!*!*!*! StarPhire or starfire !*!*!*!

[Diesel]

Hi there Folks.
It been a while I posted something but thought this might be important to all that has starphire or starfire glass.
Most know the Diesel tank

Well, if learned that over time the glass might leach out some “micro glass gas bubbles” that might effect your reef.
I never thought about why some corals just don’t thrive in a healthy reef tank, we all know that feeling but I did some investigation lately.
As you guys know due to a possible move and burn out I shut down this tank overnight to make the move less stressful.
I turned it into a large vivarium with some high priced plants and orchids not to mention some nice colorful froggies

Find it’s weird that some of mine orchids didn’t thrive in this tank but they do in my other vivs.
Having testing done by trapping air in a vail and sending it in and it came back with a high level of starphire/starfire micro glass gas bubbles.
Not sure what to do on this moment but me was told this effect tanks with a glass serial# 20110401 up to 20180401 which can be found on a sticker on the bottom of the tank.
I know this comes as a surprise but it was more to a surprise to me after all these unanswered years of why some corals just don’t do well.
Other than that Hope all is good with my reeefer friends today.

 

[Highgrade]

Personally I prefer the reef look, Either way the tank is beautiful though. Kudos to you for making use of the tank. Any plans to ever set up another reef?

 

[scriptmonkey]

So I am confused, so can you break it down so a idiot like me can understand When you talk about "micro glass gas bubbles", what gases on the periodic table are you talking about or showed up on the air sample test?

 

[Heartbreak7]

Is it not frowned upon to mix dart species anymore? When I was keeping dendrobates the community would rage at the thought of potential hybrid species. Great looking viv though!

 

[Lukas75]

Love the vivarium!!

But +1 on being confused. The concept of our aquariums leaching gasses that are toxic to plants and corals is mildly alarming. I speak a little science so I tried to research this a little bit. I found it highly unlikely that the glass itself is changing to gas at the temperatures we keep it at. The boiling point is over 2000C so way outside the realm of life as we know it surviving. Glass isn't a true solid so I figured that sublimation might be possible, but given the boiling point unlikely. The only thing I could find was one guy stating that while it is possible the order of magnitude we are talking about is really, really tiny.

So what is it that's leaching out? Is a halogen gas used to manufacturer it and is that what is leaching out? @Randy Holmes-Farley halp!!