terra cotta pots with weird chemically odor?

[yk]

I recently bought some small 2in terra cotta pots from the local Hobby
Lobby. After soaking them I noticed they had a strong sort of chemical
odor, sorta like how the dry cleaners smell, I think. I don't know if
fragrance from the store got embedded in the pots, or if they contain
chemicals of some sort. I don't usually use terra cotta plants in
general for houseplants and such, as they tend to break, unlike plastic.
So I don't know if this is an unusal odor for them? Would it be unsafe
to put them in the tank? I was thinking of planting my crypts in them so
I can rearrange them as needed.

--

direct replies: yelohk AT yahoo

[RedForeman ©®]

Good that you're thinking ahead re: soaking and rearranging.... Also, I'll
add that while the pots are soaking, maybe do a water test for ammonia
and/or nitrite, just to see if there is anything besides clay in them....
Some use pH UP to test to see if there is fizzle... if fizzes, not tank
safe.... NetMax can elaborate, being that he's the one that brought it up
to me... I can only add, that depending on how they are shipped, something
could have broken above them and they could have absorbed anything that
leaked on them, so soaking them is good, changing the water every day could
be another idea....


"yk" > wrote in message ...
> I recently bought some small 2in terra cotta pots from the local Hobby
> Lobby. After soaking them I noticed they had a strong sort of chemical
> odor, sorta like how the dry cleaners smell, I think. I don't know if
> fragrance from the store got embedded in the pots, or if they contain
> chemicals of some sort. I don't usually use terra cotta plants in
> general for houseplants and such, as they tend to break, unlike plastic.
> So I don't know if this is an unusal odor for them? Would it be unsafe
> to put them in the tank? I was thinking of planting my crypts in them so
> I can rearrange them as needed.
>
> --
>
> direct replies: yelohk AT yahoo
>

[Sajjad Lateef]

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 13:46:24 -0500, yk wrote:

> I recently bought some small 2in terra cotta pots from the local Hobby
> Lobby. After soaking them I noticed they had a strong sort of chemical
> odor, sorta like how the dry cleaners smell, I think. I don't know if

It's the natural smell of the clay used to make the pot.

> So I don't know if this is an unusal odor for them?

I doubt it.

> Would it be unsafe

No. I have a couple of small 6" pots in my tanks. One on it's side
for a "cave" and other has Anubias nana growing in it (attached to a rock
placed inside the pot).

> to put them in the tank? I was thinking of planting my crypts in them so
> I can rearrange them as needed.

Unless you like the looks of terracotta, I and others have also had good
luck using the thin plastic "deli" containers, margarine tubs, etc.

Just put regular sand in them. Some people cover the sand with
old filter floss material, cut to fit around the plant. Makes for
a nice, strong, root system.

Sajjad

[Bob in PA]

Be careful, some pots are being sold as terra cotta, when they are only
actually a painted terra cotta color, the pot being some other kind of
material.


Bob


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[Dan Drake]

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 19:05:38 UTC, "RedForeman ©®" >
wrote:

> Some use pH UP to test to see if there is fizzle... if fizzes, not tank
> safe....

Waitaminnit -- that would be pH DOWN, the acid, which will cause
carbonates to fizz. Is there anything that would fizz upon exposure to
*high* pH?



--

http://www.dandrake.com/

In the days after September 11, Yahoo searches for Nostradamus
outnumbered those for Osama bin Laden and Sex, combined.

[RedForeman ©®]

Glad you caught that... I knew it was one of them.... NetMax is the one who
told me about it... he'd kick me right about now....
"Dan Drake" > wrote in message
news:vhIsdqY67dTD-pn2-cVGBMelGWquX@localhost...
> On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 19:05:38 UTC, "RedForeman ©®" >
> wrote:
>
> > Some use pH UP to test to see if there is fizzle... if fizzes, not tank
> > safe....
>
> Waitaminnit -- that would be pH DOWN, the acid, which will cause
> carbonates to fizz. Is there anything that would fizz upon exposure to
> *high* pH?
>
>
>
> --
>
> http://www.dandrake.com/
>
> In the days after September 11, Yahoo searches for Nostradamus
> outnumbered those for Osama bin Laden and Sex, combined.

