Habitat - Indoor :: Metals Warning

[katie_turtle]

So, I just did some research about my idea for a potential turtle dock stand. I want to use a natural rock (I plan to wash it thoroughly and boil it or bake it before I put it in the tank, don't worry) for the dock, mostly for aesthetics and for heat retention, and I was thinking about an alternative to PVC pipe to hold the dock up. Namely, I was looking at copper, thinking that I could age it to a nice green, and then use that for the base. The idea was to give it a more natural appearance.

After some Googling, it has become clear that metals of any kind can be hazardous to our friends' health, particularly copper and lead (solder). So even with lead-free solder that I planned to use, the copper from the stand would still risk contaminating the tank, and it could be dangerous. Every opinion I've seen said that it will likely be fatal to at least the fish in the tank, and while nobody said anything about turts, it's enough for me to avoid it.

Now to figure out how to spruce up that PVC instead...

[steve]

Is it just corroded copper that poses a threat? I think most solder used today contains little or no lead as well.

[katie_turtle]

Is it just corroded copper that poses a threat? I think most solder used today contains little or no lead as well.

According to the sites, metals in general should be avoided, save for, I guess, non-reactive metals like aluminum and stainless steel. I don't know if they're correct, but considering that it's so easy to avoid by just going with the PVC, I'd rather do that unless someone can conclusively say it's not a problem.

[amwassil]

Is it just corroded copper that poses a threat? I think most solder used today contains little or no lead as well.

According to the sites, metals in general should be avoided, save for, I guess, non-reactive metals like aluminum and stainless steel. I don't know if they're correct, but considering that it's so easy to avoid by just going with the PVC, I'd rather do that unless someone can conclusively say it's not a problem.

I would not put aluminum in the water either. Aluminum is not really "non reactive" in contact with water, it releases aluminum ions into the water by electrolysis. This process is accelerated if there is another non-aluminum metal in the water. I think it's safe to use elsewhere, but not in the water. Stainless steel, on the other hand, is safe in the water; although if the stainless steel has welds, depending on the metal used for the welds, they may rust. I don't think small amounts of rust have any detrimental affects on the water or inhabitants.