I Know This Is A Dumb Question, But I Just Want Assurance

[Captain Retardo]

Okay, I know this sounds like a dumb question but:

I just washed out my sand for my new 29 gallon tank, when I looked into the bucket though, there was old chips of white paint, I could chip them off, but I am worried, is it lethal to fish?

My mom is too crazy with saving money, she made me use that NON-food safe bucket! I tried to tell her that it wont be so good having $40 worth of dead fish, when we could have bought a bucket from the LFS for about $3

BTW-How much does it cost for a safe bucket? (I was estimating with what is said above)

 

[Rooster]

"Aipeth of tar..." a cheap plastic bucket costs £0.80 here in UK... 50c US ?

IS it worth the risk ?

Paint is "usually" ok once cured... but I would have preferred not to gamble !

 

[Captain Retardo]

Dosent the bucket have to be food safe or made for aquariums?


I have no idea where the paint came from, my mom said all she used it for was to wash vegetables she had growing in her garden (no pesticides or fertilizers). Paint Carrot!? ???

Should I just put a feeder guppy in the tank with a paint-strate and test if it is lethal (I know it is cruel, but I cant think of another way)
What if the paint only shortens the life of the fish, i will have to wait years to know! And guppys are really hardy too

 

[Rooster]

>Dosent the bucket have to be food safe or made for aquariums?


Nope... just a cheap NEW plastic bucket !

 

[Dorkhedeos]

nope, i just took the bucket that they gave to my brother when he lived in a dorm it said not for use with drinking water on the sticker that the college stuck on there, but the sticker that the manufacturer put on it just says heavy duty bucket. i think it was used for soap water before. i just rinsed it and its fine, so im guessing any new bucket would be ok. make sure it isnt too cheap though, because water is heavy. last time i used a dollar store bucket and the handle popped off.

 

[xamdarb]

well i have been using a 5 gallon bucket that shell put oil in.
so i can see no problem as long as you clean that bucket good