Dumb question but I have to ask...

[havefun]

I read that a lot of you store/mix your water in plastic bins or garbage cans. So a week or so ago I grabbed an extra 20 gallon bin my wife had, rinsed it and filled it with ro water and mixed the salt in. Now more recently I have read on here that maybe I need to use the Rubbermaid Brute brand because the plastic does not leach any chemicals into the water. I used the Sterilite brand - is that ok or should I dump the water and purchase rubbermaid?

 

[liquidreamer]

havefun... I use the sterilite brand too and I haven't heard any bad stuff nor had anything happen yet. Maybe someone else can find some technical details or has some case studies.

 

[midiman]

Now more recently I have read on here that maybe I need to use the Rubbermaid Brute brand

Never read that one. I find it hard to believe that any of those plastics could leach anything of consequence into your water, but I'll wait for responses and see if I can find anything online.

 

[havefun]

Thanks, I just didn't want to lose fish because of a dumb thing like that. The thread I was talking about:

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=45694&highlight=brute

Note the reply from cmor1701d....

 

[fishfreek]

I would be more concerned with what was in the container prior to it being designated 'fish use'. Something that I have always heard is that clear tubs are less suceptable to this 'leaching' effect. In addition if you have a supply store that sells food grade products any large plastic storage vessle thats rated for pottable water will be fine for saltwater storage.

 

[malkore]

I too would say any plastic tub is fine...but it should be purchased brand new, for the sole purpose of mixing saltwater.

 

[zuzecawi]

Actually, plastic DOES leach toxins, but usually only when heated (i.e. microwaved). There's a big study on premature sexual budding in human females due to plastines leached out of plastic bowls and microwave meal containers, and out of, of all things, milk jugs. (Step-dad is researcher at Oregon State University, him and Mom won't shut up about this now that I have a kid, Mom even threw away all the plastic dog bowls I had and gave my dogs new stainless steel bowls for Christmas) However, I don't think that this would stop me from mixing salt water in plastic containers. I do try not to microwave my salt water.

 

[midiman]

premature sexual budding in human females

I've never heard this one before. "sexual budding?"

 

[cmor1701d]

Didn't mean to cause any controversy. The Rbbermaid BRUTE containers are FOOD GRADE (for human food) so you can pretty sure that nothing will leach. Other brands may or may not leach chemicals.

 

[ASpec]

Now this is interesting. I would agree with malkore and fishfreek, that as long as you purchase the plastic container brand new for the sole purpose of mixing/storage of slatwater you'd be fine.

I know the Brute cans are listed for commercial use (food grade), but I use a Rubbermaid Roughneck with no ill effects for RO/DI storage.

 

[midiman]

It's interesting that garbage cans would be made of "Food grade" plastic. Only in America!