[Samper]

Today I invented something that I can't believe noone has thought to market for reef aquariums especially ones like mine. I'm not going to get into the details but I worked on it today and got it ready to use. I'm gonna use one in my tank and keep a log of my results. Meanwhile my buddys dad back home is a lawyer. He isn't a patent attorney but his buddy is and I'm gonna be speaking with him Wednesday. To make a long story short I'm gonna patent this thing the right way and hopefully make a contribution to the hobby. As this progresses I'll keep you guys updated.

[Reefland]

You've got to be kidding my, you posted this without any more details?

[Poseidon]

Aww Come On Samper... What a tease!!! Send me a PM!!

[Ninong]

As long as it doesn't involve magnets.

[Samper]

no magnets

[Samper]

What requirements does a plastic have to meet in order to be considered ok to use in a reef aquarium?

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Samper

What requirements does a plastic have to meet in order to be considered ok to use in a reef aquarium?

It would have to be inert in saltwater.

[ClintoninCali]

Not treated with an algaecide as some are when used for plumbing. That about sums up my knowledge on that subject... so...big gulps huh? Welp, see ya later...

[Samper]

I noticed when searching around for the right project started that some plastics had an oily feel to them and some didn't. I know plastic can be made a number of ways and was just curious if some of the materials used would be harmful or considered a poor choice.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Samper

...just curious if some of the materials used would be harmful or considered a poor choice.

Oh, yes!

As ClintoninCali has already mentioned, some are treated with fungicides and algicides. Others will leach toxins into saltwater or R.O./D.I. water. You need to find something that is inert (chemically unreactive) in saltwater.

A good example of this problem is what we got into a few years back when one of our members discovered that his R.O./D.I. water tested 0 TDS coming out of the unit but 40 or 50 TDS after a few days in his brand new Rubbermaid Roughneck storage containers. We contacted the Rubbermaid Commercial Products Division and they told us it would be better to stick with their Brute containers and only in the three colors certified as USDA approved: white, yellow and gray. They told us the other containers could possibly leach chemicals into deionized water. Then it got complicated. A few members posted that they had no such problems with their regular Rubbermaid containers, so we had to go back for a more detailed explanation. It seems that all of their containers are made with recycled plastics. The containers intended for food storage have certain restrictions on the types of plastics that can be used in the recipe. The other containers do not have the same restrictions but sometimes it just so happens that the nasty plastics were not used, but that's no guarantee, that's just a coincidence.

[Samper]

So anything made to hold food is likely to be safe correct? The only problem is that I noticed that rubbermaid said to stick with the usda approved white yellow and gray. I really need clear plastic. I'll keep searching and when I find something close to what I'm looking for I'll contact the manufacturer to see what they say about it.

I've made my prototype but am afraid to use it cause it has that oily feel.

[Ninong]

Originally Posted by Samper

So anything made to hold food is likely to be safe correct? The only problem is that I noticed that rubbermaid said to stick with the usda approved white yellow and gray. I really need clear plastic.

Hey, wait a minute! We only asked them about Rubbermaid "garbage cans," remember? We didn't ask them about everything they make. Of course they make clear polycarbonate plastics that are FDA/USDA compliant, they just don't make "garbage cans" that are clear. Our question to them was why someone was getting a substantial TDS reading on R.O./D.I. water that tested zero TDS just three or four days before. That's when they told us to stop using their Roughneck garbage cans and start using their Brute garbage cans in the three colors that were FDA/USDA compliant.

[Samper]

I'm not saying I need a food container just trying to explore my plastic options.