Metal strip around plants?

[Gubernaculum86]

I'm new to planted aquariums and just bought my first plants at Petsmart. All my "mom and pop" lfs are SW oriented. When I got my plants home I noticed they were held together with a pliable strip of metal. It's very flexible and nonferrous.

The only thing I could think of is that it's lead. But I couldn't imagine that they would sell something wrapped in lead with all the problems associated with it.

Any thoughts on what it could be?

 

[alLexX]

its petsmart,they sell bettas for 1 gallon bowls,theres a very good chance its lead.if you want to check,scratch it.lead scratches very easy,and is silvery on the inside.its only aftewr being exposed to air that it gets grey.

 

[mfdrookie516]

It very well may be lead. Most plants sold locally here have lead to help hold the plants down, and also keep them together. Lead is not a problem in aquariums.

 

[Gubernaculum86]

Really lead isn't a problem in aquariums? The fish can't get lead poisoning?

 

[Frognugget]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/lead-weights-32461.html

They are usually made out of a zinc-tin alloy, which is harmless.

if it is a zinc-tin alloy it will be more whitish/silvery. a lead weight will be more greyish. Also if it has a high lead content when rubbed on paper it will make a mark similar to a pencil. Hard to say for certain though unless you have a spectrometer on hand, can also test using nitric acid.

Off the top of my head, i don't know if lead weights in the aquarium are bad for your fish. However, lead poisoning, like most heavy metal poisonings, is a slow killer, many times causing brain and liver damage but not death.

Lead ammunition is not allowed when used over water and lead fishing weights are being phased out in many states

 

[mfdrookie516]

Nah, lead is inert (i believe that's the correct word) in water. It would have to be ingested in order to cause harm. Many people use lead for various purposes in aquariums. Really, California is about the only place where lead is a huge deal anymore.

 

[RoyBoy]

i know what your talking abot because i got some plants from the also.. its like a thick twist tie... I was wondering the same thing and of course no employee could tell me

 

[Gubernaculum86]

i know what your talking abot because i got some plants from the also.. its like a thick twist tie... I was wondering the same thing and of course no employee could tell me

Lol of course the employees couldn't tell u anything. Most of them are hopeless.

Sounds like it's nothing to worry about. I was just really trying to figure out what it was and why the heck it was in a fish tank if it was lead.

 

[Crepe]

Lead oxidizes really quickly forming a thick patina that is inert. Don't worry about it. However when planting your new stems remove the lead strip otherwise the plants will rot stem up.

 

[Gubernaculum86]

Yeah that's the first thing I did

 

[Emclenaghan]

I bought some plants from a reputable small fish store near me and the guy said it was iron. Obviously he was mistaken but I left it on and my plants are doing fine.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

They're lead and safe. I use them for my plants to get anchored/rooted then pull them off. I use one to hold down zucchini slices for my Moors and it works pretty good.

 

[TropicalAquariumExpert]

The lead has been replaced with the non-lead zink alloys. Similar stuff is used by fisherman as a weight on the fishing line. Lead is darker and does not shine. Alloys have glossy silvery surface.