Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

That's tempting... but I got 20 IBC's for $100... ($5 each)

how can you say no to that?

In the context of this thread, what if they had a sign on the IBC instructing the user to "handle empty container with extreme care".

I got 8 IBC's for $70 each from a guy who bought new and had been using them for the last 3 years as watertanks out in the sticks.

Then I would have read the appropriate MSDS for the filling to see what the risk was, and gone from there.

As it happens - these had detergent in them... which is what I would have used to wash food ones out with anyway...

I don't have too much to add to this except perhaps for a few little tidbits I've picked up over the years...

Many "ABS" plastics, often used in pumps or 'drainage pipe' (the black stuff often used for shower drains etc) has been known to leech arsenic into the water. It's effects will not be detectable in your fish, but it is certainly harmful in any amount.

Also some forms of PVC's can be pretty bad over time, there was a situation in one community I lived in many years ago where some electric company had dumped a lot of PVC and other waste into a river, thinking it may make a nice habitat for the fish. Instead it caused their fry to mutate... Of course this was very old PVC and I'm sure, particularly when it comes to 'food grade irrigation PVC' that more modern techniques are used which may have eliminated the nastiness this stuff leeched into the river.

I was leaning toward using galvanized or stainless steel pipe and steel 'scrubbies' (for bio-filtration in my sump) but I have even read of these things leeching some not so favorable things into water so more research is required. Ideally we would all have ceramic plumbing like the ancient cultures used but that also poses some challenges not only in terms of an utter lack of availability but it would take a creative builder to figure out how to use ceramic pipes without leaking.

To those who argue we are already exposed to so many environmental toxins that there is no reason to worry... You are absolutely right, but my stance is, we are already exposed to so many environmental toxins that we should make every effort, within reason, to limit further exposure.

Great info! Thank you guys for sharing...

I'm working on building my first system and have an old Hot tub I was hoping to use for my fish tank. Any idea if this is OK? It's fiberglass.

Also, while researching I found this site that claims their tubing is "Made in the USA with FDA approved food grade materials. "
http://www.greners.com/i/pumps-irrigati ... ubing.html

Also found this pump while researching. What do you guys think?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC12V-108GPH-Hi ... 0963311155