Rookie mistake? Didn't wash bins before "cycling"

[EL_Perron]

I might have made a rookie mistake. I bought couple of bins to start the cycle process while I put together my tank. I rinsed both out with water...but didn't use bleach. One is empty and I could dump the 80 gallons of RO/DI water and rinse with bleach...but the other one has sand and rock in it, which I plan to move the 100 gallon stock tank. So anything that might have been in there would be in the water and sand.

I have a few snails and hermits in there and they all seem to be fine, however I know they tend to be much hardier then more sensitive creatures.

My questions is should I be worried...will anything that might have been residual eventually, for lack a of a better term "dilute out"? Or should I do something else and just cook everything and start new?

As we all know I am spending a small fortune on this tank and would hate just be fighting issues in the future.

 

[Doctorgori]

Are these run-o-mill plastic box store bins?
…off the cuff I’d vote no worries

 

[EL_Perron]

Are these run-o-mill plastic box store bins?
…off the cuff I’d vote no worries

Yup. Brand new...nothing was ever in them before.

 

[Big E]

If you can, check out the number in the triangle at the bottom of a new bin. It will have a number inside the triangle to tell you what it is.

Since they are filled just go to the store you bought them from and read a new one at the store. Most are rated a 5 which is ok.

The biggest issue imo is leaching of chemicals over time, not whether you cleaned it out with bleach to start.

 

[mtraylor]

Nothing to worry about. I usually only take wet cloth to wipe out containers before use depending on size. Reef on.

 

[dmsc2fs]

Use them. Even if they are a less than ideal reef plastic you are using them for a short term project. Use them and don't sweat it.

 

[Dan_P]

I might have made a rookie mistake. I bought couple of bins to start the cycle process while I put together my tank. I rinsed both out with water...but didn't use bleach. One is empty and I could dump the 80 gallons of RO/DI water and rinse with bleach...but the other one has sand and rock in it, which I plan to move the 100 gallon stock tank. So anything that might have been in there would be in the water and sand.

I have a few snails and hermits in there and they all seem to be fine, however I know they tend to be much hardier then more sensitive creatures.

My questions is should I be worried...will anything that might have been residual eventually, for lack a of a better term "dilute out"? Or should I do something else and just cook everything and start new?

As we all know I am spending a small fortune on this tank and would hate just be fighting issues in the future.

New bins just rinsed out with water might still have plasticizer on the surface. That might interfere with a future skimmer but that’s probably all. Don’t worry.

I am not certain where the notion of bleaching everything came from but it is probably unnecessary with new equipment. Another way to think about the excessive use of bleaching, you are about to add wildlife to the aquarium and that means an uncontrolled contamination of your sterile aquarium with bacteria, algae, fungi, virus… Don’t worry. There will be plenty of sleepless night in your future worrying unnecessarily about why something is sick or died.

By the way, the wildlife in the saltwater bins is starving. Don’t neglect them too long.

 

[Troylee]

I don’t see anything to worry about it lol.. I’ve never washed a bin, bucket, trash can etc.. never had a problem either

 

[EL_Perron]

If you can, check out the number in the triangle at the bottom of a new bin. It will have a number inside the triangle to tell you what it is.

Since they are filled just go to the store you bought them from and read a new one at the store. Most are rated a 5 which is ok.

The biggest issue imo is leaching of chemicals over time, not whether you cleaned it out with bleach to start.

I'm not worried about them leaching anything. My bigger concern is something that was on the plastic...oils, a release agent, etc.

 

[EL_Perron]

I don’t see anything to worry about it lol.. I’ve never washed a bin, bucket, trash can etc.. never had a problem either

Thanks.

 

[EL_Perron]

Use them. Even if they are a less than ideal reef plastic you are using them for a short term project. Use them and don't sweat it.

It isn't the leeching, it's more so if there were any residual chemicals from the manufacturing process.

 

[EL_Perron]

New bins just rinsed out with water might still have plasticizer on the surface. That might interfere with a future skimmer but that’s probably all. Don’t worry.

I am not certain where the notion of bleaching everything came from but it is probably unnecessary with new equipment. Another way to think about the excessive use of bleaching, you are about to add wildlife to the aquarium and that means an uncontrolled contamination of your sterile aquarium with bacteria, algae, fungi, virus… Don’t worry. There will be plenty of sleepless night in your future worrying unnecessarily about why something is sick or died.

By the way, the wildlife in the saltwater bins is starving. Don’t neglect them too long.

Thanks I'm not new to this...plenty if sleepness nights have been had in the past. I normally don't run rins prior to a tank...I typically just cycle in a tank..but I figured I have the garage space I might as well get the process going now while I'm petting it all together. I'm usually very diligent about this stuff...but the thought of wiping it down with bleach probably should have happened. However it doesn't seem to be a big deal...which is good.

I feed the critters in the the stock tanks and have been doing water changes ;-)

 

[EricR]

I've wondered (in the past) if it's common practice for companies to treat/coat plastic bins with algaecide or similar to avoid mold/mildew but never researched it deeply.

Personally, I've always just hosed them out good and never worried beyond that.
*only thing I pay attention to is the recycle code (mentioned in post# 4) and go for one that seems to be considered reef safe by the masses

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I'm not worried about them leaching anything. My bigger concern is something that was on the plastic...oils, a release agent, etc.

I good practice would have been too wash them out with a mild detergent like dawn dish soap to release any oils from the surface.

You didn't, and I don't see a big issue unless you are seeing a chemical discoloration on the water.

 

[EL_Perron]

I good practice would have been too wash them out with a mild detergent like dawn dish soap to release any oils from the surface.

You didn't, and I don't see a big issue unless you are seeing a chemical discoloration on the water.

If I need to in the future, I will make sure I do that...good to know that it doesn't seem to be a huge deal. Nothing in the water seems off.

 

[snorklr]

i've always considered bleach to be a disinfectant that given time will evaporate from the water...so the thing to use if you're buying a used tank, rock etc and want to kill off anything that may still be living in it....but idk if its necessary for new plastic stuff...maybe something like alcohol would be better as a solvent to potentially remove chemical residues and still rinse off with water...i just buy food grade stuff and rinse with tapwater

 

[EL_Perron]

i've always considered bleach to be a disinfectant that given time will evaporate from the water...so the thing to use if you're buying a used tank, rock etc and want to kill off anything that may still be living in it....but idk if its necessary for new plastic stuff...maybe something like alcohol would be better as a solvent to potentially remove chemical residues and still rinse off with water...i just buy food grade stuff and rinse with tapwater

That makes sense as well. Seems like I am going to be ok.

 

[Doctorgori]

I prefer bleach over soap since its less persistent, but a well rinsed wash or two in Dawn is nothing

 

[Dan_P]

Thanks I'm not new to this...plenty if sleepness nights have been had in the past. I normally don't run rins prior to a tank...I typically just cycle in a tank..but I figured I have the garage space I might as well get the process going now while I'm petting it all together. I'm usually very diligent about this stuff...but the thought of wiping it down with bleach probably should have happened. However it doesn't seem to be a big deal...which is good.

I feed the critters in the the stock tanks and have been doing water changes ;-)

Great!

Good luck and much success.

Dan