# Water Bucket



## Snydaleid (Apr 12, 2008)

Soooo.... My GF decided to wash a few dishes that were in the sink and washed the bucket I have for putting water into my aquarium since it was on the counter. She used soap in it and I didn't know she did it until afterwards. I haven't used it since she did it.


So should I toss the bucket and buy a new one or can I be 100% sure that I can rinse the soap completely out?


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## bratyboy2 (Feb 5, 2008)

rinse it in hot water a few times you will be fine


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## gibmaker (Jan 3, 2007)

I clean all of my new buckets with hot soapy water, I have about 25 5 gal pails sitting around, no problems here.


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## Snydaleid (Apr 12, 2008)

Ok sounds good. I thought that would be ok. Just needed to hear it from someone else. Thanks.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I'm probably odd, but I personally never use a bucket that has had any soap in it for tank water again, unless it's just the bucket I drain the water into. I've heard the residue can never be completely rinsed away, but apparently it isn't enough to bother the fish either since others haven't had any problems.


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## gibmaker (Jan 3, 2007)

JanS said:


> I'm probably odd, but I personally never use a bucket that has had any soap in it for tank water again, unless it's just the bucket I drain the water into. I've heard the residue can never be completely rinsed away, but apparently it isn't enough to bother the fish either since others haven't had any problems.


If that were true, (not saying it isn't) every glass of water you drink would have soap in it. Every plate you eat off as well, forks knives etc.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

I just find it humorous that there's a thread about a water bucket in the Water Bucket forum.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I think it depends on the kind of soap. My son used my bucket to wash his car with simple green. I didn't know it. In 5 minutes I lost all my fish but 3. It was horrible! To me a bucket isn't worth it. I NEVER use a bucket that has ANYTHING in it but water. Course I know it's once burned twice shy. If you've been through the massive belly up you would be the same way.


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Obviously this won't help you now, but I usually mark on the outside of the bucket "Fish Use Only" in big letters.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

mikenas102 said:


> I just find it humorous that there's a thread about a water bucket in the Water Bucket forum.


That was my first thought. It's kinda like the Seinfeld episode when Kramer wrote a coffee table book about coffee tables.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Well the stupid thing is it was the blue bucket - only for fish. If he couldn't see the color he wouldn't have seen the words. He just grabbed the 1st bucket he saw without thinking.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Tex Gal, I wonder if you would have had the same problem if you knew the bucket had been used for washing the car and were able to rinse it thoroughly before using it for the fish. I never rinse the car wash bucket all that well once I'm done - just get the major crud out of it. I'm also wondering if something like rewashing with baking soda & vinegar would remove the soap residue and then be easier to rinse out. Or maybe not, I'm just pondering. I've got to say being single and the only one with access to the fish buckets is a definite plus for my peace of mind.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

cs_gardener said:


> Tex Gal, I wonder if you would have had the same problem if you knew the bucket had been used for washing the car and were able to rinse it thoroughly before using it for the fish. I never rinse the car wash bucket all that well once I'm done - just get the major crud out of it. I'm also wondering if something like rewashing with baking soda & vinegar would remove the soap residue and then be easier to rinse out. Or maybe not, I'm just pondering. I've got to say being single and the only one with access to the fish buckets is a definite plus for my peace of mind.


O but Catherine... you miss so much!! (stinky socks all over, food left out on counter, lights on all over the house, ect....) Who knows! But I certainly wouldn't test the theory with my fish. Poor little buddies floating all over the top of the water! I do think that Simple green was oil based but so are most soaps. Course I see in this thread that people rinse all the time. I guess I'm chicken and not a risk taker!


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

Tex Gal said:


> O but Catherine... you miss so much!! (stinky socks all over, food left out on counter, lights on all over the house, ect....) Who knows! But I certainly wouldn't test the theory with my fish. Poor little buddies floating all over the top of the water! I do think that Simple green was oil based but so is most soaps. Course I see in this thread that people rinse all the time. I guess I'm chicken and not a risk taker!


I don't know if I'd risk it either, I was just wondering. The cost of the extra rinsing/cleaning not working would be so high and buckets are pretty darn cheap.

While I don't have stinky socks all over, there are pet toys (cat and dog) everywhere, scattered dry food and kitty litter, dirty paw prints on the aquarium glass, plus water smears from when various cats decide the tank water is infinitely better than their Drinkwell fountain, hairballs, dust bunnies that look more like mastodons (I sweep regularly, honest!), and if I let my cats outside to be with me when I'm gardening, they roll around in the dirt then go inside to clean up - and they seem to think my bed is the best place ever to dump all the grit. Oh yeah, they've nearly destroyed a tank by rubbing against the heater and changing the temp setting. Thankfully I caught it in time. So I do have some house-sharing fun of my own, it's just not quite the same.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

cs_gardener said:


> While I don't have stinky socks all over, there are pet toys (cat and dog) everywhere, scattered dry food and kitty litter, dirty paw prints on the aquarium glass, plus water smears from when various cats decide the tank water is infinitely better than their Drinkwell fountain, hairballs, dust bunnies that look more like mastodons (I sweep regularly, honest!), and if I let my cats outside to be with me when I'm gardening, they roll around in the dirt then go inside to clean up - and they seem to think my bed is the best place ever to dump all the grit. Oh yeah, they've nearly destroyed a tank by rubbing against the heater and changing the temp setting. Thankfully I caught it in time. So I do have some house-sharing fun of my own, it's just not quite the same.


...sounds so homey!


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

I use the pitchers that you use for making lemonade or iced tea. I use it for changing water every once in awhile. Then I just wash it, and my mom makes some iced tea the next day or sometimes the same day. I have never had any problems with residue, and I have even smelled soap and lemonade in the pitcher before using it. Really, as long as the concentration of the soap that gets into the water is low enough, the fish will be fine. I mean there are fish that live in worse, more toxic environments, and they live and thrive all the time.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

AaronT said:


> Obviously this won't help you now, but I usually mark on the outside of the bucket "Fish Use Only" in big letters.


I do exactly the same, and have to have one marked for clean fresh and one for clean saltwater only, plus I hide them so they aren't out and available for a "quick" job. 

As stated, buckets are so inexpensive that I'd rather not take the risk. Sure there are environmental toxins everywhere, but those fish are in multitudes more water than any of our tiny little aquariums and nature does a much better job of filtration than even the best of what we can do in our tanks.


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