Water conditioner help

[Moonweaver]

Hello! So I just bought a large storage containe for my goldfish, but I was too excited to set it up that I forgot to wash it before I filled it with water. I was wondering if water conditioner could get rid of the dangerous chemicals as I don't want to waste all the water I put in the container. Or if you have some other ideas I'd appreciate that too

 

[Colin_T]

Water conditioners will not remove chemicals/ pollutants from plastic containers.

If there are no fish in the container, tip the water out, rinse it out with clean water and set it back up.

If the container might be contaminated with something, wash it out with washing up liquid or soap and rinse it really well afterwards. Then set it back up.

 

[FishGuest5123]

I would redo it also.

 

[Moonweaver]

Water conditioners will not remove chemicals/ pollutants from plastic containers.

If there are no fish in the container, tip the water out, rinse it out with clean water and set it back up.

If the container might be contaminated with something, wash it out with washing up liquid or soap and rinse it really well afterwards. Then set it back up.

I would redo it also.

Thanks guys! I was hoping water conditioner could fix it It kinda hurts to waste all this water... Any idea what I could do with it?

 

[Fishmanic]

How much water are we talking about? Ten gallons is maybe worth a quarter at most. Use it to water your plants.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Do you have dogs? Fill their water bowls or fill your washer and skip the step in next laundry load.

 

[Moonweaver]

How much water are we talking about? Ten gallons is maybe worth a quarter at most. Use it to water your plants.

Do you have dogs? Fill their water bowls or fill your washer and skip the step in next laundry load.

Ooh, great plans! Thanks <3

 

[AbbeysDad]

I wouldn't have worried too much about it. Nearly all plastic bins are washed well following manufacture to remove the [silicone] mold release.
However, having written that, I always wash containers (and at times tanks) with Dawn dishwashing liquid (the same stuff they use to clean oil soaked birds!), It's an awesome degreaser, cleans and rinses well.

 

[Back in the fold]

This plastic container business kind of spooks me. I know that there are food safe plastics and all types and grades of other plastic. If I am not mistaken some plastics leach their makeup back into water and others do not. Does anyone know how to read the grades that are stamped into plastic containers and what they mean ? Colin had a post where he showed his rack set up for tanks. The top row was aquariums that only held change water. I like that. I like glass.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Any food safe container is fine. All of my QT tanks are plastic Sterlite containers. I’ve Had fish in them for a couple of mo at a time with positive results. Some Lfs keep fish in plastic trash containers in back and they aren’t even food safe. The same thing is done on a couple of other forums I use to be on so I think it’s kind of standard. Ever watched Tanked? They transport some very expensive fish in plastic totes.

 

[AbbeysDad]

I culture daphnia in regular Sterilite bins. Daphnia are super sensitive to water quality and are often used to test water quality. They do just fine in these bins.
I filter water for water changes into a 45g Rubbermade trash can woth no problems.

 

[Back in the fold]

OK. I'll take you guys word for it. Moot point anyway since the whole world is made out of plastic.

 

[Colin_T]

Most clear plastic or semi transparent plastic containers are fine. Avoid blue, red or black containers if possible. In particular Red and Blue, they have been linked to unexplained fish deaths.

Plastics leech chemicals more when they are heated up. Temperatures used for tropical fish are fine but if the water feels hot (not warm but hot) to your skin, or if the water is too hot to put your hand in, then the plastics will be more likely to leech things into the water.

I have used numerous semi transparent plastic containers over the years and never had any issues. I have used them for baby fish, marine fish and corals, and holding/ breeding adult freshwater fishes. I have also used brown and green plastic rubbish bins.