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Sue Deacon Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 31 Dec 2014 Posts: 2029 Location: West Fermanagh
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2015 7:10 pm Post subject: Is it safe to use copper in water? |
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I know this might sound like Muppetry of the highest order, but is it safe to use copper pipe (in sections, as weights for oxygenators) in a pond with fish?
I know most of our household water comes in copper pipes, but they used to use lead and we all know how dangerous that is!
I want to stop my oxygenators moving around the pond when I skim off pine needles. OH has some odd bits of copper pipe that I thought might provide just enough weight. |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2015 9:46 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not a chemist, so maybe I'll get shot down, but here's what I think:
If your water is acid then a little oxidation will take place but as far as I'm aware, once there is a layer of copper oxide on the surface of the metal, further corrosion is unable to take place. I doubt whether the tiny quantities released would be toxic to your fish. I'm sure you could use lead fishing weights, either, as lead resists corrosion in a similar way. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2015 11:30 pm Post subject: |
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You could use empty Heineken bottles instead! _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Blowin Rank attained: Vegetable garden tender
Joined: 20 Aug 2008 Posts: 930 Location: Drimoleague, Co Cork
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 5:01 am Post subject: |
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If you're worried, Sue, why not play safe and use suitably sized stones in bits of plastic netting such as come off fruit and veg in the supermarket? You'll almost certainly find other uses for bits of copper pipe. _________________ A novice gardener on newly cultivated, stoney ground. |
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kindredspirit Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 10 Nov 2008 Posts: 2300 Location: Mid-west.
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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I think you might have sparked off a new re-cycling craze. |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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Would it not be better to use goggles rather than spark plugs when see fishing?
Otherwise, your experience might be electrifying rather than edifying! |
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vulkan Rank attained: Silver Birch Tree


Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Posts: 167
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 9:23 pm Post subject: |
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Sue, you are right when you say that household water comes through copper pipes and that lead is dangerous.
HOWEVER, that is looking at it from a human perspective. What is safe for humans is not always safe for fish, and in this case, copper in tiny amounts can and does kill fish.
If copper was safe for fish why is it that you do not see things made from copper for fish tanks etc. Copper is often used in water features, because it does not rust, but water features do not have anything living in them. If you want weights for plants use stones. _________________ Does your post really add something, or is it to bump your post count? |
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Sue Deacon Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 31 Dec 2014 Posts: 2029 Location: West Fermanagh
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 9:50 pm Post subject: |
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tagwex wrote: | You could use empty Heineken bottles instead! | To everyone else, thank's for your imput. To Tagwex - words fail me!
I have used stones in the past, but had never thought about veg netting. Excuse me I've just remembered that I threw out an onion bag this evening. I'll just go and fish it out the bin! |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 11:06 pm Post subject: |
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I use veg net bags to hold straw for the pond and I put a couple of stones in to sink it. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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Awwwe shucks Sue you say the nicest things.
What would be wrong with them anyway? They will sink won't they? _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Good guy Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 11 Feb 2013 Posts: 2593 Location: Donegal
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Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 11:45 pm Post subject: |
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RE weighing plants down in a pond:
I include approximate values for the specific gravities of the various materials proposed so far:-
Copper 8.9
Lead 11.3
Steel + ceramic 7.6?
Stone(s) 2.4 - 2.6
Glass 2.6
It appears that in terms of maximum weight and minimum pollution, the spark plugs have it.
Heineken bottles are no more efficient as weights than common stones but take up a lot more valuable pond space. As the production of glass from virgin materials requires considerable amounts of energy and produces concomitant quantities of CO2, the responsible gardener would return his/her bottles to the bottle bank.
Pebbles have a zero carbon footprint and the net bag would probably go to landfill if not re-used.
Draw your own conclusions, but please use a pencil made from re-cycled CDs and a re-purposed paper bag. |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 8:55 am Post subject: |
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Says the man who was raving only a few weeks ago about some sort of a glass feature in a pond in France........ _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Sue Deacon Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 31 Dec 2014 Posts: 2029 Location: West Fermanagh
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 12:37 pm Post subject: |
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What HAVE I started?!
Even my computer is having second thoughts on this subject. It sent the last two posts straight into the spam file.  |
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Sat Oct 10, 2015 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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I know a few people who should be similarly filed! _________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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