Are rubber safe to use in the tank / sump ?

MBruun

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 22, 2020
Messages
155
Reaction score
145
Location
Denmark
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm using a piece of 1mm black rubber to shield my skimmer from light, so that algae doesn't grow on and inside my skimmer.
But are rubber safe to use ? or will it leak anything to the water ?

I've made a simple test leaving a piece of the rubber in a glass of tank water for 12 hours, and the water does not look, smell or taste different than the control water (another glass), but I'm aware this not a sufficient test, but the best I could do.
 
Last edited:

CasperOe

In it to win it!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2022
Messages
3,261
Reaction score
5,718
Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It is SBR (Styrene-butadiene) rubber, but I cannot find any info about if it will leak anything to saltwater

SBR is not typically used for food and beverage applications although you can find food grade SBR material. It is typically white for some reason and is certified accordingly. The certified SBR kind is non-toxic, and non-allergenic.

Fun fact (as per google!) - this is the base for chewing gum! :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,589
Reaction score
64,053
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've made a simple test leaving a piece of the rubber in a glass of tank water for 12 hours, and the water does not look, smell or taste different than the control water (another glass), but I'm aware this not a sufficient test, but the best I could do.

Wow, dedication. Willing to sacrifice yourself for your tank. lol

FWIW, I do not recommend ever tasting tank water. Too much chance of pathogenic bacteria.

the rubber is probably OK, but do you know anything about it composition?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,589
Reaction score
64,053
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0

CasperOe

In it to win it!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2022
Messages
3,261
Reaction score
5,718
Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Wow, dedication. Willing to sacrifice yourself for your tank. lol

FWIW, I do not recommend ever tasting tank water. Too much chance of pathogenic bacteria.

the rubber is probably OK, but do you know anything about it composition?
SBR is typically a mixture of butadiene (approx. 75 percent) and styrene (approx. 25 percent).

I have transported butadiene more times that I can count on board tankers. I have seen the safety data sheets and it's not something that I would add to my tank :)
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,589
Reaction score
64,053
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
SBR is typically a mixture of butadiene (approx. 75 percent) and styrene (approx. 25 percent).

I have transported butadiene more times that I can count on board gas tankers. I have seen the safety data sheets and it's not something that I would add to my tank :)

Yes, except its no longer monomer butadiene. It's a polymer made from it.

An acrylic aquarium is polymethyl methacrylate.

The monomer methylmethacrylate is very smelly and toxic and burns. Acrylic aquariums do none of those things. :)
 
OP
OP
M

MBruun

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 22, 2020
Messages
155
Reaction score
145
Location
Denmark
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have seen the safety data sheets and it's not something that I would add to my tank
I read this as a "No don't use it i a tank" and from what Randy write, one cannot know what else from rubber it's made of - Do I understand you right ?
 

CasperOe

In it to win it!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2022
Messages
3,261
Reaction score
5,718
Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes, except its no longer monomer butadiene. It's a polymer made from it.

An acrylic aquarium is polymethyl methacrylate.

The monomer methylmethacrylate is very smelly and toxic and burns. Acrylic aquariums do none of those things. :)
True.. :) And chances are that @MBruun will likely be fine, on the other hand - who knows what the rubber feet underneath my Octo skimmer is made from! ;)
 

CasperOe

In it to win it!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2022
Messages
3,261
Reaction score
5,718
Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I read this as a "No don't use it i a tank" and from what Randy write, one cannot know what else from rubber it's made of - Do I understand you right ?
Yeah, well... Although, as @Randy writes, you are likely to be just fine! :) He's somewhat of a wizard, so if it's me against him, i'd probably go with his advice!
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,589
Reaction score
64,053
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I read this as a "No don't use it i a tank" and from what Randy write, one cannot know what else from rubber it's made of - Do I understand you right ?

There's little if any monomer butadiene left it. Butadiene monomer smells like gasoline.
 
OP
OP
M

MBruun

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 22, 2020
Messages
155
Reaction score
145
Location
Denmark
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks for the answers :) Appreciated
As it has no smell like gasoline i will leave my test piece in glass and see tomorrow if it smell or look any different, and if not I will go with "it is safe"
 

Gumbies R Us

Certified Noob
View Badges
Joined
Nov 10, 2022
Messages
10,085
Reaction score
19,503
Location
North Georgia
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
SBR is not typically used for food and beverage applications although you can find food grade SBR material. It is typically white for some reason and is certified accordingly. The certified SBR kind is non-toxic, and non-allergenic.

Fun fact (as per google!) - this is the base for chewing gum! :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:
Never would have guessed this was the base for gum
 

rhitee93

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 21, 2023
Messages
594
Reaction score
1,064
Location
West Central Indiana, USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Not that Randy needs any back-up from me, but another example is you wouldn't want to be around vinyl chloride very much, but it doesn't keep us from using polyvinyl chloride (PVC) four our plumbing.
 

Derrick0580

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 6, 2022
Messages
1,744
Reaction score
1,943
Location
Lafayette Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I can’t get past the fact you said if the test piece doesn’t have a taste in the water….you plan on drinking it?
 

CasperOe

In it to win it!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2022
Messages
3,261
Reaction score
5,718
Location
Glasgow, United Kingdom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I can’t get past the fact you said if the test piece doesn’t have a taste in the water….you plan on drinking it?
The danish love a good cup of tea! :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:
 
OP
OP
M

MBruun

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 22, 2020
Messages
155
Reaction score
145
Location
Denmark
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I just tasted a drop to see if the water had any rubber like taste. …..
 
OP
OP
M

MBruun

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 22, 2020
Messages
155
Reaction score
145
Location
Denmark
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I still not gonna drink it don’t sorry, just see if I can use the rubber as light cover in my sump
 

Stuck to your aquarium: Do you put reef-related stickers on or around your reef system?

  • I have reef-related stickers everywhere!

    Votes: 4 5.6%
  • I have some reef-related stickers on or around my reef system.

    Votes: 16 22.2%
  • I have some reef-related stickers, but not on my reef system.

    Votes: 16 22.2%
  • I don’t have reef-related stickers, but I am interested in getting some.

    Votes: 9 12.5%
  • I have no interest in reef-related stickers.

    Votes: 27 37.5%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top