[Lady Samsara]

"Bob in PA" > wrote in message >...
> Be careful, some pots are being sold as terra cotta, when they are only
> actually a painted terra cotta color, the pot being some other kind of
> material.
>
>
> Bob

Not sure if this helps...I have been using small glass votive candle
holders as hidey holes for my Bettas for months with no troubles.
Some are clear, some are colored glass. Aside from being careful when
I vac, (I get the thicker ones anyway)they have worked out great and
might do the job for you. I thought glass would be safe as far as any
leaching goes. They are in the craft section of Wal Mart.

[NetMax]

Yup, pH down is acidic, which usually reacts with stuff which has lots of
calcium in it.

For the OP, suspicious odours would deter me from using it, but if you
are determined, put it in a pail with a few feeder fish for a week or
two. ymmv

NetMax

"RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> Glad you caught that... I knew it was one of them.... NetMax is the one
who
> told me about it... he'd kick me right about now....
> "Dan Drake" > wrote in message
> news:vhIsdqY67dTD-pn2-cVGBMelGWquX@localhost...
> > On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 19:05:38 UTC, "RedForeman ©®"
>
> > wrote:
> >
> > > Some use pH UP to test to see if there is fizzle... if fizzes, not
tank
> > > safe....
> >
> > Waitaminnit -- that would be pH DOWN, the acid, which will cause
> > carbonates to fizz. Is there anything that would fizz upon exposure
to
> > *high* pH?
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > http://www.dandrake.com/
> >
> > In the days after September 11, Yahoo searches for Nostradamus
> > outnumbered those for Osama bin Laden and Sex, combined.
>
>

[yk]

The smell is fading, so maybe that's a good sign. If I add the feeder
fish to the bucket the pots are soaking in, would I then have to
disinfect the pots before adding them to the tank?

Bob in PA mentioned fake terra cotta pots, I don't know what else they'd
be made of (ie if it would be toxic). They seem like they're not
painted, I pulled a small chunk off the bottom of the pot - an extra
piece that was semi-attched where they drilled the hole. No sign of a
different color. But who knows.

Lady Samsara's idea about the glass votives sounds cool. Would they work
ok with plants? Do plants prefer breathable containers? Does the hole in
the bottom make a difference (aeration and whatnot)? At least the roots
won't attach themselves to the sides and I could seen when they were
becoming rootbound...

NetMax wrote:
> Yup, pH down is acidic, which usually reacts with stuff which has lots of
> calcium in it.
>
> For the OP, suspicious odours would deter me from using it, but if you
> are determined, put it in a pail with a few feeder fish for a week or
> two. ymmv
>
> NetMax
>
> "RedForeman ©®" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
>
>>Glad you caught that... I knew it was one of them.... NetMax is the one
>
> who
>
>>told me about it... he'd kick me right about now....
>>"Dan Drake" > wrote in message
>>news:vhIsdqY67dTD-pn2-cVGBMelGWquX@localhost...
>>
>>>On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 19:05:38 UTC, "RedForeman ©®"
>>
> >
>
>>>wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Some use pH UP to test to see if there is fizzle... if fizzes, not
>>>
> tank
>
>>>>safe....
>>>
>>>Waitaminnit -- that would be pH DOWN, the acid, which will cause
>>>carbonates to fizz. Is there anything that would fizz upon exposure
>>
> to
>
>>>*high* pH?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>--

>>>http://www.dandrake.com/
>>>
>>>In the days after September 11, Yahoo searches for Nostradamus
>>>outnumbered those for Osama bin Laden and Sex, combined.
>>
>>
>
>



--

direct replies: yelohk AT yahoo