Would you?

specialk · Dec 27, 2017

So I am not sure what to do here ...
I am leaving for 3 weeks, have an experienced reefer coming over every other day to take care of my tank.

I am setting up a huge 100 gallon rubbermaid bin (used I bought from someone) filled with RO water and then I have a dosing pump going into that bin to dose the dry off water that I lose everyday.

BUT ... I just tested the water after I piut it into the used rubbermaid bin and it was reading "87". I then tested the water in another plain 18 gallon tote, and it was reading "3" ... so clearly that bin is messing up the water.

YES I did scrub the bin out, and there seemed to be a white residue on the inside of the bin that I tried razor blading off but it was hard to scrape off. I am not sure if it is paint or what !?!? But this bin was bought at a frag swap from a guy that said he used it for keeping rock, etc. so I figured it was safe.

Should I mess with putting this water into this bin when it was putting off a "87" on the tds meter and clearly getting contaimonated?

Tbyram · Dec 27, 2017

I sure wouldn't. If you don't know what was in it then I wouldn't take the chance. Maybe when you return you can do some more cleaning, acid bath or something to see if you can get it clean. Good thing you checked the TDS.

specialk · Dec 27, 2017

Yah I decided no way ... Just cant take the chance. Thanks for the reply!

Mark Gray · Dec 27, 2017

I don't think I would ether. I think I would find something else Good luck on your trip, do you have a controller so you can check on your tank when you are gone?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 27, 2017

It is probably just a tiny bit of dried water deposit in it. It takes almost no salt to boost tds a lot.

specialk · Dec 27, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
It is probably just a tiny bit of dried water deposit in it. It takes almost no salt to boost tds a lot.

So Randy you think it would be ok ?

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 27, 2017

Do you know what it was used for? I expect it is likely OK.

My bigger concern is copper in a hospital tank, which would hardly require any TDS rise to be an issue.

JimWelsh · Dec 27, 2017

I wonder what the TDS reading would be if you simply drained the big tank of the "87" TDS water in it, and then filled it a second time?

specialk · Dec 27, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Do you know what it was used for? I expect it is likely OK.

My bigger concern is copper in a hospital tank, which would hardly require any TDS rise to be an issue.

I am not sure of the exact specifics, but he is a fellow reefer so I am assuming nothing crazy. From what I can remember (it was 2 years ago) he said he curated live rtock in there and some other things with live rock ...

specialk · Dec 27, 2017

Thats a great question Jim.

rkpetersen · Dec 27, 2017

JimWelsh said:
I wonder what the TDS reading would be if you simply drained the big tank of the "87" TDS water in it, and then filled it a second time?

My first thought also. With maybe a rinse with some fresh RODI water in between.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 27, 2017

Does the plastic surface look clean and did you clean it? Calcium carbonate deposits on the inside would be a common issue of no concern that can raise tds significantly.

cracker · Dec 27, 2017

Ya have time to give it a vinegar soak?

specialk · Dec 28, 2017

Randy Holmes-Farley said:
Does the plastic surface look clean and did you clean it? Calcium carbonate deposits on the inside would be a common issue of no concern that can raise tds significantly.

I cleaned it and scrubed it out with hot water .... but the white spots were still there. They basically look like little white pain droplets...but when I tried scraping them with a razor, they were tough to get off and almost turned to a white dust.

I am guessing this would be the calcium deposits ... well I am hopinh at least

specialk · Dec 28, 2017

cracker said:
Ya have time to give it a vinegar soak?

I am not sure actually..lol.. I can always make time.

Randy Holmes-Farley · Dec 28, 2017

I'd use it, and the calcium deposits are a likely source of much of the TDS, if not all of it.

PatW · Dec 28, 2017

I would go buy some muriatic acid, dilute it about 20 to 1 with RODI water. It is a strong acid and attacks thins like calcium carbonate really well. It should clean out any possible metallic ions. Since certain metals are highly toxic for marine invertebrates, it would possibly be worth doing. Just rinse afterwards a few times with RODI water to get the acid and the dissolved gunk out. Just be careful handling the acid. It fumes as you pour it out and you do not want to breath it. I dilute it outside. Ah, to have a fume hood.

CPL376 · Dec 28, 2017

Dude you're talking about 30 bucks here. Go get yourself a new bucket and stop stressing. It isn't worth wrecking your entire setup

dede · Dec 28, 2017

I agree with CPL376 and just go buy 2 more brutes. Why chance it when you are going on vacation, you don't want to change something right before you leave. Lots of people on this forum have had major problems with their tank while on vacation. One piece of advice I had read on this forum was to get your tank setup for the vacation early, then hands off for 2-3 days and see what happens. This way you can address any possible problems that arise before you leave.