER paint the surface that your plant will contact, either through the soil or the hydro solution.  The plastic is more likely to have bleed and out gassed any toxins that it is going to release than the paint is. 

As you the issue of painting in the first place, there is a large disagreement about whether you need to paint them at all even for hydro, but as easy and inexpensive as it is, I'd do it just to be safe. 

Be sure to use paint designed to be applied to plastic because it will lat better. 

Good smoking.


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## 4u2sm0ke (Dec 26, 2009)

pcduck said:
			
		

> If soil grower no need to paint
> 
> If hydro will need to paint it with some good durable enamel paint.


 




:yeahthat:



I  use  them  for  soil..I  love they  are square..Mine hold  around  4.5  gallons...and  Dam  if  i  didnt  seesome  larger ones at  Cosco:aok:


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## Hick (Dec 26, 2009)

been using them for 'years' without paint... with soil. Never an issue of any kind.


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## Flyinghigh (Dec 26, 2009)

So by not painting the outside of buckets and the roots will be fine alone the white parts of the white buckets.     When I first got onto this site I have read a lot of post saying the outside needs to be covered with paper or something and or paint the outside..


I am just a soil grower not Hydro..


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## 4u2sm0ke (Dec 26, 2009)

yeah  I have  too  FH...but was allways  a  Hydro  saying  to  paint  though...Your  good  to grow  my  friend..fill M  up  and  Grow  something special..take care and be safe


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## leafminer (Dec 26, 2009)

If marketing people only knew ....

"Market your product in square buckets. Then all the dope growers will buy your product for preference, even if it costs more!"

I have already been noting that Costco washing powder comes in square buckets. However, I have decided to back up my theory about root temperatures, I am going to use white styrofoam cooler boxes. About $5 each. Not very strong but they should be good for a few grows.


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## zipflip (Dec 26, 2009)

> Zip uses them with soil, no paint, I've never heard him say anything negative about it other than haveing a mountain of kitty litter laying around...lol


  :rofl:    idk for sure on the whoel part bout light gettin  in thru the plastic or watever but just for safety measure i have a bunch of old black poly/plastic  i just cut a long piece and stick it to the inside sides wit couple pieces of duct tape. no lite comin thru aftre this.
  idk, am i wastin time linig the inside with black poly :confused2:
 it is a step in prepping buckets for transplanting that i would love to avoid if not exactly necessary


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## Flyinghigh (Dec 26, 2009)

Thanks and it really doesn't matter either way.


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## gourmet (Dec 27, 2009)

I love them for my soil grow since they are nearly as deep but square so do not take as much room up as a 5 gallon round bucket.  

Best place to get these for me (since I do not have a cat) is freecycle.  Just post an ad and usually cat people have these they want to get rid of.  My hubby picks them up for me while I am at work.  Freecycling is the way to go!


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## leafminer (Dec 27, 2009)

I measured the styro cooler box and was surprised to find it comes to 4.3 gallons, a handy size and a space saver compared with round buckets. I'm betting the advantage of a temperature-stabilised root system will more than make up for the difference.


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## pcduck (Dec 27, 2009)

leafminer said:
			
		

> I measured the styro cooler box and was surprised to find it comes to 4.3 gallons, a handy size and a space saver compared with round buckets. I'm betting the advantage of a temperature-stabilised root system will more than make up for the difference.



Won't the roots grow through the Styrofoam cooler?


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## leafminer (Dec 28, 2009)

Not unless they are a lot more active than tomato roots. I've grown toms for three seasons in a cooler and noticed every time the plant in the poly cooler grew faster.


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## pcduck (Dec 28, 2009)

Is a poly cooler the same as a Styrofoam cooler?:confused2:


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## Jayde Falcon (Dec 30, 2009)

I think that unless the container is clear that there would be no reason to paint as the light levels getting to the roots. But I am going to be using the rubbermaid kind of containers for my self watering containers. Probably going to use a combo of procoir and perlite or a soil less mix for the medium. I am really new to any of this though. So.... I suppose I will be going for the grand experiment.


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## pcduck (Dec 30, 2009)

Jayde Falcon said:
			
		

> I think that unless the container is clear that there would be no reason to paint as the light levels getting to the roots. But I am going to be using the rubbermaid kind of containers for my self watering containers. Probably going to use a combo of procoir and perlite or a soil less mix for the medium. I am really new to any of this though. So.... I suppose I will be going for the grand experiment.



Jayde Falcon this is only true for soil, this is not true for hydro. Many first time hydro growers have tried to use the _Home Depot_ orange buckets and have ended in failure because of the light entering through the bucket.


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## zipflip (Dec 30, 2009)

so then its a good thing im lining my white buckets with black poly before fillin with medium? or waste of time? 
 :confused2: 
  im soil


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## pcduck (Dec 30, 2009)

I use white kitty litter buckets outside in soil with no problem, Zip

indoors I use DWC and the buckets must be light proof


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## Flyinghigh (Dec 31, 2009)

Well I went a head and painted the buckets silver and then red and let them sit for a few days outside before last transplanting...
I rather be safe then sorry in the long run..


