So, I dropped a screw in the tank. I know, I know - I should have covered the tank before working above it - but I didn't. Of course the screw went behind the rocks. I shut off all the pumps, took a flashlight and looked from above the tank. My tank is so deep and so high that I never do this. Right as I shined my flashlight behind the rock, I saw a beautiful orange cap growing on the back side of one of my rocks. The mother colony (thanks Dennis!) is way on the other side of the tank. A piece must have broken off and landed on this rock. It looks very healthy and hopefully will grow into a beautiful colony. Just thought I'd share. Take a look at your tanks from above and see what hidden treasures you might find. Oh...I did find the screw.
Hidden Treasures in My Reef!
- Thread starter starrfish
- Start date
skyedolphan
Non-member
why, is it bad to have a screw in the tank? because I have one and ya I know metal is a nono but it is almost impossible to get to like Dennis said without taking all the rock outta the SPS side which is encrusted with corals soit has been there for 3 days and still trying without success with a magnet to get it
Cindy ROTFL that is OHHso true
Cindy ROTFL that is OHHso true
Dennis - the mother colony has grown quite a bit. It is fully encrusted onto the plug and the polyps on it are HUGE! The little "baby" that I found is about the size of a half dollar fully encrusted onto the rock.
Dawn - I have another screw stuck behind that rock somewhere. I'm not going to worry about it. I don't think it can do too much damage. I can't move my rock for anything - it is cemented with nylon rods into place.
Every time I work over the tank without a cover I think...you really should get a cover, you really should get a cover. I think I'm focusing so much on needing a cover that I lose sight of what I'm doing and into the tank the stuff goes. I've dropped the screwdriver a few times - I can't believe I haven't speared one of my fish!
Dawn - I have another screw stuck behind that rock somewhere. I'm not going to worry about it. I don't think it can do too much damage. I can't move my rock for anything - it is cemented with nylon rods into place.
Every time I work over the tank without a cover I think...you really should get a cover, you really should get a cover. I think I'm focusing so much on needing a cover that I lose sight of what I'm doing and into the tank the stuff goes. I've dropped the screwdriver a few times - I can't believe I haven't speared one of my fish!
jacqur
This is why I don't surf.
skyedolphan,
If you can't pick up the screw with a magnet then it is probably stainless=non-ferrous. So it's probably no big deal.
In fact the whole concern about screws and other metal implements in the tank is overweighted in my humble opinion. The danger with metals and the reef is predominantly "heavy metals'. Things like mercury, cadmium, beryllium, arsenic, etc. not goo for inverts. The metals used in screws and screens and tools and other is generally not heavy. Usually just Fe, C and maybe alloying ellements like Nickel or Chromium. The later 2 are considered heavy but are relatively corrosion resistant so it shouldn't be a big deal. In fact some folks advocate Iron (Fe) in the reef as this is a trace element in seawater.
Anyway - I wouldn't sweat it too much - as long as you are not leaving anything Copper in the tank it's probably not that big a deal.
As reference - I lost a razor blade in my tank a few years back and it was about 6 months before I rearranged some stuff too get it out. It was rusty beyond recollection but I have never seen any adverse affects.
Rob
If you can't pick up the screw with a magnet then it is probably stainless=non-ferrous. So it's probably no big deal.
In fact the whole concern about screws and other metal implements in the tank is overweighted in my humble opinion. The danger with metals and the reef is predominantly "heavy metals'. Things like mercury, cadmium, beryllium, arsenic, etc. not goo for inverts. The metals used in screws and screens and tools and other is generally not heavy. Usually just Fe, C and maybe alloying ellements like Nickel or Chromium. The later 2 are considered heavy but are relatively corrosion resistant so it shouldn't be a big deal. In fact some folks advocate Iron (Fe) in the reef as this is a trace element in seawater.
Anyway - I wouldn't sweat it too much - as long as you are not leaving anything Copper in the tank it's probably not that big a deal.
As reference - I lost a razor blade in my tank a few years back and it was about 6 months before I rearranged some stuff too get it out. It was rusty beyond recollection but I have never seen any adverse affects.
Rob
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