What if either material do you think is safer for useing as a wieght to hold down plant shoots? Lead or Copper?
Plant wieghts?
- Thread starter fish_freak
- Start date
Niether one. AFIK the plant weights that come with some plants are tin or something similarly non toxic.
im 99% sure that plant weights are made out of zinc and not lead or copper... someone correct me if im wrong.
Neither ever goes into my tank, But of the two Lead would seem less dangerous because of my shrimp and snails.
Tin has quite a bit of lead in it. The stuff I have is a tin base acctualy but I know it has lead in it too. Do you really think that copper will affect a tank with no inverts? I havent done any research on the effects of it on fish but I didnt think it was all that harmful Im probably wrong though as no one voted for it. I suppose I will just use the gravel to be safe rather than sorry.SnakeIce said:
Copper is toxic to all life forms at anything more than trace levels, It will dissolve (Albeit slowly) and will be nearly impossible to remove from the tank effectively. The same issues that arise with copper meds will arise with copper itself. You may or may not get away with it, but I wouldn't ever risk it in my tanks.
Those plants that have roots I keep down with gravel those that don't - I cut a circle out of PETE plastic, make an X cut in the center put a plant's end into the cut and bury under gravel - works perfect - nearly non-toxic.
Lead is better, but I have yet to have to use any for my plants. There are ways around it. You should never put copper in your tank, specifically if you keep shrimp. Some trace micros contain small amounts of copper, but truth be told, once you get copper in your tank, it is very hard to get it out.