Aluminum in 80 gallon mixed reef tank.

[Dan Ponchak]

I lost a small Exacto #2 blade in my rock work and can’t locate it. Exacto rep told me it’s composition is 100% aluminum. Very small blade. Mixed reef,sps dominant, bare bottom. Did a cursory exploration by moving some of upper level aquascape to no avail. Employed magnetic search, nothing. IS IT SAFE TO LEAVE IN TANK? IF NOT,.... WILL I DO MORE HARM BY DISASSEMBLING ROCKS AND DISTURBING CORAL IN ORDER TO RETRIEVE? Hopefully it’s ok. What’s your opinion? 13 hours in. Thank you in advance. Dan.

 

[Phycodurus]

sorry to hear about this predicament! tank water volume will determine if the blade's eventual erosion is a problem. perhaps an ICP test now to determine a baseline reading, and then subsequent tests every few weeks/months. best of luck to you!

i have read that ulva macroalgae absorbs aluminum, by the way.

 

[Dan Ponchak]

Nobody? It’s been 24 hrs. No sign of distress. My tank is 80 gallons. The blade weighs

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I agree with Phycodurus. Your best bet is obviously to get it out. Fwiw I once had an 8" pair of stainless steel tweezers rust and fall apart in a 120g reef and didn't notice any ill effects

 

[Dan Ponchak]

Thank you for your tip on the micro algae. More research for me. Any of you science types have anything? Aluminum blade weighs 1.33 grams. DT is 80 gallons. Sump is 30 gallons. Running carbon reactor, protein skimmer, socks, live rock and calerpa in refugium. Running a ”control blade” in a cup of tank water. Without exponential oxidation, eyeballs tell me that control blade surface will be covered in aluminum oxide(?), or rusty/white looking oxidation in about 100 days. Natural seawater content of aluminum oxide??? Will monitor my bug population as the canary in a coal mine. No observable I’ll effects observed yet. I’m not overthinking, just having fun with corona lockdown. Thank you again phycodurus. What’s it mean?

 

[Joekovar]

My gut says that the slow rate of aluminum oxide creation is less of a concern than forgetting there's a razor blade hiding somewhere.

 

[Dan Ponchak]

My gut says that the slow rate of aluminum oxide creation is less of a concern than forgetting there's a razor blade hiding somewhere.

Thank you all for your input. Don’t know what it means but, before the introduction of the aluminum, my tank’s alkalinity was solid at 8.2-8.4. It’s been decreasing daily. Down to 7.7. Adjusted doser and continue to monitor. Coincidence or causal relationship? Anyone?

 

[wishntoboutside]

I would try using a magnet and drag it thru the sand band. just and idea.

 

[denash]

I had ICP come back with high aluminum which I attributed to ceramic biomedia, a couple of weeks after removing the biomedia my PE on all corals was like never before. Tested a few months later and reading on aluminum was normal, I would try and find the blade.

 

[BCSreef]

I don't think the blade is aluminum as it is too soft. Likely steel. The handles are Al. I would get it out. Use the magnet as previous poster suggested.

 

[xxkenny90xx]

I don't think the blade is aluminum as it is too soft. Likely steel. The handles are Al. I would get it out. Use the magnet as previous poster suggested.

I would think steel as well (most razor blades are) but he said he talked to the company rep about it. ALSO, ALUMINUM WILL NOT STICK TO A MAGNET...

 

[YankeeTankee]

Take the time, find it, get it out.

+1 magnet

 

[Dan Ponchak]

Take the time, find it, get it out.

+1 magnet

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I think there may be confusion here.

While the handle is aluminum, I think it somewhat unlikely the blade is aluminum. 100% Aluminum is too soft a metal for use as a blade. I suspect it is stainless steel.

Many folks have lost stainless steel razor blades into aquaria without apparent harm. They will slowly (weeks) corrode (aluminum too), but likely are not the end of the world.

If it is aluminum, a magnet will not stick to it. With stainless stell, some types stick to a magnet and soem do not.

IF you have another blade, try a magnet on it.

 

[HB AL]

I would spend as long as needed to get it out asap, no reason to leave it in there, do what you must to get it out.

 

[DSEKULA]

While I don't know the composition of the blades they do ime, stick to a magnet which would suggest they are not aluminum as the rep stated. I would get that out of the tank I've seen too many posts where something is negatively effecting the tank only to find a rusted piece as the issue.

 

[Dan Ponchak]

Thank you Randy and all that replied. Randy must have ESP! Just found blade yesterday! See photo. Manufacturer mis-informed me on blade composition. No observable negative effects on tank. See subsequently photos. Tank has been up 7-8 months now. Maybe I should put the blade back in. LOL! All’s well that ends well. Thanks again ALL. Photos loaded in reverse order. Just a few.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Glad to hear you got it!

Happy Reefing.