Sterilite Bin As A Fish Tank?

I was wondering if you could modify a sterilite bin into an aquarium. I have many spare 10-30 gallon bins just sitting around and I figured as long as they are sterilized and washed of all impurities that it would be ok.
I would put in gravel and plants and a filter and lights and everything a normal tank would have. Do you think it would work? Also does it matter if it is colored or only clear ones? I have tanks but I just figured why not recycle? I would love to own more fish.

 

Many of us have used the clear ones was quick quarantine tanks.
Personally, I wouldn't want to use them as a permanent tank since they're not perfectly see through.

 

Lucy I love your "cat" fish in your avatar.
I think I could live with only a semI see through tank because I would be using it mostly as a fry tank or snail tank. You can't really see fry or baby snails in a normal tank any ways cause they are so tiny, or at least I can't darn crappy vision.

 

It can work but I wouldn't fill it up all the way. I've heard of bins breaking when filled up all the way. A couple sponge filters and a heater and you should be set, especially if your just planning for fry and inverts.

 

lol, thanks!
As long as you don't mind, the plastic bins work fine

 

Yeah I read that too. I could only find 2 sites that mentioned bins as tanks and they didn't say a whole lot. If I use one of the 30 gallons I could fill it half way and it would be a 15 gallon tank I still have to figure out heating though so the bin does not melt.
I have a heater that can be used under gravel or suction to the tank and it only heats the water by 2 degrees to it might be safe enough. If not I might just put a space heater sorta near the bin enough to heat with out melting.

 

There are two issues I've had with Sterilite tubs. We used one to make an indoor waterfall (no fish). The sides bulged out so we had to support them (a wooden frame worked). That wasn't too bad of a problem. We had some pothos rooting in the water and it hung down over the edges and helped to hide the framework. It looked pretty good. We had a plastic pot upside down in the bin with the pump under it. The tubing went up into the waterfall portion. Then, one day, we came in to a burnt up pump and water all over the floor. Fortunately it was out in our play room which had a tile floor that was lower than the rest of the house. It was fairly easy to clean up. What happened was the plastic had gotten brittle and finally broke. The whole thing only lasted about 6 months. In my opinion, they are okay for the short term (such as a quarantine tank or a rescue situation), but I would not recommend them as a long term tank.

 

Are they Rubbermaid brand? That brand is very thick and lasts forever. As far as the heating just use a filter heater.

 

I have some sterilite ones and some rubbermaid ones. I bet if I put one inside another one and then put a wood frame around it that it would last. I might just sell the ones I have since they are just taking up space and then buy 2 clear rubber maind ones like this one but bigger

 

For heating a regular heater for 15-20 gallons should work. If its hot enough to melt plastic, then its hot enough to harm fish so heat shouldn't be a problem. plus if you use the ones that suction cup to the side, it won't be close enough to melt as the water would have to reach at least 200F to start to melt that plastic.

With the ones with lids, you could poke a hole through the lid and then an run airline through for a sponge filter. Then you could leave the lid on and really control evaporation. Plus if its clear, you can just put a really bright light above it.

 

Plastic totes might be good for a quick and temporary fix, but does anyone know how a water heater would affect/release chemicals in the plastic such as BPA or other toxins? I know its not good for humans so I'm wondering what it would do to the fish?

 

I just set up a QT w/ Sterlite container. I put a glass plate on the bottom and stuck my heater on it. Solves the hot plastic problem.

 

look at what the bins are made of, not all plastics release BPA. Having another thought about this, it is probably better to do something similar to what psalm did. Not that the heater would melt the plastic, but repeated heating and cooling cycles, which are more extreme in close proximity to the heater, would likely create a stress point in the plastic.

 

I think I agree that's it more of a short term fix, plastic totes are not designed to hold liquids... and for sure not indefinitely. You can get different sized drums that are made of polymer plastics, these are designed to hold liquids and are commonly used as bait tanks for minnows / etc.

 

Thanks every one

 

I think I agree that's it more of a short term fix, plastic totes are not designed to hold liquids... and for sure not indefinitely. You can get different sized drums that are made of polymer plastics, these are designed to hold liquids and are commonly used as bait tanks for minnows / etc.

Its all about what its made of. I can't find info on what sterilite is commonly made of, but I do know that it is semi-brittle and not very strong. Something made out of PMMA(acrylic) or Polycarbonate, or even PVC on the other hand would do a great job of containing liquids as these are much stronger plastics. PMMA is used to make hockey "glass" and polycarbonate has many industrial safety uses.