Do ziplock bags break down in tank water?

hecks220 · #1 01-30-2009, 04:40 AM

I just submerged a couple ziplock bags into my sump today. Will they break down in our lifetime and release polymers, or not? Is this a threat to life? anyone with experience greatly appreciated. gracias

levi1803 · #2 01-30-2009, 05:01 AM

Just curious, why do you have ziplock bags in your sump?

Diana · #3 01-30-2009, 05:21 AM

Uhh, interesting. I would like to say they do not break down, but I can see them possibly releasing chemicals into the water, so I guess they might to a certain degree. Yah I would not leave them in there long-term, but for a short while probably would do no harm.

reeferious · #4 01-30-2009, 05:25 AM

if you leave those plastic bags in your tank they might begin to biodegrade in a few thousand years but then you and i wouldn't probably worry too much when that happens.

justinl · #5 01-30-2009, 06:39 AM

flexible plastics do release some nasty chemicals into water, even more in saltwater and even more in warm saltwater. That said, unless you never do water changes and your sump is full of the things, the amount released will be negligible. they will not decompose any faster than the silicone your tank is stuck together with; estimates range from 20-1000 years. I still wouldn't leave them in there indefinitely

im also curious. what are you using them for?

brizzo · #6 01-30-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by levi1803

Just curious, why do you have ziplock bags in your sump?

Makes me suddenly think the sump is a good place to hide things

christyf5 · #7 01-30-2009, 04:33 PM

I would imagine at some point it would probably break down at the seams first.

As an aside, I seem to have one of those clear containers that strawberries come in wedged in the back of my tank under a rock. I was using it as a frag holder a number of months ago. I'm not quite sure how it managed to get back there without any frags in it but then again who knows. I'm not quite sure how to get it out without tearing the tank down so it may just have to live there for awhile until I move the tank. Hopefully it isn't doing anything crazy in there

justinl · #8 01-30-2009, 04:45 PM

christy, flexible plastics are much more reactive than stiff plastics and decompose much more slowly because of it.

christyf5 · #9 01-30-2009, 05:25 PM

well thats good to hear. I'm still going to look at getting it out this weekend. Nothing like finding something in your tank totally out of place and unexpected

(not like a bonus coral or bonus frag or something

).

hecks220 · #10 01-30-2009, 08:09 PM

i would like to say i was hiding something, but i'm not

i've put sponges in them and used them as plugs in my filtration chamber. It restricts the flow directing the water more at my media. It is my fowlr, and not my reef so i'm not going to worry. we store our food in in anyhow, and considering i won't be around in a few hundred years to watch them break down, i won't worry!