# Aquarium Safe Metal Wire



## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

dont use galvanized!


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## mordalphus (Jun 23, 2010)

stainless is good, hard to work with but good


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## DerangedCorgi (Oct 15, 2010)

platinum :hihi:


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## deeda (Jun 28, 2005)

You could also use the electrical cable ties. I got some from HD that are made by Commercial Electric, are black, come in various lengths and contain NO metal. I've used them in my tank without any problems.


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## flip9 (Jun 16, 2011)

Fishing line?


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## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

Zipties aren't going to work. I need maneuverability and the ability to twist around things that zip ties cannot supply. I'm just going to get stainless steel ligatures.


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## milesm (Apr 4, 2006)

titanium. what about cable ties?


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## bustah8 (Dec 23, 2010)

I would use stainless screws to attach them together, granted they are big enough pieces to drill and drive the screws. When choosing stainless for your tank, use a magnet to determine the quality of the stainless. A magnet will have a strong draw to various 400 series stainless, while a 316 s/s will have minimal to no draw.

I like to think the non-magnetic 300 series are better for the tank, I have seen several examples of rusty 400 series s/s.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

When it rusts, it won't matter. Seriously. Eventually almost all stainless will rust when submerged permanently. There is no reason to spend 10 dollars on screws. 

I've used basically every variety and never worried. I even did a series of experiments using stainless ball bearings in my substrate in a shrimp tank. No harm, ever.


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## bustah8 (Dec 23, 2010)

OverStocked said:


> When it rusts, it won't matter. Seriously. Eventually almost all stainless will rust when submerged permanently. There is no reason to spend 10 dollars on screws.
> 
> I've used basically every variety and never worried. I even did a series of experiments using stainless ball bearings in my substrate in a shrimp tank. No harm, ever.



I for one, do not want rust in my tanks! I buy 316 s/s screws for $ 1.50 per pound. Ten bucks could buy enough for what? A thousand pieces? 
FWIW, 316 s/s will NOT rust in your tank!


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## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

Oxidized iron is nothing to worry about. It's what makes our Iron dosing solution brown. It actually starts out milky-clear to yellow! Then over time iron oxidizes and makes the solution brown. I wasn't really worried so much about the rust but whether or not some heavy metals were bad. Because I have a lot of zinc coated wire...


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## sleeepy2 (Feb 15, 2015)

Is copper wire safe?


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

Not copper. Especially not if you keep shrimp or snails. Stick with stainless steel. You could look for marine grade, or food grade or similar. 

I have some marine grade hose clamps that have never rusted.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

What's wrong with copper in a tank with no inverts? It can help keep Ich at bay, too. 

It will kill shrimp, and I doubt it would be good for snails, either, so that should be kept that in mind (definitely limiting future stocking options), but copper doesn't hurt fish. It's a major component in the major ich medications.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

kman said:


> It will kill shrimp, and I doubt it would be good for snails, either, so that should be kept that in mind (definitely limiting future stocking options), but copper doesn't hurt fish. It's a major component in the major ich medications.


Scaleless fish are generally regarded as more sensitive, so using copper wire may impact them negatively.


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## kman (Dec 11, 2013)

Darkblade48 said:


> Scaleless fish are generally regarded as more sensitive, so using copper wire may impact them negatively.


Ok, so loaches and the like. Is it a problem for regular fish?


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

People tend to get a bit hysterical when they read something and don't try to understand what they read!!
That leaves many of us convinced of hazards if we don't do some thought of our own. A place to look for more reliable advise might be needed? I use Prime as a water treatment and do trust most of their advise. They do tend to be experts? 
So since I put Prime in my water and it is supposed to deal with heavy metals, I want to know what it does so I check their information. Seems a better way to get info than trusting scuttle butt info from the web. 
In many areas, copper pipes are specified by building codes as they are the safest type. There are other areas where the water is different so you should check your water before deciding if your water is a serious problem. 
Prime is designed to deal with copper in DOUBLE the amount allowed in water supplies so in many cases there is no problem but you should read though this discussion on the Prime site and make your own decision based on facts rather than what you read other places. 
http://www.seachem.com/support/forums/archive/index.php/t-3484.html

What I read for my area tells me that if my water has double the allowed amount and my PH begins to approach battery acid, I have a problem. Until then I feel quite safe and ignore the hysterical!


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## Ben125 (Dec 16, 2014)




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