08-26-2013, 09:55 PM
Hi, I'm going to be building a vivarium (36L x 18D x 24H, species yet to be decided) after being out of the hobby for quite some time, and had some questions regarding what's safe to actually use in the tank. The seem to be a number of posts about the dangers of certain plastics to the long term health/reproduction of the frogs, but I can't sort out what is actually safe, not safe, might be safe, or we have no idea. Using the search function has largely left me more confused than I was prior to using it. My specific questions -
Eggcrate - it's plastic, but tons of people use it for false bottoms. Is there any particular type that's safe, is it safe only if the water doesn't ever recirculate into the tank, is it all safe?
PVC pipe - used for spacers for false bottoms, plumbing for dripwalls, etc. I know it can leach vinyl chloride, is that not important, can it be used for spacers only with no tank recirculation, etc? Does it need to be soaked first/cleaned with some substance?
Tubing for a waterfall/water feature - only aquarium tank tubing? Is the black tubing from a hydroponics store ok? (I know all the arguments about not recommending water features, but I'm interested in knowing safe products to use in one should I decide to do so regardless).
The little mesh plastic planting pots people embed into great stuff backgrounds - are they safe?
Thanks in advance!
-Ralph
Eggcrate - it's plastic, but tons of people use it for false bottoms. Is there any particular type that's safe, is it safe only if the water doesn't ever recirculate into the tank, is it all safe?
PVC pipe - used for spacers for false bottoms, plumbing for dripwalls, etc. I know it can leach vinyl chloride, is that not important, can it be used for spacers only with no tank recirculation, etc? Does it need to be soaked first/cleaned with some substance?
Tubing for a waterfall/water feature - only aquarium tank tubing? Is the black tubing from a hydroponics store ok? (I know all the arguments about not recommending water features, but I'm interested in knowing safe products to use in one should I decide to do so regardless).
The little mesh plastic planting pots people embed into great stuff backgrounds - are they safe?
Thanks in advance!
-Ralph