Re: Galvanized metal in tank?
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Reply #3 on: November 12, 2013, 05:05:37 pm »
I work in the steel industry...
Usually, if metal is galvanized, it tends to be galvanized mild steel.
The mild steel is bathed in highly concentrated Hydrochloric acid, then cleaned, then bathed in molten zinc.
When the steel is removed from the bath of zinc, the zinc cools and hardens and then the steel is known a galvanized.
The zinc itself will rust, but will take a VERY long time to do so even when submerged in water for a long period of time, BUT, the zinc (depending on the quality of the galv process and purity of the zinc) will probably start to flake off when submerged for a much shorter period of time, and mild steel will rust in a matter of hours leeching chemicals into you water...
So really I would avoid galved anything in a fish tank, and lean towards plastic, silicone or maybe stainless steel.