I bought a fairly experienced half whiskey barrel at Betty's Azalea Ranch yesterday. As expected, it is leaking such that I can maintain the water level at about the half-way point.
I want to set this up with a variety of plants plus perhaps tiger or rosy barbs, for the summer. Does anyone have experience with how to approach stopping leaks?
So far, I am just refilling repeatedly in hopes the soakings will cause the boards to swell enough. Aesthetically, I would prefer not to use a liner, and I would prefer to get it about 80% full or better.
Any non-toxic sealers that would hold on wood?
Tom Moran
Whiskey Barrel setup
If it's anything like the whiskey barrell I got at BJs Wholesale Club it still has tons of soot and a nice whiskey smell to it. I lined mine just to be sure nothing toxic leaks into the water. I used a thick black plastic from the hardware store. It doesn't look bad and it kept endlers and swordtails in it all summer long. I never had to fill it either because it rained enough.
When I said my barrel was "fairly experienced", what I really meant was it's old and in a somewhat dilapidated condition, wood is quite aged. This is a long way from being used for whiskey. I bought it cheaply since I didn't know where else to even find them.
It will work, however, using a liner. First I want to try to fill some of the cracks before resorting to the liner.
Sean, the epoxy you mention, might I find this at say SuperPetz in Annandale, or is it more of a mail order type of thing?
At Betty's, they have a liner made expressly for the barrels, though the prices were not in evidence.
It will work, however, using a liner. First I want to try to fill some of the cracks before resorting to the liner.
Sean, the epoxy you mention, might I find this at say SuperPetz in Annandale, or is it more of a mail order type of thing?
At Betty's, they have a liner made expressly for the barrels, though the prices were not in evidence.
