sandysme Posted March 28, 2009 Report Share Posted March 28, 2009 Lead weight fishing sinkers??? Does anyone else use these in there tanks to hold things down.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 I use a fishing sinker to hold down the knitting needle on which I thread cucumber for my bristlenoses. They are also used to hold down smaller bits of driftwood until they are fully waterlogged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 I would be worried about the lead leeching into the water if you have it in there full time. I use a teaspoon to hold down my cucumber Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 you don't have to worry about lead poisoning your fish. not unless you have a fair amount of chlorine in the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 lead is used (and sold by fish shops) to hold down plants and the like all the time. I have had lead strip in my tanks for over 30 months with out and disolving or problems For us to get lead poising we need to digest or inhale lead so with the amount that will dissolve in water next to no problems will ever occure. I get my leadlighters tested every couple of years and they have never registered... I started out getting them tested every 6 months but the dr said even every 2 years is too often Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 I have to disagree with those that lead does not dissolve in water...if you go and search on the internet there is plenty about it. Here is a couple of excerpts I read: "Lead pipes were once used for household water. Lead pipe was easy to form by casting or extrusion, and easy to join by fusion. A mixture of litharge, glycerine and linseed oil made "plumber's cement" that could be used for joining pipes without heat. With hard water, a layer of sulphate or carbonate forms on the lead, and lead does not enter the water. With soft water this protective layer does not form, and a dangerous amount of lead can dissolve in the water." THE LINK BETWEEN FISHING, HUNTING AND LEAD Years ago, researchers concluded that lead poisoning from lead sinkers, jig heads and lead shot was a major cause of death among certain waterfowl species. Some studies have estimated that lead kills between 1.5 and 2.5 million migratory waterfowl in North America each year. Lead has been linked to other problems as well. In fact, California requires manufacturers selling lures with lead in them to print a warning on the packaging to this effect. The warning tells potential purchasers, "This product contains lead, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm." You may have noticed these labels yourself. Many manufacturers who do business in California leave the labels on their packaging for all states rather than have special packaging for the California market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 that is not because lead "dissolves" in water. it is because of leads half life in blood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Lead does still dissolve in the water, and then is absorbed into our bodies, or the fish for that matter. But really it is a decision that people have to make....a bit like using a cot that has been painted with lead-based paint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 here is another thing to think about, batteries are made of lead plates & acid creating electricity with the raction of the two. who here has a tank that is creating electricity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyzoo Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 I used term dissolve but actually mean dissipate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 in fishtank water? assuming near 0 Cl- levels, and pH~7. the levels of lead would be near negligible and pose no risk to the a humans CNS. plus sandra does regular WC's if lead sinkers provided such a high risk, they would have surely banned their use in rivers and lakes etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 if lead sinkers provided such a high risk, they would have surely banned their use in rivers and lakes etc they have banned lead shot being shot over water. if enough (maybe billions of) sinkers were being lost in the water i'm sure they would ban them to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phoenix44 Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 ah! that would make sense! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandysme Posted March 29, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Thanks everyone, I guess im quite safe then, I have 5 x 4oz weights in there, under the gravel.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 they have banned lead shot being shot over water. if enough (maybe billions of) sinkers were being lost in the water i'm sure they would ban them to. That's because they're used for hunting ducks. The ducks that are being hunted are usually flying over duck feeding grounds. The lead shot lands in the feeding grounds and ends up getting eaten by ducks. Eating large amounts of lead is a whole different matter than trace amounts dissolving in water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 That's because they're used for hunting ducks. The ducks that are being hunted are usually flying over duck feeding grounds. The lead shot lands in the feeding grounds and ends up getting eaten by ducks. Eating large amounts of lead is a whole different matter than trace amounts dissolving in water. you are allowed to shot lead if it is not over the water so how does that apply to your comment? Also i cannot believe that the steel that you have to shoot over water would be any better for the ducks if it is eaten, what do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 29, 2009 Report Share Posted March 29, 2009 Ducks don't tend to dig around in the mud while eating on dry land. And steel is harmless if eaten. So is bismuth which is one of the other alternative replacements to lead shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishybiz Posted March 30, 2009 Report Share Posted March 30, 2009 the lead used for aquarium plants has a special coating on it so there is no problem. We always use it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.