How Does Everyone Clean Their Food/Water Dishes? + Is Cloudy Water Normal?

[DinkDonk]

Hi everyone, I am back at it again with another question, how does everyone clean their food and water dishes? What I cleaned them, they're usually a bit dirty from the sand and perhaps from mold, and how does everyone deal with the sand? Also, how does everyone clean their food and water dishes wish, like using vinegar or bleach or RO water?

My last question is is cloudy water normal? My saltwater dish it's cloudy, after I put it in there for about two or three days, is that normal? I'm going to change regardless, because I don't know if it's harmful but I would rather not take a chance. Is this because I don't clean very thoroughly? I clean my water bowls every week, and I dumped out all the water, and then I rinse the bowl and the stones inside using a 50/50 vinegar and water solution. Do I have to boil the stones every week? And, is it normal that there is a slimy residue on both of my water dishes at the bottom of the water? I notice it on most, if not all of the Rocks as well, and I'm thinking that might be some bacterial slime or something. Does anyone know what it is or if it's bad? I don't want to individually hand scrub every stone again...

Thanks everyone!

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Happy crabber since 11.27.19 with Hermes, Orpheus and Shellbert

[CrabbyLover77]

If my food dish gets a little moldy, I'll spray a little vinegar water mix on it first and let it sit (just trying to help get rid of any spores since I'm allergic to mold). Otherwise I just use regular tap water or tap water and Dawn. I thoroughly dry my dishes before using them again, so that's why I don't worry about using tap water.
I wouldn't worry about the slime feel on the dishes, mine always get that too. Even my dog's water dish gets slimy, and I have to give it a quick scrub every couple of days.
Are you using Instant Ocean to make your salt water? How much salt are you using in your water? I use 1.5 Tablespoons per 24 oz of water and shake well and try to leave it sit overnight before using it (I make it up a day before I'll need it). I give the bottle a shake again each time before refilling the dish. This seems to help keep the salt and water mixed together well. If you're making a larger quantity, you can use 1/2 cup of Instant Ocean in 1 gallon.

Hope this helps!

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[VickieG]

There's no need to make extra work for yourself. Boiling the stones is a deep-clean thing imo. If they're a little slimy, I'll put them in a dish with water (you can add a drop of soap or vinegar, just rinse WELL) give them a good shake/swish and rinse them under clean water, but not more than once a month.

Regular dish soap is fine for cleaning food and water dishes. If you think the mold has penetrated the dish (happens only if it's wood) then soak it in vinegar or salt water and let it dry thoroughly in the sun.

Sand, soil and ee shouldn't be a problem for the water. It will usually sink to the bottom. I don't know why your water is cloudy tho, could be oils/debris from their food? I'd probably change it if it's cloudy or has poo in it. It kind of depends on how much water is in your pools. The smaller the dish, the more frequently I'd change it. Every 3 days sounds reasonable for anything under a quart. Under 2 quarts once a wk, etc.

I don't think salt water gets stale as quickly as fresh water, so I might change a smaller dish once a week, again, unless it has poo or looks esp dirty.

I don't have any real basis for this except my own experience. Someone who's been doing this longer may have better advice.

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[Maddamay32]

The longest I let my water bowls go without changing is 3 days as long as their not obviously dirty then I'll change them asap. All I use is tap water and then dry thoroughly. Only my freshwater gets slimy which is normal.

Food bowls get kept in there until all food is gone (again, that's no longer than 3 days) unless I feed fresh fruit/veggies then I'm pretty good at removing them after 24hrs. Still I only clean them with tap water and scrub with my hands if needed.

I have no insight into the cloudiness of your water, unfortunately. I've never encountered that.

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[Motörcrab]

My food dishes get cleaned depending on how funky they are. I try to use my dechlorinated fresh water to wet them then scrub with an old toothbrush. If there is something dried like a color boosting powder I will let the dish sit in some hot tap water. Once everything is cleaned I rinse everything with more of my dechlorinated freshwater. Then I dry everything with paper towels.

I have been experimenting with my non filtered and no bubbler pools. I've been trying to get them to cycle on their own. I believe the salt has cycled but want to monitor it longer.

I have noticed that water does get a film on it after a few days. I'm not sure if it is due to Prime breaking down over time or just something in the water.

[aussieJJDude]

Cloudly water after a couple of days usually suggest a bactetial bloom. Usually harmless, but can also suggest additional problems like ammonia (toxic) within the water. Best bet, fill with fresh water.


As for food dish, I'm lazyvand just wash in tap and add the foods I need to add. Chlorine isn't a stable compound and will quickly evaporate (and aeration also does the same trick)


A filterless freshwater pool could easily work with the addition of live plants, particularly floating plants to help purify the water column and remove any nitrates present. For saltwater, its probably a little harder (but something like an established mangrove or so cheato could work?).

Motörcrab, a film on the surface suggests either protein buildup (which can be from crabs dragging stuff in or even just waste present on their bodies) which is an oilslick like or rarely, bacterial (whitish in colour). Both are harmless, and just skimming the surface of the water, surface agitation or a paper towel to 'suck up' the film will do the trick.

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[curlysister]

I am lazy too - just rinse my food dishes (they are glass) with tap water (we have a well).

[DinkDonk]

Thanks for all inside everyone! I want to ask that question out of curiosity because I was a bit concerned about how I should be cleaning my food and water dishes, and if I was doing it in a safe and efficient way. I also clean up using tap water, I empty the contents of my water bowls and the food dishes out then I give a quick rinse with tap water, and I clean it using vinegar for all of them. I also use a vinegar solution for my rocks as well, and I gave them and water bowls and food dish a soak in a vinegar solution too.

I was also a little bit concerned about the presence of mold, slimes, the water cloudiness and the sand from the food and water bowls. I wanted to make sure if sand was okay to wash down the drain or not in my sink. I don't think it would be okay for the outside garden or in Plants, since I soaked the sand in saltwater.



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[DinkDonk]

Oh, I'm response to the question I use the recommendation amount of Instant Ocean, which is 1 cup / 2 gallons I believe. Or, something like that. I use reverse osmosis Water for my fresh and salt water mixes.

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[aussieJJDude]

Too much sand can clog the drain. I'd say a small bit is likely to be flushed through, but if it starts backing up, clean out the drain well.

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[wodesorel]

Pouring down a toilet is safer than using a sink drain, but because its non-organic and heavy, sand can settle in any dip in the pipe and cause problems later. I'm pretty sure my sand and gravel has cause a few issues with our drains, I just don't say anything to my husband when it happens. (He's done it with potato peels and chicken fat, so...) I did plug our kitchen sink tight with cocofiber once.