Ale Pale - How long do they last ?

One of my Ale Pale type fermenters doesn't seal all that well anymore. Its been a couple of weeks since I used it, and I got it out to use it last night and I saw even though I had cleaned it before I put it away there is a fungusy type looking infection on the bottom of the fermenter. I've been pretty careful not to scratch it, and I've only used the fermenter maybe 5-6 times. It wouldn't hurt my feelings to throw it away and get another since it doesn't seal completely anymore, but I'd like to use it again if possible. Still the growth on the bottom scares me. I cleaned it off already. Should I be worried about using the fermenter again ? Do you think I should just throw it away and get another one ?

Sounds like the perfect time to break out the ol' bleach.

For a few bucks, why chance it. Relagate the old Ale Pale to other duties like holding sanitizing solution, extension cords, immersion chillers, etc.

That's why I love bucket fermenters. They last a long time if you care for them properly and they are cheap to replace.

Use it for other things, as EW says. The fungus can be cleaned up and sanitized, but leaks are trouble.