More questions - safe bacteria? and buckets!

[illiswiller]

Thanks for all the help here. I really appreciate all your responses. And reading everyone else's questions. I have two more I've been wondering about all day....


1) What do you think about using former kitty litter buckets as fish buckets - if they are rinshed out well and washed w/ vinegar? THink there is any residue? THey are HUGE, and cheap and stackable! ;)

2) The bacteria in the fish tank that are so important to have - are they safe? Specifically for immune-comprimised, or children or pregnant/breast-feeding women? Safe enough, at least, if you wash your hands or is no contact advised? I've never heard anything. Otherwise my husband will have to take care of fish and kitty litter someday!
:D

[Mako]

I know the kitty litter deal. I change it (very, very grudgingly, and I make dirty looks at my wife when I change it) b/c of the parasite that pregnant/nursing moms can contract. Just part of being a hubby.... :D

As far as the bacteria, you have nothing to worry about. The bacteria that cycle a tank are perfectly harmless. If you drink tap water, you drink them by the millions everyday anyway. Probably good for you (free protien?).

HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have immuno-compromised children or other family in the house, you need to do some research on piscine tuberculosis (sp?). Fish can, and do, occasionally get a form of tuberculosis (tb), that is not quite the same as human tb. It can be caught by a human. I cannot say off hand what the symptoms (in fish, or in humans) are, but I do know that I've never known anyone to have actually caught it. Type "piscine tuberculosis" in on a search engine and see what comes up. Next time you take kitty to the vet, take a printout of what you find to the vet and ask his/her opinion. Not really a threat, but you do want to take care!!!

Matt

[carpguy]

I just use the 5 gallon buckets you can get at any home improvement center for a couple of bucks. Cheap, stackable, convenient handle, and about as heavy when full as I care to deal with. Don't know much about kitty litter.

The bacteria are safe. They're some of those bacteria that are everywhere all the time and don't cause any harm and largely go unnoticed.

[Mako]

Oh, and the kitty litter buckets are fine. I use pickle buckets from fast food joints, they usually have a couple free to give away anytime I'm in there.

For surety, fill them in the bathtub with water and pour a cup or so of bleach in each one, let them stew overnight. The bleach will oxidize any organic and any form of life in the bucket. Keep the bathroom door closed, my cats seem to like bleach for some whacky reason. Praise God they've never actually drunk any of it.

[anonapersona]

Did that kitty litter have ANTI-BACTERIAL additives? Many do, if so, that's a no!

Walmart has good rubbermaid buckets cheap. Get a 20 gallon rope handled one and a 5 gallon one, you're all set. Now write FISH ONLY on each to keep it from winding up doing duty in the garage for car washing or whatever.