Plant anchors

wendyjo · Post by **wendyjo** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 2:09 pm

Can I use those metal plant anchors in a RCS tank? It's says "non-toxic" on them but it doesn't say what type of metal they contain. Anyone know?

argblarg · Post by **argblarg** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:09 pm

The ones at Petsmart are a Zinc alloy, some places also use lead. I don't know about the toxicity of either with shrimp but my RCS haven't died in 6 months and I use a few in my tank.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:22 pm

Avoid the lead ones, the zinc ones are OK. I use them.

wendyjo · Post by **wendyjo** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 3:58 pm

These are from Petco - I don't know if they'e lead or not cause it doesn't say on the pacage. I guess I won't use them. Thanks.

JohnPaul · Post by **JohnPaul** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 4:06 pm

Honestly, I can't imagine any stores use lead anymore. The regulations (EPA, OHSA) that they would have to follow would be exhorbidently expensive to implement, monitor, and report. For example, if a store used real lead, then if some employee took a handful of them and tossed em in the regular garbage, they would be violating federal hazardous waste disposal laws, as anything containing more than 0.06% lead (that is, over 600 ppm lead) cannot be disposed of in normal municipal landfills, but must be disposed of according to hazardous waste disposal criteria.

If you got plant weights from a store, you can use them without fear, unless it's some mom & pop place that you fear might be using weights from 30 years ago.

EDIT: slight clarification, the above comments about hazardous waste disposal apply to industrial sources. An individual homeowner is legally allowed to dispose of solid lead waste in their own trash, even if that solid waste has over 600 ppm total lead content. Whether a commercial store like a Petco would quality as a "homeowner" source or an "industrial" source (the only two options I can see when reading the law) is not something I am familiar with.

Either way, the net result is the same: I really can't imagine any LFS or LPS today using real lead in their weights.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 4:31 pm

wendyjo wrote:Can I use those metal plant anchors in a RCS tank? It's says "non-toxic" on them but it doesn't say what type of metal they contain. Anyone know?

This would be a false advertising if it had lead in it, as lead is toxic!

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 5:15 pm

Many stores, including Petco, sell imported plants with lead anchors. These look like gray flat ribbons wrapped around the plants. The zinc ones are ribbed bars. The bars that come in a packet are safe.

YuccaPatrol · Post by **YuccaPatrol** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 6:00 pm

wendyjo,

What types of plants are you trying to anchor in your tank?

A rubber band and a rock work very well and you won't have any chance of a metal weight containing some amount of a metal toxic to your shrimp.

wendyjo · Post by **wendyjo** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:01 pm

A java Fern - I don't want to permanantly attach it to anything just now cause I plan to move it to another tank later on.

Won't a rubber band break down after a while?

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 7:24 pm

Yucca's right. A lobster rubber band and a rock work perfectly for java fern. By the time the rubber band gives up (around 6 months or so) the fern will be holding tight to the rock. That is what I do.

wendyjo · Post by **wendyjo** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:12 am

What is a "lobster" rubber band?

YuccaPatrol · Post by **YuccaPatrol** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 6:46 am

Just a thick rubber band, sometimes used for live lobsters to keep their claws closed so they don't tear apart each other or the chef's fingers before being cooked alive.

But most any rubberband will do. The thicker it is, the longer it will last underwater.

I use your basic tan colored rubber bands for this sort of thing.

If you pick a nice rock (or piece of driftwood), your Java Fern will attach to it and look really fantastic. It grows best when it is given the chance to attach its roots to a hard object.

Later, when it is attached to the rock, you can easily move it between your tanks.

Here is a photo of one of my show tanks with java fern attached to both driftwood and rocks.

You can also use thread or fishing line too.

Neonshrimp · Post by **Neonshrimp** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:33 am

Thanks for the tip with the rubber bands guys. Yucca, great loking tank and nice placement of the wood

!

AnneRiceBowl · Post by **AnneRiceBowl** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 8:53 am

LOVE the tank!

I use clear nylon thread (typically used in coats). It's thinner than fishing line, and it's 99.99% invisible under water.

badflash · Post by **badflash** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:43 am

YuccaPatrol wrote: Here is a photo of one of my show tanks with java fern attached to both driftwood and rocks.

Ewww! That are those THINGS in your tank? They look like something with a BACKBONE!!!!

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Plant anchors

Plant anchors

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