Is ceramic okay to put in the aquarium?

So.
On the topic of things that are safe to put into a tank...

Should I assume that stuff that stores, such as WM and PetSmart put stuff out on their shelves in the fish section, and it's obviously in the shape of something that would go into a tank (Well, cuz it's also got some plants attached to it so it's obviously meant for tanks) that it's safe to go in my tank?

I was inspecting some stuff the other nite @ WM when I was on a wellness check and I saw that they had these things which look like miniature rock walls with a couple of holes thru the middle. They have plastic plants hooked on the sides so they are obviously intended for aquarium use, but they are not sealed. If you took a knife and scraped it across, it would crumble off.

Avoid that kina stuff, or since it's being marketed as safe for aquariums is it safe?
 
BettaMomma said:
I was inspecting some stuff the other nite @ WM when I was on a wellness check and I saw that they had these things which look like miniature rock walls with a couple of holes thru the middle. They have plastic plants hooked on the sides so they are obviously intended for aquarium use, but they are not sealed. If you took a knife and scraped it across, it would crumble off.

Avoid that kina stuff, or since it's being marketed as safe for aquariums is it safe?
It depends on the composite (stuff it is made of) material. There are certain plastic composites that are not safe for aquarium use but most are. Since I was not with you, I could not guess as to what these things were made of. WM typically mix aquarium supplies along with terrarium supplies, you must be careful because the two can be easily mistaken.
 
I'm not suggesting/condoning throwing just anything into a tank...

But I have heard of a few things (not only in this thread/forum) that were discouraged for tank use that I have or would use.

Personally I have and will again use standard clay pots in an aquarium. If they are only baked clay, what chemicals are there to get in the water? Clay is dirt... which is broken down rock... I would be more hesitant to use the pots with a coating than the ones without. True they will break down over time in water, but I doubt anyone reading this (in 2005 at least) will live long enough to see that day. Clay pots (meant for potting plants) are made to be 'waterproof' which is an industry standard meaning it doesn't break down under the constant presence of water (well, everything does but there is a ratio that it must fall below).
 
nc_nutcase said:
If they are only baked clay, what chemicals are there to get in the water? Clay is dirt... which is broken down rock... I would be more hesitant to use the pots with a coating than the ones without. Clay pots (meant for potting plants) are made to be 'waterproof' which is an industry standard meaning it doesn't break down under the constant presence of water
Ceramics in it's raw form is called Slip, it is the liquid mud that you put into a mold and let dry to get it's form. When I owned my ceramic shop I delt with this every day. You would be surprised what you find in the "mud". There are chunks of:" god knows what that is" all through that stuff.
In order to get clay "waterproof" they add chemicals to the clay mixture that repel water. Do you want to take thet chance with your fish? I don't.
 
i would avoid using any glass that has a pretty rainbow-colored sheen, as it could very well be lead glass (lead=bad). i would imagine that anything rated as "baby-safe" would be fine for your aquarium.

hrm, so terra cotta pots will deteriorate with time? do you think this would happen within 5 years or do i have to redo the whole tank? (i graduate in 2007 and am not staying in this little one-horse town.)
 
I have a ceramic frog.he is in the 5 gal tank with my betta.Though I was told by this forum it would be alright, i was very weary of how my fish's health remained. He was alright and has been good for quite a few months now, but if you see any problems arise, I suggest you take it out.
 
I would agree with food grade and baby safe materials being fine for an aquarium. The chances of most pottery being unsafe is slim though. My stepfather was a potter and, well being a kid, I used to eat the clay sometimes :lol: Nothing bad ever came of it and I was raised around it for the first half of my life in it's rawest form. Personally I use old coffee mugs as makeshift caves, there is a very, very slim chance of anything bad leaching from these due both to the complete glazing as well as being 100% food grade products. I just push them down into the sand to hide the handle and make it stable and place sand on the inside.

Worst case scenario though, if your fish begin looking a bit green around the gills (no pun intended :lol: ) and you are unsure why, just pull the skull out of the aquarium, do a big water change and see if they pick up.
 
Surely they'd be more toxic glazed? I mean, I haven't seen any pots with clear glaze, only coloured, and as they are made with different metals, won't that be toxic? What about all the pottery items that have been excavated from under the sea? This is totally off topic, but its funny- In a greek harbour somewhere, the traders used to throw broken bits of urn over their shoulders. Everyone did this, and it eventually became a hill, which is still there..... :lol: Well I thought it was funny.
 
OohFeeshy said:
Surely they'd be more toxic glazed? I mean, I haven't seen any pots with clear glaze, only coloured, and as they are made with different metals, won't that be toxic?
:dunno: my frog is glazed
 
webcat5 @ Posted: Mar 21 2005, 04:08 PM

QUOTE (BettaMomma @ Mar 18 2005, 10:47 PM)
How about pure glass, like votive cups?
Do they dissolve in water or are they okay?

Has your aquarium dissolved in the water yet?

smarta$$! LOL
 
Well you could have thought about what you were typing :p whats next...
'Can I put a betta in my glass tank or will it disolve?'

:p :p :p :p :p
 

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