Found some used IBCs online but the cages look rough, normal or...

Found some used IBCs online but the cages look rough, normal or red flag?

Cleophaschenhalls

Scrolling through listings for used ibc containers for sale and half of them have cages that look like they've been through a demolition derby, dents and rust spots everywhere and I'm wondering how much structural integrity actually matters if the plastic bladder inside is intact. My plan is to use them for storing RO water for a hydroponic setup in my backyard in Al Ain so they'll be stationary most of the time and not getting forklifted in and out of racks, which makes me think maybe I can get away with a cage that's a bit battered as long as the inner tank is sound and the valve shuts properly. But then I also don't want to come home one afternoon and find a thousand liters of water have decided to redecorate my garden because a weakened cage finally gave out under the load. Anyone with experience buying these cosmetically challenged units, did you regret trying to save a few dirhams or is a bit of cage rust genuinely no big deal if you're not moving them around constantly? Also what's the easiest way to check for pinhole leaks in the bladder without having to fill the whole thing up, some kind of pressure test maybe?

Hananwestbrook

Surface rust on a stationary cage is mostly cosmetic. Bent or buckled bars, cracked welds, or rust that flakes through the metal are the real problems, because the cage is what stops the bottle bulging when it's full. Push on the corners and see if anything flexes. Was this one with a pallet base that's still solid?

Haniyawestleigh

Sounds like you've thought it through, which is more than most people do before buying. Backyard water storage isn't demanding as long as it sits level. Just don't be tempted by the cheapest ones if the bottle looks scuffed too.

Hanjawestmacott

Bought four battered ones for a farm tank setup near Al Ain a couple of years back. The cages looked terrible but the bottles were fine, no regrets. What I would do differently is check the sun exposure, because my translucent ones went green with algae in a few weeks until I wrapped them.

Hanneweston

Pressure testing the bottle isn't really practical, so go for a simple fill test instead. Put in a few hundred liters, wait a day, and look around the valve, outlet and bottom seams for damp spots. Also check the bottle for cracks around the fill neck, and make sure the base sits on a flat, compacted surface, since uneven ground is what stresses cages out.

Hannelorewestwood

Does the listing say what was in them before? For RO water going into hydroponics, that matters more than the cage, because leftover chemicals can mess with your plants. And have you worked out where they'll sit, since a full one weighs over a tonne?