A Community and Forum For Aquaponic Gardeners

IBC that had polyethylene glycol

There are some IBC's available that had polyethylene glycol in them. Would you use them for water storage or as a FT/media bed?

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

ModeratorPermalink Reply by Bob Terrell on April 22, 2013 at 10:29pm

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a polyether compound with many applications from industrial manufacturing to medicine. The structure of PEG is (note the repeated element in parentheses):

H-(O-CH₂-CH₂)_n-OH

PEG is also known as polyethylene oxide (PEO) or polyoxyethylene (POE), depending on its molecular weight.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a polyether compound with many applications from industrial manufacturing to medicine. The structure of PEG is (note the repeated element in parentheses):

H-(O-CH₂-CH₂)_n-OH

PEG is also known as polyethylene oxide (PEO) or polyoxyethylene (POE), depending on its molecular weight.

PEGs contain potential toxic impurities, such as ethylene oxide and 1,4-dioxane. Ethylene Glycol is nephrotoxic if applied to damaged skin.^[4]

Polyethylene oxide (PEO, M_w 4 kDa) nanometric crystallites (4 nm)

PEGs and methoxypolyethylene glycols are manufactured by Dow Chemical under the tradename Carbowax for industrial use, and Carbowax Sentry for food and pharmaceutical use. They vary in consistency from liquid to solid.

So are they safe for fish and drinking water, hhhhhmmmmm scares me.

Permalink Reply by TCLynx on April 23, 2013 at 6:52am

Actually it would depend on the grade of polyethylene glycol that it is. Food or medical grade stuff is used as a suffocant or laxative. The reading I did seemed to say it was generally very low toxicity, however, anything that is a suffocant I would be cautious of for fish use since a suffocant can coat their gills and suffocate them (think soap and oil are both very dangerous to fish.)

If it is not food or medical grade stuff, I would then also worry about toxic impurities from it.

Permalink Reply by Jim Fisk on April 24, 2013 at 6:39am

Hi Linda, one more note to add.

When you loose a few fish (or many fish) down the road you will always wonder if it could be one of the IBCs. A good food grade tank is worth the extra $ in the long run as it is one less thing to worry about. I will be changing some of my earlier IBC liners as I will NEVER be absolutely sure they aren't causing some leaching problems regardless of how well I think I cleaned them (plastic will absorb chemicals) and after all in the end "we are what we eat"

I may have a lead on brand new liners for only 25.00 each sans valves and all else. Now if they are food grade plastic (a whole nuther subject) that would be even more kick ass. New and food grade, my heart be still. I know I'd feel better and could take that possible cause right off the list.

Permalink Reply by Linda Logan on April 24, 2013 at 8:31am

I agree on knowing that the IBC is clean. Right now I use IBC's as a water catchment system. If I add another I think I will only use a new one. In Portland that runs about $195.00. For now, I'll put that money elsewhere. Thanks for your perspective.

Jim Fisk said:

Hi Linda, one more note to add.

When you loose a few fish (or many fish) down the road you will always wonder if it could be one of the IBCs. A good food grade tank is worth the extra $ in the long run as it is one less thing to worry about. I will be changing some of my earlier IBC liners as I will NEVER be absolutely sure they aren't causing some leaching problems regardless of how well I think I cleaned them (plastic will absorb chemicals) and after all in the end "we are what we eat"

I may have a lead on brand new liners for only 25.00 each sans valves and all else. Now if they are food grade plastic (a whole nuther subject) that would be even more kick ass. New and food grade, my heart be still. I know I'd feel better and could take that possible cause right off the list.