Hello; One issue might be the water that stays in a hose after the nozzle is turned off. Most hoses I have used are at least 50 feet. I have noted during warm weather that it can take a bit of time for the heated water to clear my hose. The question may be how many gallons can a 1/2 inch hose hold at various lengths. Also some hoses are 3/4 inch.
Plastic Substrate
- Thread starter Zhewitt04
- Start date
What size diameter are the plastic beads you are thinking of trying? To be honest, I would not try keeping rays on it- too many unknowns. I have keep rays on coated materials before and discovered the coatings are removed from the grains while passing through the digestive tract.
I suggest using a natural sand substrate.
I suggest using a natural sand substrate.
Hello; An additional experience I had. Over the years I have raised live plants. Some years ago I tried growing some amazon sword plants in plastic tubs. I put soil in the tubs with a cover of aquarium gravel. The tubs were then buried in the gravel substrate. The plants grew well for a few years. The issue occured when I decided to move some of the tubbed plants. They had deteroriated so much that they fell apart. Is the long term stability in water of the plastic beads known?
These are small. They are probably .050" x .070". This is solid plastic beeds that are melted down to produce plastic parts. They aren't coated therefore there is no "bond" holding the plastic to plastic or whatever you may have experienced. People talking of plastic coating be removed are talking about the bond failing not the plastic itself. My experience in the plastic industry have told me this will not be problem due to the plastic being one material throight the pellet. We actually put parts in water in order to cool and also some plastics absorb the water and become more impact resistant. This is used on all your automobiles and they last through grime, gunk, salt , mud, water and do for countless years.
I had same concern when using a huge amount of plastic plants. I minimized the issue by presoaking everything for a week. Longer would be better if possible. After the week, the water they were soaking in smelled like plastic. I would have soaked for longer if I could have.
Soft plastics probably constantly leech chemicals, but at least by soaking you can get rid of the worst of it.
Soft plastics probably constantly leech chemicals, but at least by soaking you can get rid of the worst of it.
I use garden hose for WC. When I purchase a new hose, I use it to drain my tanks a few times before I use it to fill the tank. I am concerned about the manufacturing residue inside a new hose, and draining a new hose many times its volume assure that all residue and leachable chemicals are gone.
I am convinced that all plastic ornaments and plants leach out plasticisers as I can smell plastic strongly from new pieces. I used to have natural rock caves for my Tanganyikan cichlids. But I got tired of rearranging the rock so I replaced them all with plastic rock and caves . The Tangs started to die off slowly until I took all the plastic out, did a large WC, and put back the rock. None of my Malawian and CAs were affected. Another time I glued two pieces of rock together with GE Silicone II. I was lazy not to soak the glued pieces after curing in water for 24 hour before putting into the tank. By the end of the day, a group of Tang A. Compressisep I raised for over a year started to die off, but none other fish were affected. Apparently, Tangs are super sensitive to chemicals that may be harmless to other fish.
I am convinced that all plastic ornaments and plants leach out plasticisers as I can smell plastic strongly from new pieces. I used to have natural rock caves for my Tanganyikan cichlids. But I got tired of rearranging the rock so I replaced them all with plastic rock and caves . The Tangs started to die off slowly until I took all the plastic out, did a large WC, and put back the rock. None of my Malawian and CAs were affected. Another time I glued two pieces of rock together with GE Silicone II. I was lazy not to soak the glued pieces after curing in water for 24 hour before putting into the tank. By the end of the day, a group of Tang A. Compressisep I raised for over a year started to die off, but none other fish were affected. Apparently, Tangs are super sensitive to chemicals that may be harmless to other fish.
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