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So, Adam and I picked up a large black plastic tub from Bunnings (Home Depot/Lowes) to use to temporarily hold tank water for the fishtanks. It's really large but also really smelly, similar to the smell of black garbage bags.

The intended purpose is to hold water overnight while we move tanks and water sources so we can more easily acclimate the fish to a new water source (we're going from town to rainwater).

My thought was that the water wasnt going to be in contact for that long so that it would be ok. But, I'd like to use it after the transition as a container pond.

Any thoughts ?

^_^

That sounds a bit suspect. Can you wrap the inside in something like Saran wrap or some of the black liner used in ponds?

Would be sus about it even briefly, do you have time to fill it and leave it in the sun to try and leach that plastic smell out?

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Not that it would be a easy task, but tracking down the manufacture and inquiring if there are any phenols, butyls, acetates, or any other potentially nasty chems incorporated in the tub materials,
I'm liking Joes' idea of some kind of a "known" safe material as a temporary liner, even a short period in the tub may be enough to contaminate the water.
Before I'd use it as a container pond, I'd seal it up with a waterproof epoxy, just to be on the safe side.


Good Luck !!

J.

Actually, can you do it the other way around? can you start doing WCs with the new water now?

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

If it only to hold water I would take it back and get the proper water containers, possibly cost more but at least it will be a safe storage. I use them for storing my water all the time and never a problem.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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just how long can water be stored,sitting waiting the w/c..
sue

You can store it easily for a week or more, if you run an air stone the whole time you're ageing it. Put your heater on for just enough time to bring the water up to temperature, chuck in a pump & a food grade hose leading straight to the tank - water changes become a breeze.

Babelfish, on another forum there was a conversation about a 500L tub from bunnings (they were green though). I was dubious, as they weren't food safe, but others swear they have been using them for a long time for aquarium water storage. All very experienced discus keepers too, so I'd trust what they say. I don't have one of them myself, as I already had a food grade water storage container before the conversation took place.

http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16743&highlight=

Cheers
TW

I didn't think it'd be right to use long term, but I just can't help myself. I see something that could hold water and I want it as a water feature!

Fish seem just fine for the move. Even if we did leave them in the sun in translucent containers a little longer than maybe we should have .

We had a look at pond liner when we were at bunnings, that stuffs expensive ! For water changes, we may use one of the old trash cans that used to be used for water changes before it was filled with substrate for the first move, if it ever gets emptied of the substrate! Right now the tanks are just too far away from the taps.

The new water I'm assuming is similar to the old water they were getting their water changes done with, tank water! But the previous family had to have some delivered so who knows how different it was or if it was even what we were on out of the tap at the old place. But like I said everyone seems to have pulled through.

As for contacting the manufacturer, hmm near impossible I believe. No brand name, no made by, just a barcode.

^_^