Rust Inside Light Hood

[Lady Samsara]

There are 2 screws holding the light plate which are rusted. I just
noticed it tonight when I was doing my water change. I wiped them off
with a paper towel and some matter came off. Should I replace the
screws? Can this be harmful to my 2 snails? TY!

[Dick]

On 10 Aug 2004 02:07:08 -0700, (Lady
Samsara) wrote:

>There are 2 screws holding the light plate which are rusted. I just
>noticed it tonight when I was doing my water change. I wiped them off
>with a paper towel and some matter came off. Should I replace the
>screws? Can this be harmful to my 2 snails? TY!

How is your light exposed to water? I have one tank that the humidity
does find its way to the light reflector and its screws with resulting
rust. I even got an exchange after sending photos. The new one has
the same problem. I have taken the old one apart, sanded the rust
areas and painted over the rust areas with finger nail polish. It
helped some, but I still see rust traces. I have 5 tanks and this one
tank is the only one with rust. I suspect poor quality steel. The
tank is quite attractive. I suspect the moisture is reaching the
reflector because the hood is completely covering the tank top. My
other 4 tanks have gaps at the back where moisture can escape, but
this 29 gallon tank has the power filter built into the hood and the
electrical wires all go through one small opening in the hood.

How would the snails even get to the rust? In any case I can't
imagine rust being a poison to aquatic life, where there is water and
iron there is rust.

dick

[Anandan Tanabalan]

One thing I have used in the past without any problems is automotive product
called K-rust. Not too sure of it's availability with you, but here in
Scotland its available in Halfords (Car & bike bits and bobs chain).

The stuff is milky-white and is painted on to the rust, which turns promptly
blue and doesn't flake or get worse until much later (several months)

This was a freshwater tank; not marine.

I was careful not to let any of the raw product get into the tank ;)

It worked so well, that I used the rest in my car.

Anandan.


--
---
Avoid jet lag by simply taking an earlier flight, thus arriving
fully-refreshed and on time.
---

This communication and the information contained in it are confidential and
may be legally privileged. The content is intended solely for the use of the
individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others authorised to
receive it. If you are not the intended recipient it is hereby brought to
your notice that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or dissemination, or
alternatively the taking of any action in reliance on it, is strictly
prohibited and may constitute grounds for action, either civil or criminal,
at the instigation of A Tanabalan.

"Dick" > wrote in message
...
> On 10 Aug 2004 02:07:08 -0700, (Lady
> Samsara) wrote:
>
> >There are 2 screws holding the light plate which are rusted. I just
> >noticed it tonight when I was doing my water change. I wiped them off
> >with a paper towel and some matter came off. Should I replace the
> >screws? Can this be harmful to my 2 snails? TY!
>
> How is your light exposed to water? I have one tank that the humidity
> does find its way to the light reflector and its screws with resulting
> rust. I even got an exchange after sending photos. The new one has
> the same problem. I have taken the old one apart, sanded the rust
> areas and painted over the rust areas with finger nail polish. It
> helped some, but I still see rust traces. I have 5 tanks and this one
> tank is the only one with rust. I suspect poor quality steel. The
> tank is quite attractive. I suspect the moisture is reaching the
> reflector because the hood is completely covering the tank top. My
> other 4 tanks have gaps at the back where moisture can escape, but
> this 29 gallon tank has the power filter built into the hood and the
> electrical wires all go through one small opening in the hood.
>
> How would the snails even get to the rust? In any case I can't
> imagine rust being a poison to aquatic life, where there is water and
> iron there is rust.
>
> dick

[Dan White]

"Anandan Tanabalan" >
wrote in message ...
> One thing I have used in the past without any problems is automotive
product
> called K-rust. Not too sure of it's availability with you, but here in
> Scotland its available in Halfords (Car & bike bits and bobs chain).

