Metal weights around plants - toxic?

Hi folks.
Whenever I buy freshwater plants from the fish store, they're weighted
down with some sort of a soft, heavy, and corrosion-resistant metal band
wrapped around the base of their stems, which I think may be lead. I
kind of worry about using these in my fish tank so I've always removed
them, but that makes them a bit of a pain to keep down in the gravel.
Are these weights safe for fish, or does lead leech out of them and
possibly become toxic for them?

- Logic316


"The most terrifying words in the English language a I'm from the
government and I'm here to help."
-- Ronald Reagan

It is lead, and don't worry about it so much. Lead is toxic but it's
not detrimental to the water or the fish unless they eat it, which is
unlikely. You can remove the weight and plant most varieties as you are
obviously aware. Several are difficult to take root though. Hornwort is
impossible, I hate the stuff. Java ferns eventually root if you tie the
plant to a rock or piece of driftwood using thread. The thread
eventually decomposes. So, maybe that's an option for you........

Oh, I sank some Ambulia using lead in a 10 gallon tank with 13 Cory
fry. I keep only 1/2" of gravel in that tank so I left the weights
on...... I've noticed no side-effects six months later.

Hope it helps.
http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html

spiral_72 wrote:
It is lead, and don't worry about it so much. Lead is toxic but it's
not detrimental to the water or the fish unless they eat it, which is
unlikely. You can remove the weight and plant most varieties as you are
obviously aware. Several are difficult to take root though. Hornwort is
impossible, I hate the stuff. Java ferns eventually root if you tie the
plant to a rock or piece of driftwood using thread. The thread
eventually decomposes. So, maybe that's an option for you........

Oh, I sank some Ambulia using lead in a 10 gallon tank with 13 Cory
fry. I keep only 1/2" of gravel in that tank so I left the weights
on...... I've noticed no side-effects six months later.

Hope it helps.
http://www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html

I found a package of weights that aren't lead, but rather zinc and
magnesium. I discard weights that could be made of lead, since it
dissolves into water under acidic conditions.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

In article , eetmail-
says...
I found a package of weights that aren't lead, but rather zinc and
magnesium. I discard weights that could be made of lead, since it
dissolves into water under acidic conditions.

That will never happen with our water supply :-).


--
BNSF = Build Now, Seep Forever