Are screws safe to use in aquarium?

[Colin_T]

Barry, you can use most types of screws in aquariums but do not use galvanised screws because they can leach zinc into the water and kill fish. Copper screws can kill shrimp if there are lots of screws but a couple are unlikely to cause any problems.

An alternative is plastic cable ties. They come in a variety of lengths and can be used to hold bunches of twigs together. You can also use super glue, as mentioned by others.

 

[noobfish]

Barry, you can use most types of screws in aquariums but do not use galvanised screws because they can leach zinc into the water and kill fish. Copper screws can kill shrimp if there are lots of screws but a couple are unlikely to cause any problems.

An alternative is plastic cable ties. They come in a variety of lengths and can be used to hold bunches of twigs together. You can also use super glue, as mentioned by others.

Hey, it's Colin!!

 

[noobfish]

Think we might both artly be right hahaha

Cheese and rice, I've been spelling "leach" wrong this whole time!

My pH is below 7 and I still start the syphon the "old fashioned" way, so no lead for me!!

 

[Ch4rlie]

Sorry, going back to how to put together wood or decor, so we have stainless steel, liquid superglue, gel superglue (as long as superglue is 100% cyanoacrylate ), aquarium sealant, cable / zip ties and i will throw in one more fixing that should be fine, nylon screws & bolts.

A variety of fixing that should please just about anyone in the hobby

Btw, I've used lead in tanks before, usually plant weights and had no issues but I did take them out once I planned to have shrimps as was unsure at the time, was a long time ago when was a newbie and did not know much better at the time!

 

[noobfish]

Sorry, going back to how to put together wood or decor, so we have stainless steel, liquid superglue, gel superglue (as long as superglue is 100% cyanoacrylate ), aquarium sealant, cable / zip ties and i will throw in one more fixing that should be fine, nylon screws & bolts.

A variety of fixing that should please just about anyone in the hobby

Btw, I've used lead in tanks before, usually plant weights and had no issues but I did take them out once I planned to have shrimps as was unsure at the time, was a long time ago when was a newbie and did not know much better at the time!

Leave it to a mod to bring it back on topic

 

[Slaphppy7]

Just weld the pieces of wood together with a torch and solder*

*Kidding, of course

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Why not? Please explain.

Metal and water do not mix, period. With your logic, that would be like buying a stainless steel shovel and leaving it out in the rain just to see if it rusts or not. It’s just tempting fate.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Metal and water do not mix, period. With your logic, that would be like buying a stainless steel shovel and leaving it out in the rain just to see if it rusts or not. It’s just tempting fate.

Understood, though if you actually read MY posts, you'll see that I've never advocated any metal use.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Metal and water do not mix, period. With your logic, that would be like buying a stainless steel shovel and leaving it out in the rain just to see if it rusts or not. It’s just tempting fate.

Or like using stainless steel screws to rejoin human bones. Stainless steel will not rust under water. Matter of fact, I'll use a stainless steel nut over the end of an air line just above the air stone so it will stay down underwater.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Or like using stainless steel screws to rejoin human bones. Stainless steel will not rust under water. Matter of fact, I'll use a stainless steel nut over the end of an air line just above the air stone so it will stay down underwater.

Depends on the quality of said “stainless steel”. Surgical grade stainless steel? Of course not. Cheap $15 screws from Walmart? Not that high of quality.

 

[Fishmanic]

I used brass screw to attach large driftwood to a marble base. Been in the tank for years. The amount of decomposing brass is very little in my opinion. You could coat the screws with silcone and put silicone on the heads of the screws. Brass could release some zinc into the water but not too quickly. Also over time, it could release some copper. Use at your own risk. yeh, maybe stainless steel would be better.

 

[noobfish]

Depends on the quality of said “stainless steel”. Surgical grade stainless steel? Of course not. Cheap $15 screws from Walmart? Not that high of quality.

Stop shopping at Walmart

Seriously though, I used stainless screws to build a deck 11yrs ago, still shiny like new.

 

[AbbeysDad]

Cheap $15 screws from Walmart? Not that high of quality.

You pay $15 for a screw(s)? Do you make an appointment or do they just see you coming?
(I crack myself up!)

 

[Fishmanic]

You paid $15 for screws at Walmart? Boy, did you get screwed.

 

[Barry Tetra]

Thank you everyone for answering my question! never thought this thread would have this much replied!
I'm quite scared of screws cracking wood, so I used zip ties instead.

Also does anyone know how to preserve aquarium wood for a long time? Most driftwoods that I bought only lived for a year.