Janmitch22

I found this pot outside. No idea what it's made of, but I guess it would be clay or sand. Have any of y'all found things like this outsideand used them for your tanks? I'm a little apprehensive, so I've been soaking it in warm water in the bathtub all day and I've dropped a few drops of vinegar on its surface for a pH test. It hasn't colored the bathtub water and the vinegar didn't cause the surface to bubble. Anything else I should do to it? I'm thinking about strategically breaking it so the fish can swim in and out. Plus I'm sure there are all kinds of bugs and mud in there...it used to be part of outside patio decor.

This is a picture of the whole thing


This is a picture of a chip from the neck of the pot

Image hosting by www.xs.to (couldn't figure out how to imbed the images with the site's tag, so I had to delete it)

Dino

Without knowing the glaze that was used I would be leery of placing it in a tank.

Many outside paints still have some degree of lead in them.

Terra cotta pots, which can be found at most garden centers, are chemically inert and thus perfect for the aquaria.

Hope this helps,
Dino

Butterfly

Couldn't have said it better. Ceramics that are made for aquarium use are glazed with a special lead free glaze. I use terra cotta pots in several tanks and my corys especially love them.
Carol

Janmitch22

I see...I don't think this was painted. And lead usually shows up white or gray, right, after the thing is washed? Cute pottery though, right?

Butterfly

Darling pot, but I personally would be afraid to use it. Also if it has had plants in it you would have to be concerned as to whether it has had insecticide in/on it or it it has had fertilizer in/on it. just my thoughts. Carol

Janmitch22

Bummer

Butterfly

Sorry but better safe than sorry.
Carol