Toxin leaching from storage container

[Sctn4Elk]

Has anyone ever had polypropylene leach toxic materials into their RO/DI water? I got a couple of 5 gallon storage containers from the lfs...the ones they sell their DI water in and after two water changes (2 weeks) in my 35 FOLR tank everything is dead except 2 green chromis, several snails and 1 cleaner shrimp.

 

I thought it was everything else and began a mad rush to find out what was the problem. When I was about to do the third water change, I happened to smell the water and it had a very strong plastic odor. I immediately made a fresh pale of water in a food grade bucket I use when making wine and did a water change. I managed to save the fish listed above, but my YWG, 1 cleaner shrimp, 6 hermits and 1 Flame Angel did not make it...all died within hours of the last water change.

 

So far I bought a new larger Prizm skimmer and used carbon and I think I have got it back close to normal.

[Sctn4Elk]

Late night help?

[Dadoboy]

Has anyone ever had polypropylene leach toxic materials into their RO/DI water? I got a couple of 5 gallon storage containers from the lfs...the ones they sell their DI water in and after two water changes (2 weeks) in my 35 FOLR tank everything is dead except 2 green chromis, several snails and 1 cleaner shrimp.

 

I thought it was everything else and began a mad rush to find out what was the problem. When I was about to do the third water change, I happened to smell the water and it had a very strong plastic odor. I immediately made a fresh pale of water in a food grade bucket I use when making wine and did a water change. I managed to save the fish listed above, but my YWG, 1 cleaner shrimp, 6 hermits and 1 Flame Angel did not make it...all died within hours of the last water change.

 

So far I bought a new larger Prizm skimmer and used carbon and I think I have got it back close to normal.

I'm really sorry for your loss... I don't know if this helps, but I use the 5 gallon water bottle they use in the 'watercoolers'. Got mine at Walmart for 7 bucks... IMO - I wouldn't use anything that smells like that... and it was used... so, no tellin

HTH

Dave A.

[Pship]

Use this calculator to determine how much of a waterchange you should do. http://www.reefcentral.com/calc/RODICalc.php I would do around a 50% change, make sure to test for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, ect ect please post your testing here. We need to know in order to help determine a solution!

[mcarr3]

I have not had this happen but I do wonder sometimes if there are any chemicals leaching into my RO/DI water which I let sit for a week or two sometimes in a plastic trash can. So far I have not had any ill effects. I would definately change the container. Sorry that I could not offer much help but I think that if you bumped this thread tomorrow when more people are logged on, you may get some help.

[Sctn4Elk]

would do around a 50% change, make sure to test for ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, ect ect please post your testing here. We need to know in order to help determine a solution!

 

That's the thing...I stay on top of my tests doing them before and after each water change.

Amm, trite, trate at 0

calc at 400 - 420

sg 1.025

temp 79

PH 8.3

dKH 9

 

I use Instant Ocean and RO/DI water using my own unit, 5 gallons every week

TDS at 0

 

Everything was doing great until I started using the new containers.

 

I have not had this happen but I do wonder sometimes if there are any chemicals leaching into my RO/DI water which I let sit for a week or two sometimes in a plastic trash can. So far I have not had any ill effects. I would definately change the container. Sorry that I could not offer much help but I think that if you bumped this thread tomorrow when more people are logged on, you may get some help.

 

Yea, I think I will take Dadoboy's suggestion and try the drinking water containers. I am going back to the lfs tomorrow with the containers in hand and let them smell them.

[Pship]

Do a big water change and toss the jug. I wouldnt use that thing for anything if it smells as bad as you are describing it.

[Sctn4Elk]

Do a big water change and toss the jug. I wouldnt use that thing for anything if it smells as bad as you are describing it.

 

Will do...I did not smell it at first, but after it was sealed for a week and the cap was opened I could smell strong plastic odor. I shouldn't have used it, but I did and paid the price. The second time I used it, I did check the TDS before adding salt and it read 0 so IDK??

 

I'll do the water change with freshly made water tomorrow morning....thanks.

[mastawong]

Look at the bottom of the container, there's usually a recycle symbol and a number, I've heard that lower number can leach toxin easier, I'd go w/ #7, I've heard that they can last forever.

http://pslc.ws/macrog//work/recycle.htm

[eklikewhoa]

i use the plastic containers sold at LFS and do not have that problem....though I did thoroughly clean the thing and let it dry without the top on.

[bluepanda]

Has anyone ever had polypropylene leach toxic materials into their RO/DI water? I got a couple of 5 gallon storage containers from the lfs...the ones they sell their DI water in and after two water changes (2 weeks) in my 35 FOLR tank everything is dead except 2 green chromis, several snails and 1 cleaner shrimp.

 

I thought it was everything else and began a mad rush to find out what was the problem. When I was about to do the third water change, I happened to smell the water and it had a very strong plastic odor. I immediately made a fresh pale of water in a food grade bucket I use when making wine and did a water change. I managed to save the fish listed above, but my YWG, 1 cleaner shrimp, 6 hermits and 1 Flame Angel did not make it...all died within hours of the last water change.

 

So far I bought a new larger Prizm skimmer and used carbon and I think I have got it back close to normal.

 

 

I am going to say yes it is entirely possible especially if the container is exposed to drastic temperatures,, ie. a hot car or a freezer. There have been warnings for years about not leaving your plastic bottles of drinking water in the car due to the chemicals leeching... these warnings however have been mostly cancer related. I am unsure of the immediate effects of these chemicals. I am sorry about your fish though.

[Sctn4Elk]

Look at the bottom of the container, there's usually a recycle symbol and a number, I've heard that lower number can leach toxin easier, I'd go w/ #7, I've heard that they can last forever.

http://pslc.ws/macrog//work/recycle.htm

 

The number inside the recycle symbol is a 2....

