Curing all new Rubbermaid and plastic buckets

[chummy]

Repost:

Curing all new Rubbermaid and plastic buckets.

When buckets are made they are put one inside the other. This is called nesting. When newly fabricated buckets are made and they are nested, there is no way any air can circulate. Thus any toxins from newly formed synthetic materials cannot escape.

To cure: Fill the container with water. Add one cup of Clorox (bleach) and 10 pounds of common salt (rock salt will do), to each 25 gallon size container.

Allow to sit for 4-5 days.

Dump out, not on your lawn! Wash with clean fresh water.

Fill with clean fresh water. Add de-chlorinator. Allow to sit for 4-5 days.

Discard this water. Allow to open air cure (leave in your back yard) for 4-5 days.

At the end of this process, smell inside the container. If there is ANY odor of plastic, resins, etc. Cure again.

Once there is NO odor of any type, you can safely use this container to mix and store salt water.

This is why we DO NOT use or recommend selling marine salts in new plastic 5 gallon buckets. -- E.g. Get a bucket of salts... it has an odor of resin, plastic, etc. This bucket MUST be cured prior to mixing or storing salt water.

MDP
__________________
Michael Del Prete
CEO Aqua Craft.Inc.
www.AquaCraft.net

[Alex9421]

I'll keep that in mind next time I buy any plastic containers, I didn't do anything like that with my storage containers, I guess I got lucky.

[atlantic reefer]

very good info

[Stus]

I keep laughing at the "not in your lawn!!" comment... haha I probably would have done that and wondered why in the spring I have a giant dead spot in the front of the house while ducking from flying pans from the wife...

[peelosophy]

Could I get some more info on exactly what these toxins are?

[jlouv]

also....If plastic buckets are not allowed to "breathe" as it was put, what makes plastic bags different? Doesn't a plastic bag start off it's life as just a big sheet of plastic on a huge roll before it's cut and melted together?? Using the "breathe" theory, wouldn't all the plastic on the roll have the same problem as the buckets??

[chummy]

Warnings:

Some plastic containers leach toxins that can kill fish. When using plastic, change water often to remove toxins, especially if moving over long distances.

Tips from eHow Users:

Plastic buckets can kill aquarium fish by A A.
I learned this the hard way. I lost two special fish. Plastic wading pools can also kill fish.


http://www.ehow.com/how_7155_relocate-aquarium.html

This also applies to all new materials added to an aquarium - silicone, PVC, flexible hose, acrylic and other new items even glass.

[atlantic reefer]

This should be stickyed either here or in general reef discussion

very good info

[DaveK]

I think a lot of this has to do with the material involved and how it's been stored. One key giveaway, does the material smell like plastic or some other chemicial?

Obviously, if you have a choice in the matter it's far better to cure it. For example, those plastic trash cans we all use may have been stored next to the pesticides.

On the other hand, if you have an emergency or critical repair, you'll have to go with silicone, PVC, flexible hose, acrylic or glass.

Also I'd be carefull about using bleach as part of the curing process on anything that's going to be used inside the tank.

[davidh202]

Food grade plastics are a different composition.