Axolotl Anti-Spawn Division

What kind of bricks are they?i might get some just incase I need to seperate my axolotls when they become mature-will fit in perfectly in my tank :)


Sent,using the power of my mind.....
 
Bricks are made of clay and clay is harmless is aquariums. Nothing leaches out not even the color. What kind of chemicals would you be talking about?
 
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Depending on where you get your bricks, some meassures may need to be taken to ensure the brick is properly clean and safe. If the brick is completely clean then yes, clay is entirely safe.
 
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I have no idea of brick manufacture, the basic raw materials, the treatment they undergo, chemical additives for binding/waterproofing/glazing , etc.
 
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Leaching of mineral salts from brick.
Efflorescence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cold weather leaching on bricks - Straight Dope Message Board
Efflorescence, salt leaching in bricks and concrete | Armstrong Masonry Repair in Oakland County, Michigan
http://ecce6.kt.dtu.dk/cm/content/abstract/4074/
The first three show the potential for the leaching of mineral salts from brick, the fourth shows some of the additional crud that may or may not be used in the manufacturing process, this may or may not end up in your tank, at what levels I dont know, nor do I know the potential problems they may cause.
 
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Ok, i cleaned the thread a bit because this was really getting out of hand. The internet is a cauldron of easy missundertandings, let´s move on and continue with what´s relevant to the thread.

Ian, it´s recommended to boil bricks just as stones, wood and other decorations (which may also leech certain compounds). That and some thorough soaking should be enough to avoid any dangerous salts. Any left are very unlikely to be a problem as partial water changes would take care of any leeching compounds. Many people have been using bricks in various kinds of set-ups for a very long time, i myself have used them with great results for my animals, and there have been no reasons for concern. That said, prevention is always best so some initial treatment of the bricks would always be recommended.

I initially thought that perhaps bricks took significant space from the tank, but i have to say i really like your idea, Jaymes. The porous material offers a large surface for bacteria so not only you succesfully separate the animals with a (to my mind) more aesthetic option but you also benefit from biological filtration.
 
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Ok, i cleaned the thread a bit because this was really getting out of hand. The internet is a cauldron of easy missundertandings, let´s move on and continue with what´s relevant to the thread.

Ian, it´s recommended to boil bricks just as stones, wood and other decorations (which may also leech certain compounds). That and some thorough soaking should be enough to avoid any dangerous salts. Any left are very unlikely to be a problem as partial water changes would take care of any leeching compounds. Many people have been using bricks in various kinds of set-ups for a very long time, i myself have used them with great results for my animals, and there have been no reasons for concern. That said, prevention is always best so some initial treatment of the bricks would always be recommended.

I initially thought that perhaps bricks took significant space from the tank, but i have to say i really like your idea, Jaymes. The porous material offers a large surface for bacteria so not only you succesfully separate the animals with a (to my mind) more aesthetic option but you also benefit from biological filtration.

I was not being confrontational, i asked a simple question out of interest. I have seen bricks in cichlid tanks to simulate the stone environment that they like, it is considered safe for fish but iwas wondering if there was any potential problems for axolotls.
 
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What kind of bricks are they?i might get some just incase I need to seperate my axolotls when they become mature-will fit in perfectly in my tank :)


Sent,using the power of my mind.....

Hi there! The bricks are just normal clay bricks. A friend gave me these. He has been using these bricks for fish and newts/salamanders for about a decade or maybe even longer. Azheal is right about taking precaution. You should boil them and if they have been previously used for anything other than tank use I'd be skeptic.

Don't let other members scare you. Some people are unexperienced or fear things they've never done. Don't let the critics discourage you. Here is a better idea of how the bricks can be applied. I put 3 bricks in a empty 20 gallon to give you a better angle on using bricks.
 

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Thanks , i was showing an interest and not being confrontational or trying to wind you up.
 
Haven't had my axoltols try to make babies yet but when they do, if needed, I think I might try this too. Thanks for sharing!
 