I don't know about all that, but you definitely win the award for most
interesting name! :)

In the US you can buy a can of spray paint made by Rust-O-leum for heavily
rusted surfaces. The rust guard is a chocolate brown color and is a rust
primer. You can spray over this with white, or you can just buy white
Rust-O-leum with the rust guard formula in it. I think the max protection
is using the primer and then the white paint. There are other white spray
paints that are NOT for inhibiting rust.

dwhite


>
> The stuff is milky-white and is painted on to the rust, which turns
promptly
> blue and doesn't flake or get worse until much later (several months)
>
> This was a freshwater tank; not marine.
>
> I was careful not to let any of the raw product get into the tank ;)
>
> It worked so well, that I used the rest in my car.
>
> Anandan.
>
>
> --
> ---
> Avoid jet lag by simply taking an earlier flight, thus arriving
> fully-refreshed and on time.
> ---
>
> This communication and the information contained in it are confidential
and
> may be legally privileged. The content is intended solely for the use of
the
> individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others authorised to
> receive it. If you are not the intended recipient it is hereby brought to
> your notice that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or dissemination,
or
> alternatively the taking of any action in reliance on it, is strictly
> prohibited and may constitute grounds for action, either civil or
criminal,
> at the instigation of A Tanabalan.
>
> "Dick" > wrote in message
> ...
> > On 10 Aug 2004 02:07:08 -0700, (Lady
> > Samsara) wrote:
> >
> > >There are 2 screws holding the light plate which are rusted. I just
> > >noticed it tonight when I was doing my water change. I wiped them off
> > >with a paper towel and some matter came off. Should I replace the
> > >screws? Can this be harmful to my 2 snails? TY!
> >
> > How is your light exposed to water? I have one tank that the humidity
> > does find its way to the light reflector and its screws with resulting
> > rust. I even got an exchange after sending photos. The new one has
> > the same problem. I have taken the old one apart, sanded the rust
> > areas and painted over the rust areas with finger nail polish. It
> > helped some, but I still see rust traces. I have 5 tanks and this one
> > tank is the only one with rust. I suspect poor quality steel. The
> > tank is quite attractive. I suspect the moisture is reaching the
> > reflector because the hood is completely covering the tank top. My
> > other 4 tanks have gaps at the back where moisture can escape, but
> > this 29 gallon tank has the power filter built into the hood and the
> > electrical wires all go through one small opening in the hood.
> >
> > How would the snails even get to the rust? In any case I can't
> > imagine rust being a poison to aquatic life, where there is water and
> > iron there is rust.
> >
> > dick
>
>

[Anandan Tanabalan]

Of course, you could replace the screws for weather-proof ones.

I'm not the handiest handy-man but you can get all sorts of fasteners
nowadays.

Anandan.

--
---
Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach hundreds
of men to steal fish and give you a percentage... Woo-Ha! You
could pretty much retire!
---

This communication and the information contained in it are confidential and
may be legally privileged. The content is intended solely for the use of the
individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others authorised to
receive it. If you are not the intended recipient it is hereby brought to
your notice that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or dissemination, or
alternatively the taking of any action in reliance on it, is strictly
prohibited and may constitute grounds for action, either civil or criminal,
at the instigation of A Tanabalan.

