Steel in FOWLR saltwater tank?

[Diesel_Rice]

Hi everyone! Just got all my Marco rock so I can get everything aquascaped, i'm doing the drilling and dowel method and I had a question. The jury seems to be out, but can I use steel dowels in the rocks? eor do they leach in the water over time? I'v got the bits already (masonry) and the whole setup, I just went to Home Depot and all they have are nice steel and aluminum rods and nothing else there (like acrylic or the like), I just want to do it right and not run into issues for our fish down the line. Any help is much, much appreciated! if something definitely is safer, please let me know where you got said item because i'm wanting to get this tank starting to cycle asap

 

[DaddyFish]

Someone helped me with a tip to purchase fiberglass driveway markers. I bought ten 48" markers off Amazon for $20.
Do not use steel, unless it's 304 or 316 stainless steel, and even then it's questionable.

 

[Sdot]

Hi everyone! Just got all my Marco rock so I can get everything aquascaped, i'm doing the drilling and dowel method and I had a question. The jury seems to be out, but can I use steel dowels in the rocks? eor do they leach in the water over time? I'v got the bits already (masonry) and the whole setup, I just went to Home Depot and all they have are nice steel and aluminum rods and nothing else there (like acrylic or the like), I just want to do it right and not run into issues for our fish down the line. Any help is much, much appreciated! if something definitely is safer, please let me know where you got said item because i'm wanting to get this tank starting to cycle asap

Do not use any metal in saltwater unless its titanium....you are begging for a shut down in a matter of months otherwise.

 

[GaryE]

Acrylic rods are available on Amazon

 

[TexanCanuck]

NO

The steel will, over time, corrode and leach both iron and (depending on the specific alloy of steel you buy) copper. Even Stainless Steel will leech copper.

It will eventually kill any inverts you put in your tank, and in the long run even your fish.

There are lots of safer options!

 

[Diesel_Rice]

Awesome, thank you guys so much for the tips! new to this so i'm wanting to do it right and as safe as possible, I love this place lol

 

[jradishness]

I reached out to ARC about this issue and they sent me a whole handful of assorted acrylic and fiberglass? rods on the house. Of course, I’d just made another purchase for coraline spores, so it wasn’t exactly a freebie, but I’ll bet for a small charge you can get some from them.

I didn’t know about the Amazon route. If I had it to do over, that’s what I’d do.

 

[Uncle99]

Most metals corrode in seawater over time so not a good idea at all.