Rubberbands in my reef...

[jrobbins]

I don't know why I started thinking about this, but here is my current little issue.

Rubberbands.

I use em to hold some nori to a rock, and I tend to just leave the rubberband attached to the rock after all the stuff is eaten. then the next time i feed the nori i just stuff it under the rubberbands.

all well and good, except is there any chance these things are leaking some nasty (toxic) stuff into my tank? let me rephrase, i am almost certain they must be relasing stuff into the tank, but is there any chance that over time it could be a problem?

i guess i have the same question about zipties used to hold rockwork together....

 

[MikeyNYC]

Rubber bands are safe, just make sure that your using the natural rubber bands without coloring.

 

[KathyC]

I wouldn't worry about the rubberbands. After awhile you'll have to change them anyway as SW makes them brittle. Most folks run carbon in their reef, between that and your skimmer, I would imagine whatever tiny amount of nasites that might leach out would be rendered harmless almost immediatley.

Zipties as in the plastic cable ties? They'd better be..lol I have them in my tank too. My opinion would be the same as above for these too.

 

[Bob 1000]

I'm with Kathy on this one..... Plastic grows coraline faster... Making it brittle faster also... But saltwater dries out everything.. Even me,,,lol...

 

[jrobbins]

Thanks for the replies guys and gals. I guess it is the fact that they do get brittle that was making me worry as I figured it had to be the petroleum slowly leeching out...

 

[nanoreefer22]

I rubber band all my softie frags, eventually the rubber deteriorates and the coral grows over it if it doesn't