"Dan White" > wrote in message
t...
> "Anandan Tanabalan"
>
> wrote in message ...
> > One thing I have used in the past without any problems is automotive
> product
> > called K-rust. Not too sure of it's availability with you, but here in
> > Scotland its available in Halfords (Car & bike bits and bobs chain).
>
> I don't know about all that, but you definitely win the award for most
> interesting name! :)
>
> In the US you can buy a can of spray paint made by Rust-O-leum for heavily
> rusted surfaces. The rust guard is a chocolate brown color and is a rust
> primer. You can spray over this with white, or you can just buy white
> Rust-O-leum with the rust guard formula in it. I think the max protection
> is using the primer and then the white paint. There are other white spray
> paints that are NOT for inhibiting rust.
>
> dwhite
>
>
> >
> > The stuff is milky-white and is painted on to the rust, which turns
> promptly
> > blue and doesn't flake or get worse until much later (several months)
> >
> > This was a freshwater tank; not marine.
> >
> > I was careful not to let any of the raw product get into the tank ;)
> >
> > It worked so well, that I used the rest in my car.
> >
> > Anandan.
> >
> >
> > --
> > ---
> > Avoid jet lag by simply taking an earlier flight, thus arriving
> > fully-refreshed and on time.
> > ---
> >
> > This communication and the information contained in it are confidential
> and
> > may be legally privileged. The content is intended solely for the use of
> the
> > individual or entity to whom it is addressed and others authorised to
> > receive it. If you are not the intended recipient it is hereby brought
to
> > your notice that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or
dissemination,
> or
> > alternatively the taking of any action in reliance on it, is strictly
> > prohibited and may constitute grounds for action, either civil or
> criminal,
> > at the instigation of A Tanabalan.
> >
> > "Dick" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > On 10 Aug 2004 02:07:08 -0700, (Lady
> > > Samsara) wrote:
> > >
> > > >There are 2 screws holding the light plate which are rusted. I just
> > > >noticed it tonight when I was doing my water change. I wiped them
off
> > > >with a paper towel and some matter came off. Should I replace the
> > > >screws? Can this be harmful to my 2 snails? TY!
> > >
> > > How is your light exposed to water? I have one tank that the humidity
> > > does find its way to the light reflector and its screws with resulting
> > > rust. I even got an exchange after sending photos. The new one has
> > > the same problem. I have taken the old one apart, sanded the rust
> > > areas and painted over the rust areas with finger nail polish. It
> > > helped some, but I still see rust traces. I have 5 tanks and this one
> > > tank is the only one with rust. I suspect poor quality steel. The
> > > tank is quite attractive. I suspect the moisture is reaching the
> > > reflector because the hood is completely covering the tank top. My
> > > other 4 tanks have gaps at the back where moisture can escape, but
> > > this 29 gallon tank has the power filter built into the hood and the
> > > electrical wires all go through one small opening in the hood.
> > >
> > > How would the snails even get to the rust? In any case I can't
> > > imagine rust being a poison to aquatic life, where there is water and
> > > iron there is rust.
> > >
> > > dick
> >
> >
>
>

[JazzyB]

Why not change the screws for stainless steel ones? Sounds like the
simplest and easiest solution to me.
"Lady Samsara" > wrote in message
om...
> There are 2 screws holding the light plate which are rusted. I just
> noticed it tonight when I was doing my water change. I wiped them off
> with a paper towel and some matter came off. Should I replace the
> screws? Can this be harmful to my 2 snails? TY!

[Dr Engelbert Buxbaum]

Dick wrote:


> How is your light exposed to water?

It may just be the vapor that rises from the tank. I had the problem
with the light timer in a Hagen tank, which got completely screwed after
about 2 years.


> How would the snails even get to the rust? In any case I can't
> imagine rust being a poison to aquatic life, where there is water and
> iron there is rust.

Rust, if it comes into contact with the tank water may get dissolved
(especially if the water is on the acidic side). In higher
concentrations iron is toxic, although it is a required trace element
for both fish and plants. So the problem should be dealt with.

[Dick]

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004 11:59:30 +0200, Dr Engelbert Buxbaum
> wrote:

>Dick wrote:
>
>
>> How is your light exposed to water?
>
>It may just be the vapor that rises from the tank. I had the problem
>with the light timer in a Hagen tank, which got completely screwed after
>about 2 years.
>
>
>> How would the snails even get to the rust? In any case I can't
>> imagine rust being a poison to aquatic life, where there is water and
>> iron there is rust.
>
>Rust, if it comes into contact with the tank water may get dissolved
>(especially if the water is on the acidic side). In higher
>concentrations iron is toxic, although it is a required trace element
>for both fish and plants. So the problem should be dealt with.

Maybe the advise should be "If the tank water is in direct contact and
if there is a lot of rust, the problem should be dealt with." I
notice in your other posts you seem to like to control everything. I
bet there is no danger to the tank's fish under the conditions stated.

dick

[Lady Samsara]

"JazzyB" > wrote in message >...
> Why not change the screws for stainless steel ones? Sounds like the
> simplest and easiest solution to me.
> "Lady Samsara" > wrote in message
> om...
> > There are 2 screws holding the light plate which are rusted. I just
> > noticed it tonight when I was doing my water change. I wiped them off
> > with a paper towel and some matter came off. Should I replace the
> > screws? Can this be harmful to my 2 snails? TY!

Hi all and thanks for the help. Think I will just change out the
screws so I don't have to worry.