Dosing Bottles, Prior used for soap dispensers

bishoptf · Jun 5, 2023

I need a couple of bottles for dosing Nitrate and Phosphate and while I know I can purchase new, they tend to be kind of pricey at least for a cheapskate like my self. I know at the dollar store they have lots of liquid hand soap pump bottles or even hand sanitizer bottles. My question is, most of the bottles are PET, if I wash out the bottles would there be any concern of something leaching back out of the plastic or am I being overly paranoid. Usually the hand sanitizer has more than just alcohol, and the soap usually contains multiple chemicals but wasn't sure if Pet would leach any of the prior chemicals.

Probably a dumb question but I was curious what @Randy Holmes-Farley and thought, thanks.

SteveMM62Reef · Jun 5, 2023

I would use bottles food came in first. My Wife is always buying Lipton Tea in the Big Bottles and the Single Serve. Also have used the Simply Lemonade Bottles. I use Plastic Lab Graduated Cylinders to hand dose. Marked them with Fine Paint Markers for my various aquariums. The Bottles and Cylinders are cheap on Amazon.

bishoptf · Jun 5, 2023

SteveMM62Reef said:
I would use bottles food came in first. My Wife is always buying Lipton Tea in the Big Bottles and the Single Serve. Also have used the Simply Lemonade Bottles. I use Plastic Lab Graduated Cylinders to hand dose. Marked them with Fine Paint Markers for my various aquariums. The Bottles and Cylinders are cheap on Amazon.

Eh I think I didnt describe, I use glass bottles to store my dosing mixtures that I am using for calc, alk etc....For manual dosing of Nitrate and Phosphate I use small hand bottles with a pump on it to manual dose both of those to keep them where I want it. Maybe once a week maybe more often, not regular enough to put on a dosing head etc. Thats what I am talking about here I would like to purchase some bottles that contain hand soap or sanitizer since they are much cheaper than just buying the empty bottles etc...

something like these - Amazon product

I can measure how much they put out on average and use the James planted calculator to come up with what I want to raise per pump etc...

exnisstech · Jun 5, 2023

Maybe something lol This would work? Might be easier than the pump and no pump to wear out?

bishoptf · Jun 5, 2023

exnisstech said:
Maybe something lol This would work? Might be easier than the pump and no pump to wear out?

Yeah that for sure would work but looking for a cheaper alternative, I can get softsoap containers for $1.24 at walmart, that is what I was asking about, if I wash them out is that good enough or will the PET plastic have absorbed anything and leach back into the solutions...

spawn79 · Jun 5, 2023

I'm not sure about PET plastic but one thing I do know for sure is never use them if they've had soap or other chemicals in them. Too much risk of contamination. Any soap bottle I've ever rinsed out still smells like soap so in my world that means it doesn't get used.

exnisstech · Jun 5, 2023

bishoptf said:
Yeah that for sure would work but looking for a cheaper alternative, I can get softsoap containers for $1.24 at walmart, that is what I was asking about, if I wash them out is that good enough or will the PET plastic have absorbed anything and leach back into the solutions...

Sorry Im not knowledgeable enough to comment on the leaching. Personally I never repurpose any container that has had anything harmful to the tank stored in it. It's just the way I am not based on fact. To me it not worth it to save a couple dollars but again that's just me.
Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will chime in.

bishoptf · Jun 5, 2023

spawn79 said:
I'm not sure about PET plastic but one thing I do know for sure is never use them if they've had soap or other chemicals in them. Too much risk of contamination. Any soap bottle I've ever rinsed out still smells like soap so in my world that means it doesn't get used.

Yeah that was my concern also but was just curious what @Randy Holmes-Farley thought..