MousePotato

My new aquarium came with a lot of supplies, some of which I haven't even identified yet. However, one thing that came with it is an old Freshwater Test Kit. The bottle are all dated 2004, so I wouldn't trust the test results. How do I dispose of it? Does it need to go to the hazardous waste facility?

Thanks!

FishFolk

According to API as posted in another thread here "Each reagent bottle has a Lot # printedon the bottle. The last four digits are the month and year of
manufacture. Example: Lot # 28A0102. This is a pH reagent manufactured
in January of 2002. Pond Care Wide Range pH, Ammonia, High Range pH,
Nitrate, Phosphate, Copper, Calcium and GH all last for three years.
Nitrite and KH will last for four years. Freshwater pH(low range) and
Pond Care Salt Level will last for five years. I would not trust these
kits after they have expired."

so...your nitrite may be okay but if so only by months. I haven't seen how to dipose of the chemicals. Save the tubes though - If you break them, replacements are tough to find. API offered to send some but it has been a while and no tubes yet.

Here's the number for customer service.(800) 847-0659 if you get an answer,please post. I'd like to know what to do when mine expire. Thanks

MousePotato

Thanks, FishFolk. The lot number ended in 0404, so I think they are pretty much expired. Fortunately, I have my own test kit that is only one year old. With my recent Nitrate readings, I may well use it up before the year is out!

I will call customer service when I get a chance and I will post what I find. Call me a silly environmentalist, but I try to be very careful when disposing of chemicals with that many hazard warnings on them!

sirdarksol

You may have a hazardous waste disposal site in your municipality.

I agree that disposing of something that warns that it's caustic seems kind of dangerous.

KyWildFish

I dont know what the bottles say but unless it says something like teratogen, mutagen, carcinogen or toxic on it it should be fine. Caustic doesnt make it horribly dangerous but its certainly not "green" to just pitch them. Your best bet would be to take them to a University chemistry building and ask someone there to dispose of them properly, they ususally have special methods of getting rid of tricky chemicals.

MousePotato

I will call API and find out for sure. The bottles do say "toxic" and "corrosive." Fortunately, there is a hazardous waste facility in my area (not too close, of course!).

The University sounds like a good idea, but at this age I'd rather take my chances with the hazardous waste than with a bunch of college kids!

MousePotato

Just got off the phone with API. They said to toss it in the trash. Nothing toxic after all.

The guy was very nice and he answered on the first ring. I think he identified himself as a member of the "fish help desk." Speaking as an IT professional, that made me giggle! Maybe I should have asked him for a service pack to keep my nitrates down.

Shawnie

if he gets ya one, you better share it!!!!! LOL

sirdarksol

This has my curiosity piqued, now. I'm off to do a bit of research about what the Twin Cities and Minnesota consider "hazardous waste."

Likely these are just chemicals that break down fairly readily, and are in small enough amounts that they aren't terribly dangerous, though.

FishFolk

I too was curious and spoke to a specialist in our area. He said the chemicals involved were water soluable and could be washed down the sink with water - After all that's what you do with them anyway righ? Mix with water and toss down the sink. Made sense...Sorry I haven't been back to post sooner!

Thanks for calling API!

MousePotato

No problem, FishFolk. Work has been a little slow lately and we're about to move anyway (I have a bit of "short timers' disease"), so it wasn't much trouble to make the call.

As for your comment about washing them down the sink - DUH!! Why didn't I think of that? I always wash them down the sink without a second thought, so why would I think they were hazardous?

Thanks for checking anyway.

FishFolk

Yeh, I sort of thought duh (to me - not you) too when my specialist told me that. But still always better safe than sorry!

Now, I gotta ask- Moving and getting a new aquarium at the same time? Have I missed a post somewhere?

MousePotato

Well, I didn't make an "official" post about the move because let's face it - you guys can't tell where I am at any given time anyway. We've got people from all over the world on here and I frequently visit the forum while travelling.

That said, yes, we are moving. I did not expect to move when I bought the new aquarium. In fact, the very day after we set it up my husband sent me a text message informing me his former employer had called and offered him a job. My first question was "are you sure you wanna move that big @#$% again?"

Well, two weeks later he accepted the offer, so we are moving 200 miles north. I guess we had to add a 5 foot-long tank to the load because moving a four bedroom house, finding a new house, finding a new job, and learning a new city just isn't stressful enough! On the plus side, we will be closer to my husband's family so they can tell me everything I do wrong. We may even move in my mother-in-law so I get it 24/7!

Welcome to my life. I think I sealed the deal by getting this half ton box of water full of sick fish. Did I happen to mention I made the agonizing decision to leave my company and start a brand new job last month?

MousePotato

Why certainly! I will upload it using ftp (fish transport protocol) and give everyone access. That's assuming, of course, that API won't give me a horse's head in my bed for doing so!

FishFolk

You are so FuNNy. Love the story - sorry it is so tough on you, but you seem to have a great outlook!

MousePotato

Thanks. Well, if I thought it would help, I'd throw myself down on my (brand-new-just-installed-last-month-after-waiting-eight-years) tile floor and have a good old-fashioned temper tantrum! But that hasn't worked in over 30 years, so I'll just make the best of it.

You may see a lot more of me in the next few weeks. Husband is moving first while we look for a new house, so I will be alone with the animals and the guns (it is Texas, after all) and I'm gonna be desperate to talk to people!