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## zipflip (Jan 1, 2010)

u didnt paint the insides tho did ya?
  i thought bout painting just the outsides too but then thought to myself its plastic and that everytime i go and pick it up by the lip of the bucket that im assumin the paint would then crack an just flake off.
 but at the time i did go out and get me some of this heavy duty plastic primer for like 10$ a spray can. i figure it would give a better hold from lettin the paint flake off so easy maybe, no?
  but got wait til spring to paint cuz i aint spray painting in the house LOL.
  i'll be all sorts a messed up in the head from fumes.
 i made the mistake of spray painting inside the house once before and never again .


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## pcduck (Jan 1, 2010)

*Zip* I tried and liked the Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy Paint.

Cleaned my dwc lids with iso then spray painted them, paint is holding up real well :aok: no cracks or peeling:bolt::bong2:


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## zipflip (Jan 1, 2010)

right on.
  i got some black rustoleum appliance paint but the can. bush on paint
  is that wat you talkin bout, duck?
  thatd be sweet if it was and worked. i wouldnt have to wait til spring then and spray paint.


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## pcduck (Jan 2, 2010)

*Zip* mine was the spray can type, but as long as it is the same, it should work as well


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## DonJones (Jan 2, 2010)

Home Depot has a couple of different brands of spray paint made specifically for plastic that works better than the appliance paint, even the epoxy appliance.  It may pr may not be available in brush on form.  

Personally, I've found the fumes are usually from the particular paint used rather than the propellants.  Most of the currently used propellants are inert gases like CO2 or ones that dissipate rapidly with even a little ventilation.

How ever, better safe than sorry is a good adage to follow with any kind of propellants or other vapors.

HAVE A GOOD NEW YEAR AND GREAT SMOKING


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## pcduck (Jan 2, 2010)

What are their names Don?

I tried a bunch of them I found the Rust-Oleum works best.

What brands have you tried Don?


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## Flyinghigh (Jan 2, 2010)

zipflip said:
			
		

> i made the mistake of spray painting inside the house once before and never again .




Lessen learned.!!! Never spray paint in the house.. in less you can't take it outside..


Only the inside I painted..  Really Just the outside.:hubba:   It was Cold the day I sprayed and let it sit all day in the Cold, dry, sun and paint will dry.


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## zipflip (Jan 2, 2010)

idk if i'd paint the inside the bucket tho. chemicals etc :confused2:



> Personally, I've found the fumes are usually from the particular paint used rather than the propellants. Most of the currently used propellants are inert gases like CO2 or ones that dissipate rapidly with even a little ventilation.


 so your sayin there spray paints that wont fume me out my home if i use them inside?
or mayeb i didnt understand your post right :confused2:


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## legalize_freedom (Jan 2, 2010)

flyinhigh....I don't think paint will dry in freezing conditions, I think it will freeze, I may be wrong though.


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## pcduck (Jan 2, 2010)

I painted the outside and yes the fumes are real *BAD when using spray paint indoors*. I would not recommend it.


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## TURKEYNECK (Jan 2, 2010)

I use the scoop away buckets for DWC..I tried the paint for plastic and it worked okay, but, it scratches off too easy.. so I used black duct tape.


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## DonJones (Jan 2, 2010)

Rust-O-leum has a paint for plastic and Home Depot's house brand does too, and I think the paint guy told me they had a third brand of paint for plastic too.  I know he told me that he uses the house brand instead of Rust-o-leum because it wo0rks just a well and is significantly less expensive.

Regardless of the brand UNLESS IT SPECIFICALLY says it is for painting plastic, it will probably peel and flake off -- even epoxy won't adhere to the soft plastics correctly.  They need special solvents and also need ot remains flexible like the plastic they are applied to.

My statement about fumes is this simple -- in my experience the fumes come from the paint itself not the propellants, especially with the new green house gas concerns.  That means if you brush it you still have the same volatile fumes from within the paint itself to deal with.  Initially, spraying even with an air compressor, you will have not only the fumes from the paint to deal with but the spray droplets too, but the droplets soon settle out -- that is where overspray comes from.

Probably the cheapest and easiest way to make the bucket light proof is to wrap them in heavy black plastic and secure it with duct tape.  That way you can patch any tears easily and it is easy to remove and start over if you want to.  Black duct tape is good to if you have the patience to make sure it is all tightly adhered to the bucket, even in the little spaces between the ribs at the top.

Personally, I think that some people go over board with the light proofing.  I've read comments from experienced Hydro growers here on the forum that say they never had any problem using all of the colored buckets -- white to black -- without light proofing them.  Just do the best that you can and you should be okay.  

Quite possibly you don't even have to worry about any thing except the clear plastics like are frequently used in smaller totes.  I remember, my mother used to root cuttings from all kinds of different plants in clear glass fruit jars and water sitting in the window sill and she never had any prpblem with the light killing roots.

