Bad idea to use brass for DIY projects?

[CHOMPERS]

Are there any facts on this? Because it seems like it may have been just a paranoia myth?

It is impossible to poison a fish by putting copper pipe, pennies, or any solid copper object in a fish tank. First of all, elemental copper is not soluble in water. Secondly it is copper ions that are the shred of truth of what is the foundation of the myth. Copper in trace amounts is important in any ecosystem. It is in the list of trace minerals in sea water. At higher levels, it becomes toxic. Each organism has different levels of tolerance. Corals are about at the bottom and fish are toward the top of the scale (aquatically speaking). Copper is highly feared in reef tanks and appropriatly so. In fresh water tanks, it is highly tolerated. Copper-Safe is safe for freshwater and saltwater use (in fish only tanks). If you have ever used it, it is a dark blue color. That is the ionic copper. It is in supper high amounts yet if the dosing is adhered to, it is completely safe. I have double dosed large fish without ill effects.

On the other hand, I have also accidentally overdosed a tank (grossly) and lost a fish as a result. I dropped a partial bottle of concentrated copper (over 100X of Copper-Safe) into my sump. The water was an aqua blue but didn't look too bad. By the time I got the water changed I lost a 10 inch pbass. My other fish survived, but some were visibly stressed.

You would never intentionally dose a fish-only tank with enough copper to kill a fish. If a fish has died after adding copper medications, it is almost certain that the fish died as a result of the disease/parasite that warranted the copper.

 

[Raven_]

If your woried about copper getting into your aquarium, then don't use your household water beause your plumbing is all copper.

The pipes are atleast 30years old, there is only copper used within the house and i do waterchanges at evening when waterconsumption peaks and often after i have spent an hour in the shower.
So it would most likely not matter if its harmfull or not since all pipes have been thoroughly flushed before i fill the aquarium with water.

 

[Raven_]

What about chrome plated brass, safe to use or can the chromeplating be a problem?

 

[Dan F]

Brass is fine in freshwater, but not a good idea for saltwater.

Copper isn't harmfull to fish in low concentrations but will definitely kill invertebrates. I had a snail problem in a planted tank years ago. I filled an AC300 with copper fittings and it killed the snails after about two weeks. I had moved all my fish to a different tank, just to be safe.


http://www.stainlessone.com/DPS11020-8pgReprint.pdf

 

[Liam]

It is impossible to poison a fish by putting copper pipe, pennies, or any solid copper object in a fish tank. First of all, elemental copper is not soluble in water. Secondly it is copper ions that are the shred of truth of what is the foundation of the myth. Copper in trace amounts is important in any ecosystem. It is in the list of trace minerals in sea water. At higher levels, it becomes toxic. Each organism has different levels of tolerance. Corals are about at the bottom and fish are toward the top of the scale (aquatically speaking). Copper is highly feared in reef tanks and appropriatly so. In fresh water tanks, it is highly tolerated. Copper-Safe is safe for freshwater and saltwater use (in fish only tanks). If you have ever used it, it is a dark blue color. That is the ionic copper. It is in supper high amounts yet if the dosing is adhered to, it is completely safe. I have double dosed large fish without ill effects.

On the other hand, I have also accidentally overdosed a tank (grossly) and lost a fish as a result. I dropped a partial bottle of concentrated copper (over 100X of Copper-Safe) into my sump. The water was an aqua blue but didn't look too bad. By the time I got the water changed I lost a 10 inch pbass. My other fish survived, but some were visibly stressed.

You would never intentionally dose a fish-only tank with enough copper to kill a fish. If a fish has died after adding copper medications, it is almost certain that the fish died as a result of the disease/parasite that warranted the copper.

do you think, if I put copper ore in my fish tank it'd leach copper into the water? reason being is that my father works in a mines. and he sometimes brings home ores like nickel, copper etc. and what I notice is.. the copper is actually a green crystal (i think). the ore itself is covered in foolsgold, giving it the coppery look. but the copper itself is a green crystal.

 

[Jgray152]

I never have flushed the pipes in my house to fill both my tanks. I use water from out hot water tank which has also been a known bad idea for some reason. I have never had a problem with it in all the years of having fish.

Like I said, I believe its just paranoia that spikes the interest.

I have plants in my tank as well and I never had them die off due to "copper" poisoning.

 

[Dr Joe]

Hey Chompers, would a stray current reek havoc or would that have to be saltwater?

A cause of HITH.

I never have flushed the pipes in my house to fill both my tanks. I use water from out hot water tank which has also been a known bad idea for some reason. I have never had a problem with it in all the years of having fish.

Like I said, I believe its just paranoia that spikes the interest.

I have plants in my tank as well and I never had them die off due to "copper" poisoning.

It's not paranoia, it comes from the "old days" when filtration was non-existent or in it's infancy. Copper (new to hme plumbing) would buildup in the tank to a lethal level.

Now silver on the other hand i still bad (check Roman history for water purification).

Dr Joe

.

 

[Oreo]

Copper plumbing in your house isn't an issue at all if you're on municipal water. The water company adds a corrosion inhibitor for this very purpose. If you have copper plumbing in a house on well water on the other hand, you may want to let the tap water run a minute or so before filling your tank. The copper pipes in my house are 30 years old. Cut into one of them & they look brand new on the inside. Copper pipes in houses on well water only last about 20 years avg. before developing pin leaks all over the place. The pipes thin from the inside out. I've seen copper plumbing paper thin. You'd wonder how it ever held water.

I've used the occasional brass fitting on my aquariums. Never had a problem.

 

[CHOMPERS]

do you think, if I put copper ore in my fish tank it'd leach copper into the water? reason being is that my father works in a mines. and he sometimes brings home ores like nickel, copper etc. and what I notice is.. the copper is actually a green crystal (i think). the ore itself is covered in foolsgold, giving it the coppery look. but the copper itself is a green crystal.

I can't say for sure. My guess is probably not, but that is only a guess. The ore is in an ionized form (pretty stable energy wise) rather than being pure copper. Its solubility is going to depend on the chemical composition of the ore. I don't remember enough about the chemistry of copper ore to give a better answer. You can do a little research to find the solubility of the ore.

You can also do a simple experiment. Put as much into a small tank or bucket of water for a month. Then take a sample of the water to a lab, pool store, water treatment plant, etc. for testing.

 

[Jgray152]

If you have copper plumbing in a house on well water on the other hand, you may want to let the tap water run a minute or so before filling your tank

I never do. Im on a well. I was on a well for 10 years at another house and 3 years at the house im at now. Never let the water run for a minute and never have an issue.