×
Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Is lead safe?

More
16 Oct 2010 19:10 #1 by Dan Dan (Danny Murphy)
Hows it going everybody,

Just wondering are fishing weights safe to use?

I have a nice piece of wood I want to put in and it will need to be weighed down.
I've put lead in before to weigh down food but never left it in long term.

Will it leach over time, or is there anything else I couold use?

Cheers

Dan

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 19:23 #2 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
In relation to the thread title question.....the answer is no.

Lead is a poison. Full stop.

However, as with any substance....it is the dose or amount that is important in relation to the amount required to cause a significant poisoning.

Lead weights have been used for years. Acid conditions increase the chance of poisoning.

But so long as you don't go mad and having lead everywhere and water changes are frequent, then I wouldn't see too many problems. And, in general haemoglobin, (or similar compounds) problems tend to be due to many other problems in fish-tanks (eg nitrates/nitrites)

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
16 Oct 2010 19:27 - 16 Oct 2010 19:30 #3 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:Is lead safe?
In the olden days Lead was known as Plumbium and that's where the Name Plumber comes from ( Pb ) on the Table of elements, anyway, yes, it is safe as it builds up a layer on the outside ( Oxidises )that prevents Lead poisoning Fish but careful, in Water with a ph below 7 the Lead will enter the Water leading to Lead poisoning. It's not a rapid thing but just to be aware, Water changes help keep levels low but I'd imagine if you were trying to breed Discus, Apistos etc you'd be trying for ph lower than this and this is where you could have problems.

Kev.
Last edit: 16 Oct 2010 19:30 by stretnik (stretnik).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
16 Oct 2010 19:45 - 16 Oct 2010 19:49 #4 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:Is lead safe?
Just read your Post again, why use lead when you can use lead free weights that were brought out years ago because of the amount of Dangerous Lead been eaten by Seals , Swans and other wildlife that frequented Fishing spots, try your local Bait/fishing shop to see if they have any.


Here's an interesting link. www.pca.state.mn.us/index.php/living-gre...et-the-lead-out.html

Kev.
Last edit: 16 Oct 2010 19:49 by stretnik (stretnik).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 19:54 #5 by Dan Dan (Danny Murphy)
Thanks for the speedy replies.

Its a big piece of wood, I was thinking about using two five ounce or so weights.
The tank is 300 litres so I think I'll try and put just enough to keep it down.

Might also try with stones or something, but then again how do I know what stones are safe to put in?

Cheers

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
16 Oct 2010 20:14 - 16 Oct 2010 20:15 #6 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:Is lead safe?
The easiest way to get your Bog Wood to stay fixed to the bottom is to get a thick, Half inch piece of Slate and drill some holes in it, then, tie the wood to the Slate via cat gut/ Fishing Line, alternatively, drill some holes in the Slate and where it would touch the Wood, use stainless Steel screws to attach it.Some will advocate boiling the wood but that isn't feasible if the Wood is very large Soaking will work but it takes forever.


Kev.
Attachments:
Last edit: 16 Oct 2010 20:15 by stretnik (stretnik).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 20:35 #7 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
Bump upto Kev's post on the wood.....

I thought you meant small slithers for holding down plants, and not a piece of wood. !!

Back to the lead....in my opinion lead is not safe in any form or condition where there is any potential to come into contact with it.
The metal, the salts and organic compounds are significant hazards. Alkaline conditions simply reduce the risk of danger.
However, other things can increase the risk....eg chloramines will increase the risk (but proper water conditioning will not only remove chloramines but will add chelating agents to 'lock-up' any lead)

The problem with lead and its compounds is that you get acute and chronic toxicity and a load of subclinical symptoms.
The long-term effects of chronic lead poisoning cannot readily be identified, and such values as LD50s are of zero value for trying to ascertain the toxicity in such cases.
eg It is so difficult to see if spine deformities or sudden heart failure in animals are due to lead or not through it's interference with vitamin D synthesis. etc etc.

Lead can enter the body through ingestion and contact (depends upon the compound).

So, I have to say (re-iterate) that lead is not safe in any circumstance, but the risk of danger can be reduced.

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 20:37 #8 by Dan Dan (Danny Murphy)
Nice one for that Kev.

I have been fishing for years and thats the first time I've ever heard of lead free weights,
must ask about them next time I'm in the tackle shop.

I'll have a mess around with a few things tomorrow and see what works.
Going to try and not use lead if possible.

Cheers

Dan

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
16 Oct 2010 20:38 #9 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:Is lead safe?
And on another note re introduction of " BAD " materials into an Aquarium, avoid ANY thermometers containing Mercury, it makes Lead look cuddly in comparison.


Kev

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 20:43 #10 by Dan Dan (Danny Murphy)
Cheers igmillichip.

Decided I'm not going to use lead.
Whats the point in taking the risk ( even if it is only a small ),
when there's other safe stuff out there to be using.

Cheers
Dan

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 20:52 #11 by dyco619 (steve carmody)
i had a same problem with a piece of bog wood recently, what i did was very simple,
i got some fishing line tied it around it and tied it to a couple of suction cups and stuck it to the bottom of the tank..
simple and safe...

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 20:58 #12 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
stretnik wrote:

And on another note re introduction of " BAD " materials into an Aquarium, avoid ANY thermometers containing Mercury, it makes Lead look cuddly in comparison.


Kev


Totally, Kev.

There are some scaremongering over some things, but take the hazards of mercury very seriously (believe a toxicologist, and someone who sometimes wonders if too much mercury usage in labs in the past might have caused long-term problems to ones health......madness is one sign, so maybe I guess that I'm safe :))

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 21:01 #13 by igmillichip (ian millichip)
Dan Dan wrote:

Cheers igmillichip.

Decided I'm not going to use lead.
Whats the point in taking the risk ( even if it is only a small ),
when there's other safe stuff out there to be using.

Cheers
Dan


No probs Dan.

By the way, my name is Ian (or Ian Guisseppi if you want to go the full hog).

Irish Tropical Fish Society (ITFS) Member.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • stretnik (stretnik)
  • stretnik (stretnik)'s Avatar
  • Visitor
  • Visitor
16 Oct 2010 21:41 - 16 Oct 2010 21:42 #14 by stretnik (stretnik)
Replied by stretnik (stretnik) on topic Re:Is lead safe?
Here's a better pic/diag to explain how to attach the Wood and Slate . It's in French but you get the idea.




Kev.
Attachments:
Last edit: 16 Oct 2010 21:42 by stretnik (stretnik).

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
16 Oct 2010 21:50 #15 by Acara (Dave Walters)
New Zealand banned lead shot for duck shooting some years ago,because of the apparant affect on the wetlands.I would have thought a few pellets in such a vast area wouldn't have been of terrible concern,but they wouldnt do such a thing if they thought they didnt need to.But then again,you know governments...

always on the lookout for interesting corys.pm me if you know off any!

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Time to create page: 0.057 seconds
Powered by Kunena Forum