Is ABS inert ?

S

Sparkss

Active member
Can ABS (the black pipe used for drains/sewers/etc) be used in an aquarium ? I know that ABS is not rated for pressure, I know that ABS won't bond to regular PVC, I know that ABS uses a different glue, all of these things I know, but what I don't know is if ABS is as inert as PVC and can be used in an aquarium ?


For those that don't like to answer a question without knowing exactly what it will be used for, it is for a short section of drain/run-off from one tank to another.

Thanks in advance to all that took the time to read and answer my question :)
 
most abs has anti fungas stuff in it. not stuff you want in your tank. apparently its long lasting chemical
 
yea, but if it is not "healthy" for our tank, then I won't be transitioning anything to it :). Thanks for the info though :D
 
i think it will be good if you dont want any paracites in your tank :P
( kidding btw)


i almost used this stuff also but the guy at homedepot actualy knew enough to warn me about it

the rule for this hobby is generaly " if you wouldent eat eat or drink from it dont use it"
 
" if you wouldent eat eat or drink from it dont use it"

Dang, does that mean I gotta pull that toilet flapper surge from my tank? :D

Fred
 
I have been using ABS for years in fresh and salt water and have seen no ill effects. I am not being confrontational or trying to prove anyone wrong by no means, just my experience. If others chose not to use it great. Just my 2 cents.
 
Thank you for sharing your experience with ABS. One thing I did find oline was that there are varying grades of ABS. Some of them even being rated for potable water. There is a chance that grade is what you used. Since I cannot be sure what grade the one(s) I have are I think I will try to find a similar fitting in PVC to meet my needs :)
 
I also have several pieces of equiptment made partially or completely out of ABS, but after much research I have no way of knowing the grade of ABS used, in either the equiptment (for comparison) nor in the piping. My biggest fear is that he piping has the anti-fungal application that was mentioned earlier (I believe I read it elsewhere as well) or that it would leech anything harmful into the water.

I really don't care about the ABS itself, it is just that the fitting that I wanted to use I could only find in ABS (locally, anyways). I jsut need to do a little more research and find the form factor that I want in PVC elsewhere :)
 
ABS is fine to use. a lot of your powerheads/pump housings are made of ABS. it's actually a very nice processing material, very strong, very durable, very chemically resistant, and would be used much more widely if it were cheaper like PP or PE (almost twice the price per pound).

i would hesitate on polystyrenes, which has similar "feel" as ABS but nowhere the chemical resistance of ABS (often used in cosmetic applications). i believe almost all plastics leech a minute (very minute) amount of plasticizer though but we're talking over a long period and very low amounts. but there are thousands of grades of plastics though and some are completely inappropriate for our hobby and others completely safe.

you're basically safe with PVC, PP, PE, ABS, PC, and acrylic/PMMA. these also happen to be the most common plastics consumers come in contact with.
 
abs pipe and abs used in powerheads are two different things. different aplication different additives. anyways not only does hte homedepot guys warn me and not only is there a lable on one of the pipes at home depot but the reef aquarium 3 even says to avoid it because alot contain antifungal stuff


my guess is if it is ment for drain water it is probobly coated in somthing
only logical. anyways please dont risk the life of your tank on a piece of plastic lol
 
I agree goda. I already decided against using this pipe. It is noted as not being for potable water. There has to be a reason for that. :)
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7292672#post7292672 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by goda
abs pipe and abs used in powerheads are two different things. different aplication different additives.
Click to expand...
agreed, pipe and housing ABS plastic is different but not spectacularly so. pipe is extrusion-grade plastic and the housings we often see are likely injection-grade plastic (there's a couple of other possible options).

the main difference between extrusion and injection (usually) is melt-flow or basically, viscosity. lower viscosity/higher flow for injection and high viscosity/lower flow for extrusion. there are some other possible differences such as lubricants and other additives but they're basically the same plastics. in fact, some extruders/injection molders can interchange materials on the edge of each other's processing tolerances.

if you're uncomfortable, don't use it. peace of mind is worth more than a few bucks. plus, i wouldn't sit here and tell you it's absolutely safe because i don't know who/why/what on the plastic you're talking about.

sorry to tech/bore everyone. it's not everyday my work intertwines with my hobby. but sometimes it does. :lol:
 
i think we agree ABS is safe. but its what htey add to it that isnt.

"some aquariest might be tempted to use cheeper abs (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) piping . but cheaper versions of this material are primarily used in drains, waste and vent applications, andmay contain antibacterial/fugal agents that could be harmful in reef aquaria" - TRA 3 page 85
i normaly dont do that ^^^^ but just wanted any 'noobs' to see what "our bible" says about it lol

( i think this thread is just about dead)
 
I worked for a year at one of the largest PVC plants in North America and would like to add the following. Injection molded plastics are typically shipped to injection molders in pelletized form which contains dyes, antifungal additives, and plasticizer. I know this beyond a shadow of a doubt as I helped with the formulation from time to time.

PVC destined to be pipe was shipped in railcars as dust since it will be melted and extruded with no plasticizer. Plasticizer keeps the polymer plastic which you don't want in rigid pipe but turns out to be useful in vinyl siding and dashboards.

So the point I'm trying to make is, if the pipe is pressure rated and rigid, it probably doesn't contain much if anything but the raw polymer. If it is softer, chances are it contians additives which may or may not pollute our tanks. I'll be curious to see how this washes with what the others have posted above.
 
FWIW, I easily have 25' of off the shelf, 2" Home Depot black ABS drain pipe as the sole plumbing component in my twin-tank system.

2 1/2 years and counting and if there are any ill effects I certainly can't tell.

Brett
 
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