Question: air-hardening modeling clay

lunarisplendere

lunarisplendere

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Hi there. I'm trying to remodel my newt tank and I want to make something out of clay. I've found a package of air-hardening modeling clay in my garage that I must have bought years back. On the front of the package it says "modeling material", but on the back it says modeling clay. Basically, I'm worried that there might be something in this stuff that isn't natural and might be harmful to my newts and leech into the water. Has anyone used air-hardening clay in their tanks? The modeling clay is DAS by Fila. The reason I'm worried is because it smells kind of funny. But, it's been years since I've done anything with clay... so maybe I'm just being too suspicious or overly protective of my little newts. :p

Thanks.
 
Does it list the ingredients on the package?
Personaly I would be wary. I recall chatting some time ago to the guy at the local head shop who used to make pipes out of DAS clay, he said its not safe for human consumption and is porous even fully hardened - in order to sell tobacco pipes made from it they had to be glazed and fired, which would suggest to me it may not do newts any favours.
 
Thank you so much Eva and Lasher! This stuff sounds pretty risky, so I will definitely not use this stuff in my tank.

And Lasher, it didn't list the ingredients on the package, or if it did, it wasn't in English because it most certainly didn't seem to be... :p
 
I only asked as I did try googling it out of interest and couldnt find anything. Its always a good rule of thumb to know exactly whats in anything thats going in a tank.
Perhaps with sealing it would be ok, but personaly I wouldnt risk it unless you knew for sure.
 
Thanks again, Lasher. I would be too worried to risk sealing it. I have decided to use clay pots from a gardening store instead of making something myself. They should be safe for a tank, right?
 
Indeed, terracotta pots and saucers are a brilliant and versatile construction material, very under rated.

Java moss takes very well to unglazed pots, and half submerged they soak up water to keep moss alive, handy for small land areas. If you dont mind looting building sites smaller chimney pots can be used similarly. Smashed up and stacked in a corner just penetrating the water line is an interesting yet effective way of creating nice hides and perch's under the water line and a damp land area above.
 
Terracotta pots sound like the perfect stuff then! I'm excited to get started. :)

Thanks again.
 
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