Can storage totes be used instead of an aquarium?

[OliveFish05]

Are fish able to live in plastic storage totes? Would they leech harmful chemicals into the water? I am considering setting up some plastic storage totes and wading pools to grow aquatic plants this summer, and hoping to have some Pygmy sunfish and guppies in the totes and wading pool. I could get stock tanks, they are animal safe, but more expensive.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

I think Rachel O'leary does that, doesn't she?

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Not sure about the plastic leeching chemicals. In theory, they could be used, but the view wouldn’t be great. They could hold the fish, but you couldn’t really enjoy them.

 

[OliveFish05]

Not sure about the plastic leeching chemicals. In theory, they could be used, but the view wouldn’t be great. They could hold the fish, but you couldn’t really enjoy them.

That’s fine by me, these will be outdoor mini ponds to propogate aquatic plants and raise guppies and Pygmy sunfish. The 50 gallon ones are so affordable, I may even set up more and rescue a few fancy goldfish! I am hoping to grow water lilies, water lotus, mosaic plant, as well as a variety of stem plants.

I think Rachel O'leary does that, doesn't she?

Hmmm I’m not sure, I don’t watch her channel! Although I know a lot of people use them for breeding small fish, like Cories. I am trying to figure out if it will work more long term, like 4 months over the summer with top offs rather than weekly water changes

 

[OliveFish05]

I know that Colin T has said that the little wading pools you get for $10 at the grocery store DO leech chemicals that are harmful to the fish, so you need to change the water more often. I can do water changes like one a month rather than every week, so I plan to just do floating plants and moss in the wading pools.

 

[GaryE]

I raise fry in 8 gallon totes, with no problem. Put them up and take them as needed, too. I may drill some for water change systems, since they are so easy to work with. But they are working containers. You can see the fish, but it's not great as a view.

 

[Sgooosh]

i recently got 3 27 gallon totes.
im planning to make them into a mini pond to farm aquatic plants and keep some little fish in there maybe bettas or guppies or idk

 

[Naughts]

If you get totes that are made of food grade plastic they are very unlikely to leech chemicals. Just be careful that any heater isn't in contact with the plastic.

 

[The603]

Recycle logo #2 HDPE and #5 PP are the two most commonly used plastics to manufacture totes. Both of the resins are widely used in the US EU to manufacture containers for margarine, condiments, medicines etc..

I would say if they are made out of HDPE or PP they should be safe to use.

 

[OliveFish05]

I raise fry in 8 gallon totes, with no problem. Put them up and take them as needed, too. I may drill some for water change systems, since they are so easy to work with. But they are working containers. You can see the fish, but it's not great as a view.

i recently got 3 27 gallon totes.
im planning to make them into a mini pond to farm aquatic plants and keep some little fish in there maybe bettas or guppies or idk

That’s exactly what mine will be, working totes, not for fish viewing pleasure

If you get totes that are made of food grade plastic they are very unlikely to leech chemicals. Just be careful that any heater isn't in contact with the plastic.

I am not looking at food storage ones, I am looking at some Sterilite stuff storage ones... this specifically

where

Recycle logo #2 HDPE and #5 PP are the two most commonly used plastics to manufacture totes. Both of the resins are widely used in the US EU to manufacture containers for margarine, condiments, medicines etc..

I would say if they are made out of HDPE or PP they should be safe to use.

would I look to find this information? It says “material: plastic.”

 

[OliveFish05]

I did just find this

 

[Sgooosh]

That’s exactly what mine will be, working totes, not for fish viewing pleasure

o yea when is your online fish store opening?

i plan to have mine with a sand substrate, and in the totes i will have some permanent cold-ish water fish that will stay in there, and some tropical fish i will move out when winter comes.

I did just find thisView attachment 156555View attachment 156556

thats good

 

[OliveFish05]

o yea when is your online fish store opening?

i plan to have mine with a sand substrate, and in the totes i will have some permanent cold-ish water fish that will stay in there, and some tropical fish i will move out when winter comes.

thats good

I am hoping to get totes this week, get them set up by next. Hopefully selling some plants by April! Maybe. As long as nothing goes wrong

 

[OliveFish05]

The plan is to have sand substrate (I have a ton of black diamond blasting sand leftover fromwhen I put it in my axie tank, then hated it, so I will likely use that to start. I am hoping to have a 50 gallon tote with Pygmy sunfish, a 50 gallon tote with putple dragon guppies, a 50 gallon tote with a pair of fancy goldfish, and a 40 gallon stock tank with another type of guppy. Each will have different plants and I will note which plants are in which tank for easy Id. Then I will have a couple of those cheap summer wading pools to grow floating plants. I plan to have

velvet salvinia
frogbit
water hyacinth
water lilies
water lotuses
water lettuce
maybe red root floaters

and then a huge variety of stem plants. I want a different type of Ludwigia in each one

 

[Oblio]

Engineer here

Depending on the design of the tote (wall thickness, reinforcements), you may need to put a stringer (or cross bar) across the top in the middle to ensure that the tote does not bow out and potentially crack/fail.