Question: Safe for tank?

[melbell]

I don't have an axolotl yet, or even a tank, but I'm in the process of getting everything and I want to have it all ready before I even shop for a pet.

I want to have some plants, but I have been reading that axies like to uproot, and have seen photos on here where people pot them. So I want to buy this tea set. I would either like to put a big plant in the teapot, or overturn it as a cave / hide and put little plants in the teacups or something to that effect.

Problem is that I don't know what it's made of. I assume it's ceramic, but I have no way of finding out what types of paints / glazes were used on it. It's meant to be used, so I know the inside would be food safe, but some pieces like this might use food safe paints and glazes on the inside and cheaper glazes for the outside surfaces assuming that no one is going to be eating off the outside of the dish. Of course I won't risk it if I'm not able to know for sure, so I'm wondering if there's any test that can be run. For example, before I add any pets can I put this in the tank for a while and test the water for any particular harmful substance that might be leeched into the water?

If not I will look for something else that I can be sure about, but this perfectly fits what I have in mind.

 

[auntiejude]

If the cups are ceramic or porcelain and food-safe they should be tank safe. All glazes are non toxic these days, and glazes by definiton are waterproof.
But you need to remember how fragile some cups can be - axies are a bit clumsy and can easily knock over or break delicate stuff. And if you've ever broken crockery you'll know how sharp the edges can be. I'd say avoid porcelain, but a ceramic should be OK.

 

[melbell]

When you say all glazes are non-toxic these days is it actually safe to assume that about stuff not made in this country? This set is made in China and I don't know what their standards are for stuff like this.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[auntiejude]

If you're not sure then don't risk it. I agree that the foreign safety standards might be different, but I'm working on the assumption that if it's fit for humans to drink boiling drinks out of and stick in the dishwasher it's probably safe to put in a tank.

Toxic paints, including lead-based paints (which were mostly household and outdoor paints anyway), have been pretty much outlawed since the late 1970s, and I can't imagine anyone using potentially toxic paint on something designed to have boiling water poured into it.

 

[melbell]

Thanks. If there's no way I can test it I will just hold off and try to find something locally where I can be sure of the quality.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

 

[willowcat]

Go to this read in the General Discussion Area that I posted a while back. It has a link that you can research what materials are approved for "human" safety-
"N.S.F. approved". You are not going to find much for animals. Except for looking at every container that the product that you want to use, comes in.--Good luck.
The name of the read is----

FYI: Materials in your water. N.S.F. approved?
I think it is at the bottom of the second page now.

If you don't want to read my nightmare, then here is the link and some guidance.

Type--www.nsf.org once on home page---look at top right corner--orange box that has written on it "SEARCH CERTIFIED PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS"---click on that----8th paragraph, where it says "DRINKING WATER SYSTEMS COMPONENTS"---click on that---5 down it says----"PRODUCT TYPES"---go to the end with the little blue down arrow---click on that----scroll down to "COATINGS-TANKS"- click on that--go down to the "SEARCH" box and click that---see the different paragraphs? We want the second one---206N----Here is why---see where it says--- "WATER CONTACT SIZE RESTRICTIONS"----"WATER CONTACT TEMP".----and----"WATER CONTACT MATERIALS"---that is your info. Those numbers are tighter than the paragraph above. Notice it is also not an epoxy. So the results for potable water is better. If you want to know what they mean then call the N.S.F. They are very helpful.
I hope this helps........
Trace