Lead and other metals in aquariums...

[Rocky998]

I was thinking about this for a but and it got me thinking... Can solid lead make the water toxic to fish? I know a lot of people use lead weights for plants but it makes me wonder if the lead could harm the fish or ither metals that may rust...

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I was thinking about this for a but and it got me thinking... Can solid lead make the water toxic to fish? I know a lot of people use lead weights for plants but it makes me wonder if the lead could harm the fish or ither metals that may rust...

Yes, very much so. (See my response in this thread)

Lead strips.

I got new windows and doors around 16 months ago. When they took the old ones out I took all the leading from them to use for sea fishing weights. However I haven't been to the sea for ages. So when I bought new plants to add to my tanks I found loads of use for the lead. Just snap a piece off...

www.fishforums.net

 

[Rocky998]

Yes, very much so. (See my response in this thread)

Lead strips.

I got new windows and doors around 16 months ago. When they took the old ones out I took all the leading from them to use for sea fishing weights. However I haven't been to the sea for ages. So when I bought new plants to add to my tanks I found loads of use for the lead. Just snap a piece off...

www.fishforums.net

Ohhh ok... Thank you! Very interesting!

 

[Byron]

This topic came up in a thread a couple weeks ago. Lead is a heavy metal, and thus toxic to all life. The question really is, to what extent would lead "items" dissolve lead into the aquarium water, and I don't think anyone has ever scientifically tested this out. So out of caution, I personally would never use lead weights or any other metal object in an aquarium. One must also keep in mind that the pH of the aquarium water can affect such things, as can the temperature, and of course the fact that it is a confined volume of water.

 

[j j m]

very interesting

 

[itiwhetu]

Never had a problem with lead as plant anchors. Your fish will die of a thousand other things before lead poisoning.

 

[Colin_T]

If the lead is shiny silver and looks nice and bright, then it can release small amounts of lead into the water.

If the lead is dull and grey, then it is covered in lead oxide and will not release anything into the water.

I used old lead fishing sinkers in my tanks for decades and never had an issue with them affecting the fish.

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Regarding other metals, if they rust/ oxidise, then the oxidised part stops or significantly reduces the water coming into contact with the metal and reduces any chance of heavy metal poisoning.

Stainless steel is safe in aquariums.
Iron/ steel is safe but will rust and release small amounts of iron into the water, which plants might use.
Zinc and zinc coated metals can be an issue and should be avoided.