# ?? Small Piece of Aluminum OK in Tank ??



## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

I am doing some DIY and wonder if a small bit of aluminum wire would be biologically safe in a planted tank. 

I believe that aluminum is among the metals more resistant to corrosion, but do you think this would be safe for fish and shrimp?


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## trackhazard (Aug 24, 2006)

I would hazard a no. There are lots of documents re: aluminum toxicity. The lower the pH, the more toxic but aluminum isn't something I'd purposefully introduce into a tank I think.

I'm no biologist, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn once.

-Charlie


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## feral13 (Jan 17, 2006)

They use to sell airplane-grade aluminum grounding probes for tank sumps (they still might sell them). Seems they were target to reffers and if anyone would be worried about corrosion, it wold be them.


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## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

i think that i read about toxicity with aluminum and shrimp. i think i had read it while doing research on making a diy chiller. not sure though, i might just be making it up, lol.

mordalphus would be a good person to ask


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Maybe stainless steel would be better. ??.


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## timwag2001 (Jul 3, 2009)

at least with stainless there is less of a doubt


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## MrMoneybags (Apr 13, 2010)

i thought aluminum would be great because it DOES oxidize readily
it oxidizes the outer layer...protecting the inner layer
Al2O3 i think

also, aluminum oxide isnt poisonous/toxic - so win/win

and you need pHs well below 5 before you start to hit toxic levels with aluminum


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## trackhazard (Aug 24, 2006)

MrMoneybags said:


> i thought aluminum would be great because it DOES oxidize readily
> it oxidizes the outer layer...protecting the inner layer
> Al2O3 i think
> 
> ...


I think Mr. Moneybags is on to something.

Seachem Study on Aluminum Toxicity:

http://www.seachem.com/support/AluminumSolubilityToxicity.pdf

Basically, at pH>5, there were really no issues.

Good call, moneybags.

-Charlie


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## Powchekny (Jan 25, 2010)

MrMoneybags said:


> i thought aluminum would be great because it DOES oxidize readily
> it oxidizes the outer layer...protecting the inner layer


Spot on. Aluminum forms a passive layer of aluminum oxide. The aluminum oxide, being relatively non-reactive, protects the rest of the aluminum from corrosion.


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## DaveK (Jul 10, 2010)

Perhaps the question should be, what do you want to do with the aluminium wire?

There may be alternatives that would be better.


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## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

I agree. Aluminium does NOT become remotely toxic until pH drops below five.

Aluminium IS very resistant to corrosion.

Seems like a good choice. Although I'm also not sure what you might want to use it for. More obvious choices might be fishing line or lead wire, depending upon what you're trying to do. 

Zip ties are also very handy, if you're trying to do underwater filter assemblies or something.


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## hydrophyte (Mar 1, 2009)

Thanks for all of the input everybody.

I am using the wire as a weight to hold down another small item.


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