Food coloring in dosing containers

[LVReefer94]

Apparently Jake Adams from Reef Builders adds food coloring to his dosing jugs to easily tell everything apart from each other, he adds it to All, Ca, Mg and Acropower. I know many of you would advise against that but I do trust his judgment at the end of the day. Does anybody know anything about this?

 

[lapin]

Funny idea.
I use a P-touch labeler. DYMO also makes one.
I find a piece of painters tape and a magic marker also works wonders

 

[DaneGer21]

Funny idea.
I use a P-touch labeler. DYMO also makes one.
I find a piece of painters tape and a magic marker also works wonders

Yep, a plain old marker works fine

 

[Cell]

A simple label seems equally effective and adds nothing to my dosing solutions.

 

[RSnodgrass]

Guessing the food color helps him see it from a distance in his shop. A person with an open stand might appreciate this over clear liquid. *Most food coloring has unlimited shelf life and is food grade safe of course... maybe just avoid squeezing it in like a Mio drink flavoring bottle

Personally I've thought about putting small, plastic, fluorescent floaty balls in my containers to see the top level easier.

Both act as the visual equivalent of having certain equipment making an identifiable noise. I just have to be near the tank to know it's working.

 

[Staghorn]

I wonder if anyone has experimented with food coloring and corals to see if dosing will effect coral coloration. I’m not going to do it but look forward to reading your research.

 

[LVReefer94]

Funny idea.
I use a P-touch labeler. DYMO also makes one.
I find a piece of painters tape and a magic marker also works wonders

Iv’e always used label makers for everything. Just a cool thought to have all liquids colored.

 

[LVReefer94]

Guessing the food color helps him see it from a distance in his shop. A person with an open stand might appreciate this over clear liquid. *Most food coloring has unlimited shelf life and is food grade safe of course... maybe just avoid squeezing it in like a Mio drink flavoring bottle

Personally I've thought about putting small, plastic, fluorescent floaty balls in my containers to see the top level easier.

Both act as the visual equivalent of having certain equipment making an identifiable noise. I just have to be near the tank to know it's working.

And its not like he only does it to a zoa filled tank. All of his run this. ALL OF THEM haha

 

[Kris 2020]

I use colored dosing tubing and colored labels on my pumps, containers, and controller outlets. I don’t see how food coloring would help much except for in the container. Unless it’s REALLY heavily dyed it’s going to difficult to see in drips and lines.

 

[LVReefer94]

I use colored dosing tubing and colored labels on my pumps, containers, and controller outlets. I don’t see how food coloring would help much except for in the container. Unless it’s REALLY heavily dyed it’s going to difficult to see in drips and lines.

Its soul purpose is for seeing how full the jugs are with a quick glance.

 

[Karen00]

There was some research suggesting that some of the food dyes were linked to cancer. It was an ingredient in them (or maybe it was just in certain colors and not all of them). It's entirely possible that ingredient isn't used anymore and might not have had any impact on a tank regardless.

My only caution, not everyone sees color the same and even more so with color blindness. Most of us do our own tanks so we know the routine but if you happen to have someone else do it (you're on vacation) or you have a store where many people might be doing the tanks then they might not sees those colors as you hope they're being seen. I like labels.

 

[RSnodgrass]

There was some research suggesting that some of the food dyes were linked to cancer. It was an ingredient in them (or maybe it was just in certain colors and not all of them). It's entirely possible that ingredient isn't used anymore and might not have had any impact on a tank regardless.

My only caution, not everyone sees color the same and even more so with color blindness. Most of us do our own tanks so we know the routine but if you happen to have someone else do it (you're on vacation) or you have a store where many people might be doing the tanks then they might not sees those colors as you hope they're being seen. I like labels.

Mello Yellow #7 last I recall was the one they talked about 25yrs ago.

 

[Karen00]

Mello Yellow #7 last I recall was the one they talked about 25yrs ago.

I don't use coloring so don't follow what's going on with them but I thought it was more recent (the last decade) and I remember something about the color red. LOL

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It is very likely safe, but I wouldn't do it. it just seems low risk for very low benefit.

Folks should not get carried away that food grade means safe. You can buy food grade copper sulfate. Would folks want to use that? it likely adds a nice green/blue color. lol