Please help black PVC pipe

Hi can is it safe to put igrigation pipe in the tank the black one ?

 

I have it at my return pipe and spray bar.

One return runs out the tank, splits into 2 cannisters, and then the 2 cannisters join into one spray bar. All piping is irrigation piping.

 

Oh okay coz I read somewhere that it lets of toxic stuff I got it from builders

 

I also used it for my spray bar, no issues.

 

How do you guys get it to be straight (like the white pvc plumbing)?
Usually it's always in a crescent shape because they store it in big rolls.

 

Hi yas.shark I wouldn't worry about it very much, PVC is used extensively in our hobby. From filter housings, water pump casings to filter in and outlet pipes.
I've had it on my 310 planted tank for two years now and in most of my other tanks. No problems at all.

The toxic substance you're talking about are phthalates. Yes, phthalates have produced harmful effects in animal studies. However, in animal studies, it's common practice to literally replace a portion of the poor animal's food with the chemical in question. One classic example is the artificial sweetener cyclamate. It caused urethral cancer in rats, and that was used to ban the sweetener. But they were also feeding it in such quantities that it was forming crystals in the rats' urethra!

The actual risk from phthalates leached from PVC pipes and fittings in our aquariums, as opposed to exaggerated laboratory circumstances, (Also taking into account our regular maintenance and water changes,) is in my opinion zero. If there was a danger, Fluval, Eheim, Tetratec and many other filter manufacturers, would not use it in their products at all. They'd be out of business very quickly!

If you wish, you could google it for as much info as you can stand. but be aware that even though google is a wonderful thing, not everything on google is fact. there is much real and junk science supporting either opinion.

 

If you try to straighten the tubing straight from the roll, it will resist and may kink. It's best to put the tubing on the lawn outside and leave it to warm in the sun for a few hours. As the black tubing absorbs the heat from the sun, it will relax and straighten. It will continue to relax over time (absorbing the heat from your tank water,) and will eventually conform nicely to your installation. Hope this helps...

 

Glad this topic popped up, as I'm about to do some plumbing on my tanks using the same pipe..... did some browsing on the internet, where people mentioned that if they use in food production irrigation, surely it should be fine for aquariums. :bigsmile:

 

yas.shark the "black" pipe you refer to is actually polypropylene & not PVC, PVC is normally the rigid blue or grey piping available that you can cold glue, polyprop needs heat welding or compression fittings.
Both are used in potable water reticulation so are safe to use.

 

Black irrigation piping is either Low Density Poly-Ethylene or High Density Poly-Ethylene (LDPE or HDPE). Polyethylene pipes are sometimes manufactured from recycled plastics and this is a potential source of toxins. This is the theory, in practice the stuff is used everywhere from fishfarms to irrigation to potable water and by myself . It is therefore generally regarded as safe in aquariums. In addition to heat welding and compression fittings you can also buy press fittings (from Builders. Mica ect for it). Straighten as BarryM said. To straighten pieces of about 1-1.5m I've also fitted an end stop at one end and then filled the pipe with boiling water. I then hung the pipe from the washing line and allowed gravity to work on the soft plastic.

 

I stand corrected, polyethylene, nor PP.:embarrest: thanks Aqii.

 

Hi guys thanks for all the answers was using the pipe to make my rocks sit on for my Malawi's I read the toxic stuff on the American forums