[Sctn4Elk]

I am going to say yes it is entirely possible especially if the container is exposed to drastic temperatures...

 

That is what blows me away...it was in an air conditioned car from the store to the house and then rinsed out when I got home. I had previously purchased one a few weeks before and it doesn't show the same symptoms as these two.

[FateX9]

maybe a bad batch of water?

i bought a trashcan from walmart a while ago to store water in and when i smelt it it wreaked of plastic and i got worried about that too so i let tap water soak in the tub for a while just to make sure and i changed out the water quite a few times and the smell remained so i gave up on the smell and just stored water in it and it worked alright, but the smell was still there

did you make the water or did you get it from somewhere else?

[Sctn4Elk]

i use the plastic containers sold at LFS and do not have that problem....though I did thoroughly clean the thing and let it dry without the top on.

 

Yea, I have one that doesn't smell and seems to be fine...and they use these every day. Whenever I go in to the lfs, I see people carrying these things out full of water, sooooo????

[Sctn4Elk]

OK, heading out to the LFS to return the nasty containers and whine and complain about the losses.....

[jm82792]

My mom is VERY health orientated

(over the top,too heath orientated),she says that lower grade plastic leaches crap like water bottles and stuff. She says the blue expensive bottles for drinking water don't do that though..

So I guess I'm going to have to buy 2 of those 5 gallon bottles for SW

[Laura6686]

Has anyone ever had polypropylene leach toxic materials into their RO/DI water? I got a couple of 5 gallon storage containers from the lfs...the ones they sell their DI water in and after two water changes (2 weeks) in my 35 FOLR tank everything is dead except 2 green chromis, several snails and 1 cleaner shrimp.

 

I thought it was everything else and began a mad rush to find out what was the problem. When I was about to do the third water change, I happened to smell the water and it had a very strong plastic odor. I immediately made a fresh pale of water in a food grade bucket I use when making wine and did a water change. I managed to save the fish listed above, but my YWG, 1 cleaner shrimp, 6 hermits and 1 Flame Angel did not make it...all died within hours of the last water change.

 

So far I bought a new larger Prizm skimmer and used carbon and I think I have got it back close to normal.

 

Not sure but guess it could be possible. I live in Boston and the local paper did an article about our water bottles causing us damage.

 

Since you have had the problem and I am just starting my tank I am think I will do what I did a few years back. I am going to buy a small glass tank (5 gallon) and use it for mixing my water changes.

 

Sorry this happened to you. :-(

[el_vulture619]

Food grade is your safest bet. When in doubt get the food grade trash can or containers. You can get the 30g white trash cans at a restaurant supply store. Gordon Foods also has large food grade plastics, if there is one in your area. They are always the white containers.

[Sctn4Elk]

maybe a bad batch of water?

...

did you make the water or did you get it from somewhere else?

 

I always make my own water and test it with my TDS meter...I don't use it unless it is 0..IDK, just a freak that way.

 

... She says the blue expensive bottles for drinking water don't do that though.....

 

Are those the ones they use in water coolers....like Culigan?

 

Food grade is your safest bet...

 

Yea, I have a 6 gallon food grade bucket that I have switched to...I went to the LFS today and complained loudly... ...they refunded me and said they would help with fish replacement....after they get a water sample from my tank

[Mr. Fosi]

I store RO water in polyethylene jugs for months on end and never had a problem that I could associate with it.

 

I store my seawater in a plastic 5g bucket, also for months, with problem that I could associate with it.

 

The water that comes out of each has a "plastic" smell.

 

Many food-liquids are stored in this type of plastic.

[Sctn4Elk]

I store RO water in polyethylene jugs for months on end and never had a problem that I could associate with it.

I store my seawater in a plastic 5g bucket, also for months, with problem that I could associate with it.

The water that comes out of each has a "plastic" smell.

Many food-liquids are stored in this type of plastic.

 

Well I guess I wasn't that lucky

 

Even so, I think from here on out I'll stick to food grade plastic...don't relish losing $200 in livestock...

[bluepanda]

That is what blows me away...it was in an air conditioned car from the store to the house and then rinsed out when I got home. I had previously purchased one a few weeks before and it doesn't show the same symptoms as these two.

 

 

Perhaps if it wasn't temp. differences it was the corrosive power of salt itself? That is nice to hear that the LFS is taking some responsibility.

[HankB]

I got a couple of buckets from our local big chain building supply store. I filled them with hot water before I used them because I figured that would leach out anything soluble in the plastic.

 

Maybe the ones you got were made with a bad batch of material. Were they made in China? It's great to save $$$ on stuff from there, but their notion of QC and the American notion of QC (assuming you are in the US) seems to be vastly different.

 

Of maybe there is some other reason for your tank crash. Don't fixate on one thing just in case the water jug is not the real culprit.

 

-hank

[Sctn4Elk]

Of maybe there is some other reason for your tank crash. Don't fixate on one thing just in case the water jug is not the real culprit.

-hank

 

Yea, I didn't, it was just the last thing that it could have been. All params were great and before the water change all critters were in fine health. I did a water change yesterday with a food grade jug and remaining livestock is doing well.

 

Perhaps if it wasn't temp. differences it was the corrosive power of salt itself? That is nice to hear that the LFS is taking some responsibility.

 

Well, I only store the RO/DI in the containers...not the salt mix. I mix the salt a couple of hours before I change out the water.

 

Yea, after I returned the containers and the LFS opened them and smelled them they offered up the help. He did say that he has smelled that before and no one had reported any problems.....so IDK?? Better safe than sorry IMO.