Brass fitting or skimmer?

[Sophie"s mom]

Good morning, I am not sure if this is the right place for this post or not, but I have a question. I am attaching a CO2 scrubber to my HOB skimmer, and a fitting I need is apparently tuff to find not in metal material. So I ordered a few but they will not be in for a few days. I can get one made in brass right up the street. So the question it, will using the brass one for a few days hurt anything? Or should I just leave the skimmer off until I get the nylon fittings in?

 

[ryanjohn1]

I would wait. How high are your nutrients? Will not running skimmer be that bad for tank. With my tank I run a skimmer like 1 or 2 days a month.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

I would wait. How high are your nutrients? Will not running skimmer be that bad for tank. With my tank I run a skimmer like 1 or 2 days a month.

Yeah, I think this is a situation where I KNOW the right answer, I am just hoping otherwise :confused: I am sure it will be fine to leave it off for a few days. It has been off for a day already.i am just one of those people who runs a skimmer full time. The only time I turn it off is the either clean the cup, or when adding either coral snow, or phytoplankton.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Does it ever get wet?

 

[Malum Argenteum]

You can run the skimmer without the scrubber installed, yes? I'd do that until the right fitting arrives.

 

[Dan_P]

Good morning, I am not sure if this is the right place for this post or not, but I have a question. I am attaching a CO2 scrubber to my HOB skimmer, and a fitting I need is apparently tuff to find not in metal material. So I ordered a few but they will not be in for a few days. I can get one made in brass right up the street. So the question it, will using the brass one for a few days hurt anything? Or should I just leave the skimmer off until I get the nylon fittings in?

Is the brass fitting wetted?

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Is the brass fitting wetted?

No, and that is what I was thinking. Water never passes through it. It is simply to connect 2 different size air hoses

 

[Dan_P]

No, and that is what I was thinking. Water never passes through it. It is simply to connect 2 different size air hoses

Use it. Long term use might lead to corrosion but it should not be an issue while you wait for the nylon fitting.

 

[JustAnotherNanoTank]

Just don’t forget about it lol.

I’m +1 for waiting for the plastic.

Do water change for now! lol

 

[Peace River]

An ICP test after the fact may be helpful if you do it and then start second guessing yourself.

 

[exnisstech]

I don't think an icp will help unless you do one first for comparison. JMO but I'm not a big icp fan. I would have no problem running with the fitting if it isn't wet but I have a higher risk tolerance than a lot of folks here.

 

[Peace River]

I realize that there are mixed opinions on ICP tests and that it is best for most types of testing if you have a comparative baseline. However, a stand alone ICP test has the potential to identify elevated levels of metals (such as copper and zinc from the brass) and point toward the need for CupriSorb or some other type of metal remover.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I'm no chemist, but I think the risk of metals leaching from use of a brass fitting on an air line is zero. I do not believe that metals aerosolize under standard temperature and pressure. Might as well worry about chromium coming out of the stainless steel screw that holds the diaphragm on an air pump.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I'm no chemist, but I think the risk of metals leaching from use of a brass fitting on an air line is zero. I do not believe that metals aerosolize under standard temperature and pressure. Might as well worry about chromium coming out of the stainless steel screw that holds the diaphragm on an air pump.

Hence the reason we asked about it possibly getting wet. A reasonable number of folks have reported scenarios where water has back filled into their skimmer inlet line.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I was responding to the ICP suggestion for the situation in which the fitting was to be used on an air line for a few days, which seemed unreasonably alarmist.

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Hence the reason we asked about it possibly getting wet. A reasonable number of folks have reported scenarios where water has back filled into their skimmer inlet line.

I have always been a better safe than sorry kind of person so I am going with your original advice. I just hooked the skimmer up normal until I get the part I ordered. Not worth the risk, to me at least. Thank you for your help with this.