Hi there! The bricks are just normal clay bricks. A friend gave me these. He has been using these bricks for fish and newts/salamanders for about a decade or maybe even longer. Azheal is right about taking precaution. You should boil them and if they have been previously used for anything other than tank use I'd be skeptic.

Don't let other members scare you. Some people are unexperienced or fear things they've never done. Don't let the critics discourage you. Here is a better idea of how the bricks can be applied. I put 3 bricks in a empty 20 gallon to give you a better angle on using bricks.

Thanks!i'll go check out the builders yard,then get boiling some bricks!


Sent,using the power of my mind.....
 
I think it's important to say that the manufacture of all bricks is NOT the same. There is only minor regulation in sources of materials, and some can leach harmful materials into the tank. Before putting anything in your tank, you should make sure what you're putting in is actually inert, and not just taking someone's word.
 
But those aren´t clay are they? As far as i can tell the ones described in those papers are made of a material that at least to me screams "caution!". Does anyone know if clay based bricks have been shown to pose some kind of danger?
 
I wouldn't think so, but to be sure, one has to ensure the bricks they're putting in their tanks are 100% clay, and do not have any other additives. It's unlikely that someone working at the yard would have any clue; one would have to contact the manufacturer. It's not safe to plunk just any ol' brick into your tank.
 
Certainly, precaution is always the best choice. I confess i´ve been lucky so far because i get my bricks from abandoned building areas and stuff like that :S Then again i´d never use a brick that is not clay based and i treat them as best as i can before use. But yeah, without knowing for sure what the composition is, it entails a certain risk.
 
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I pulled this off a clay brick manufacturing site. Clay contains a number of impurities, the firing and glazing procedures aim at hardening and creating a waterproof brick, however leaching may still occur. Other style of brick contain even more impurities .What effect the leaching will have to the aquarium water and the axolotl is something i am not qualified to say but any chemists or biologists might be able to clear this matter up

The clay substance may vary from 15 to 80%, the free silica or
sand from 5 to 80%, the oxide of iron from I to 10%, the carbonates of
lime and magnesia together, from I to 5 %, and the alkalis from I to
4%. Organic matter is always present, and other impurities which
frequently occur are the sulphates of lime and magnesia, the chlorides
and nitrates of soda and potash, and iron-pyrites."

The minerals found in common clay are
biotite, illite, muscovite, and sericite; other minerals, such as
kaolinite, smectite-group clays (montmorillonite, saponite,
nontronite, and so forth), mixed-layer clays, and chlorite, also are
present in many deposits. Common clay is usually higher in alkalies,
alkaline earths, and iron-rich minerals and lower in aluminum than
ball clay, fire clay, and kaolin. Common clay is mined in hundreds of
places across the United States.
 
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Not to take from the seriousness of the matter, but i think i should point out that the same problem occurs with any stones and rocks we may use in our aquariums, and yet, problems are excidingly rare. Some materials are completely inadequate, others best avoided, but many of them even though they do leech stuff into the water, are harmless. Some are even benefitial as is the case of limestone and species that require hard water.
Prevention and being properly informed is clearly the way to go, but being overly paranoid is no good. After all those materials exist in the wild.
Please understand i don´t mean to give the impression that everything goes xD
 
Lucky they aren't small enough to fit through the holes. Although if they were, wouldn't they be too young/small to breed anyway? It seems the brick divider works good.
 
Rodrigo, I fear comparing bricks to rocks is like comparing applesauce to apples: one is natural and one is man-made. It's just something readers should be aware of. Putting anything into the tank has risks, but those risks are increased when using manufactured items versus those found in nature.
 
This could just be a duff memory.
But when I was a kid and my dad had tanks and ponds and other watery things, I have recollections olong the lines of some bricks were ok and some were not, I think the engendering type brick ( with holes) as opposed to the London type brick ( with the v) were the ones you could use. But I could have that completely base over apex :rolleyes:

Can you not do a vinegar test on them?

Or just leave some soaking in a bucket for a couple of weeks?
 
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