Lead Weights?

[rob158]

These are often attached to plant's you get for you tank but are thay safe to leave in the tank to keep the plants down? Do thay not poison the fish

 

[Westwood]

i have used them all the time and loose them in the sand, so it'd fine

 

[doresy]

Most of those lead weights are 'tinned' with a shiney coating therefore the lead is covered and ok. When they get old (a dull grey colour then the lead is exposed) I am no chemist but I think it's the lead oxidizing that is bad (white crystals) which is moisture and air mixing.........then again I may be talking b*****k's again!

I constantly use them to weigh down courgettes without my fish growing two head or anything! Most water conditioners neutralize heavy metals anyways......

 

[flix_cw]

I'm pleased to hear that, i've used a couple to weigh down some vallis i planted at the weekend. it just WOULDN'T stay rooted otherwise!

 

[Uriel]

I'm pretty sure that when the lead comes into contact with water/air it oxidizes this oxidized layer basically then acts as protection to stop anymore lead getting into the water. The small quatities used should be fine as long as you don't start bunging it in your tank like a maniac.