You pays your money and takes your chances, Popeye.  Just use what ever you want to use and see what happens.  I do know though that I've never heard of any problems in soil or soilless mixes like Black Gold, coco, and so on.

HAPPY NEW YEARS and GREAT SMOKING.


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## Locked (Jan 2, 2010)

I used foil tape on the outside to reflect light and make them light proof...it was an orange Home Depot bucket...worked well...


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## pcduck (Jan 2, 2010)

DonJones said:
			
		

> Rust-O-leum has a paint for plastic and Home Depot's house brand does too, and I think the paint guy told me they had a third brand of paint for plastic too. I know he told me that he uses the house brand instead of Rust-o-leum because it wo0rks just a well and is significantly less expensive.
> 
> Regardless of the brand UNLESS IT SPECIFICALLY says it is for painting plastic, it will probably peel and flake off -- even epoxy won't adhere to the soft plastics correctly. They need special solvents and also need ot remains flexible like the plastic they are applied to.




So in other words, you have not tried any of them.

I have* tried* those paints just for plastic, they peel and crack and flake off. 
That is why I recommended the Rust-leum Appliance  Epoxy paint.


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## zipflip (Jan 2, 2010)

i have personally used the rustoleum brush paint as well on numerous thiings and just how it is and wat i know i think it would be a good paint  for plastic. only i cant speak of any experience in usin it with plastic tho.  just metal and wood,and that cheap fiber resin board stuff they make shelves outta. 
 it holds tuff on the elaminate on the fiber resin so....


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## pcduck (Jan 2, 2010)

I went through like four different kinds of paint *Zip*. From cheap to the expensive made for plastic paint(2 different brands) and have found that the _Rust-Oleum  Appliance Epoxy Paint _works the best. I used the spray paint b/c that is the only way they sell the _Rust-Oleum Appliance Epoxy Paint_.


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## zipflip (Jan 2, 2010)

i was just thikin after all the money spent on paint etc you coulda just bought soem them pot i mentioned. but ur not soil tho thats right :doh:
 how much do them hydro buckets cost ?


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## zipflip (Jan 2, 2010)

another thing i was thinkin of is, do you know any farmers by chance?  alot of them use alot of hydraulic fluid as well as oil and all sorts mech fluids and all come in big 5 gallon buckets.
 my gpa has a whole heap of buckets and they liek a dark reddish brown. almost lightproof.
  they're the round five gallon style tho.
 he gets em in gray too i think and few other  diff color ones too.
 cant remember the stuff he uses to clean em out with tho but i guess its suppose to clean em up enuff to be safe to use as feed buckets when feedin the cows Oats. :confused2:


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## pcduck (Jan 2, 2010)

I do not think I would use them buckets Zip. I would be scared that the residue from the oil may get into my plants and I would end up smoking heavy metals.

with dwc using a liner would be to messy. I have four 1/2 cans of paint maybe use them for something but it will not be for my dwc system


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## Flyinghigh (Jan 3, 2010)

legalize_freedom said:
			
		

> flyinhigh....I don't think paint will dry in freezing conditions, I think it will freeze, I may be wrong though.



It wasn't freezing but it was cold and the sun was out 45 degree and it did dry by the afternoon and then placed into my warm shed to do the final cure. 
Paint will dry as Long as you don't put it on heavy, I done this for years working on airplane & parts as long as the temp was 50 or above, below 50 I would do Light sprays of 3 or more as long as the sun was out..


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## Flyinghigh (Jan 3, 2010)

Sorry Zip and Pcduck but any paint you find to do Plastic won't last long and they will chip after time, we have tried painting plastic on some aircraft with the Best stuff but it just doesn't last long when plastic twist and bend..  I know I will have to redo my buckets after this grow but that ok thou.


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## pcduck (Jan 3, 2010)

> but any paint you find to do Plastic won't last long




Thats what I been trying to say:rofl::rofl:


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## legalize_freedom (Jan 3, 2010)

I bought square 21 qt (little over 5gl) trash cans from Meijers for 2.99 each, they were already black...just a thought.


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## Flyinghigh (Jan 4, 2010)

I am a dumpster diver and i have come across a lot of 5 gal gray paint bucket and I had 4 white trash cans that fit right in my grow room better then my paint buckets,  I wish I had more.

I work with what I got most of the time in til the plastic starts to break, which is funny because I have just thrown away 4 other trash can that I bought at the same time with the ones I am using now, Time, weather, means Cracking and thought about cutting them down to use as starters but with my Luck they would break and I would have a mess..


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## legalize_freedom (Jan 4, 2010)

yeah i have many 5 gallon buckets that I have picked up along side the road, etc...I pick them up 1) cause it ticks me off when people throw out their junk like that, and 2) I use them for all sorts of storage, and outdoor plants.  I just prefer square in my square space.


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