So it's a fair bet that any of our frog vivs contain appreciable amounts of aluminum in some form. The link between aluminum and Alzheimer's has never been scientifically established though there are those who make a living trying to do so.īTW aluminum is the third most abundant element in the earth's crust (about 8% by weight) after oxygen and silicon and is found combined within over 270 different minerals. Similarly for aluminum cans.Īluminum does not corrode the way certain other metals do (such as iron that shows flaking) and therefore is not going to release harmful chemicals. This is why aircraft that are made with extensive amounts of aluminum do not readily rust. However, this outer layer of aluminum oxide is chemically inert and protects the remaining aluminum metal from exposure and prevents it from rusting. Surface rust is actually worse due to the fact it will flake off and sooner or later your pump,filter,waterfall, and any substrate in contact with the water will absorb this making for if nothing else an unattractive appearence and one hell of a cleaning job.Ĭlick to expand.When aluminum comes in contact with water and/or oxygen, it rapidly converts to aluminum oxide.

However the grade of stainless used for screen is not a high grade of stainless and it WILL rust even if it is just surface rust. Stainless contains iron, iron rusts, stainless is an alloy that is supposed to supress oxidation (rusting) do to high content of nickle. it is a more expensive option than aluminium or fiberglass.Ģ. Some metal screen is stainless, while this is a better option IMO than aluminium there is problems with this too.ġ. (there is actually studies going on that are linking chemicals given off from aluminium to alztimers in people) Although i honestly don't have any evidence to back it up i really don't think that the chemicals given off from aluminium as it is corroding would be at all good for the frogs or other critters in the tank. Metal screning is a bad choice IMO.Īlot of the metal screens are aluminium, aluminium corrodes when wet for prolonged periods. I got a roll of it for 8$ It is the finest mesh they have and it is fiberglass. You can pick up what they call mosquito screen at lowe's. I will buy it if the home depot stuff is unsafe. I know you can buy mesh from some PDF websites that is like a penny per square inch but that would be like 30 dollars worth of mesh not to mention shipping. Theres a wire mesh at Home Depot that I believe is for windows or screen doors or something, but am also unsure if it would contaminate the tank in any way.Īlso the wire mesh would mold around the false bottom better, so if its safe I would like to buy the home depot stuff. I read somewhere on another site that needlepoint mesh was used with success, so I went to a fabric store and have a large roll, just now looking at it, since its like a fabric I think it may rot or mold or something that could be harmful and a pain later. I have a 3inch false bottom, and then am going to have the clay pellets (much like teralite I believe but since I couldn't get that shipped to me I bought what joshs frogs had to offer) but between the egg crate and the pellets, what kind of mesh is appropriate/safe and where would I get it?

I was wondering though and can't find a lot of detail about it. If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears.I am building a 55g vivarium with a false bottom and I have the false bottom done and ready for the most part (still need to make a removable section for the waterfall pump) I will call the grip-rite people on Monday, but even their website is down, so no luck trying to email them. Has anyone one ever seen such a thing? Maybe at Menard's? I'll be visiting Iowa soon, perhaps I can pick them up there. I am looking for 1 1/4' fence staples, stainless steel or Primeguard. Can someone tell me how I can do that if I can't find them? Do they even make them? I have tried google searches, but the only stainless steel staples I find are designed for pneumatic staplers, which I think are too small for this application. Everyone has varying grades of galvanized, and then it says right on the box something to the effect of 'for outdoor use or cedar fences, use stainless steel or Primeguard Plus coated fasteners'. So I've been to Home Depot, Lowe's, Sutherlands, and Tractor Supply, in search of stainless steel or Primeguard coated fence staples. It is almost done, but now I need to line it with 'non climb' wire, so the dog stays in and the skunks stay out. OK, so I've been spending my time building a stupid fence instead of woodworking.

Stainless steel mesh home depot