To what degree do air substances dissolve in tank water?

[fishish]

Thinking about best location in the house for a fish tank. Ideally we'd like to put it in the lounge but sometimes we use things like incense, essential oils in oil burners, and worst case scenario chemically speaking... fly spray! I would think such things could dissolve into the tank water and this = not good? Fly spray certainly but we don't use it much, incense ok? If such things in the air are really bad then lounge may not be possible... :lol:

[Yanagi]

I would like to know this too as I used to burn a fair amount of incense but have been hesitant ever since I got into Betta.

[zhong89]

I don't know about incense but I actually wrote a e-mail to the mortien company to ask will their products affect my fish and someone was nice enough to ring me back and told me that in her opinion that air diffusing products (fly spray) is will get into the aquarium one way or another, she recommended using the bait and trap methods for insect control. So I guess it does affect it.

[gulp]

Anything in the air will eventually disolve into the water. Fly spray is as bad for flies as it is for people and fish, although, the chemicle in flyspray is a molecule designed to effect the nervous system of insects and the like, breaking the bonds between nerves, hence why a fly spins in circles when sprayed with it. It does target the animals suggested on the container, however, I do not like the risk of long term use of fly spray, and I never use it. As for insence, I use it quite often, it will disolve in the tank water, but because its used as something we smell/inhale, should not contain too many toxic chemicals, and therefore should be reasonably safe. But, I guess you can never be too careful with fish, maybe use less incense and burn it further away from the tank, and put a lid on the tank, to be on the safe side. I use an incence that is all natural, good quality, from india. Some of the cheap ones I reckon cant be good for your health.

Lol, that was a bit long winded :lol:

[fishish]

Safety info on can of Mortein "remove or cover fish tanks before use" The Mortein people are fish friendly, very considerate!

Would it be ok to cover the tank for a few hours until the spray has diffused out of the room? Cos Bettas need 02 if you covered the tank for too long this wouldn't be good right?

That actually reminds me of another thing I was wondering, looking at getting a second hand tank and found a really cheap one but it looks like it has a glass lids with no holes. I think for bettas some kind of lid that has holes in it is needed right? so that o2 is getting in there sorry if a really no brainer question! lol

With incense I guess it would depend upon chemical elements of it and if it is possible for said elements to dissolve in H2O? Best I could find on google was:

These are some of the chemical compounds present in frankincense:

"acid resin (56 per cent), soluble in alcohol and having the formula C20H32O4"[9]

gum (similar to gum arabic) 30–36%[9]

3-acetyl-beta-boswellic acid (Boswellia sacra)[10]

alpha-boswellic acid (Boswellia sacra)[10]

4-O-methyl-glucuronic acid (Boswellia sacra)[10]

incensole acetate

phellandrene[9]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankincense

waayy out of league here! lol

acids are soluble in H20, this i know, bad thing fish wise in small quantities? this I don't know

Not sure if 'Frankincense' is an ingredient in all 'incense', seems to be:

http://www.dreampower.com/Incense.html (some incense recipes)

Thanks for that gulp, oopsy, I was typing when you posted.

Long winded, you? *tiptoes out of room* :lol:

Edited June 6, 2010 by fishish

[dracon]

i always cover tanks with a sheet before spraying anything and are covered for up to 20 min after better safe than sorry.

looking at getting a second hand tank and found a really cheap one but it looks like it has a glass lids with no holes. I think for bettas some kind of lid that has holes in it is needed right? so that o2 is getting in there sorry if a really no brainer question! lol

not sure about everyone else but i never fill a tank to the brim there is always a 1-3 cm air pocket between the glass lids and the water. dose this tank have a gap for air hose, heater, filter cords?

[splendidbetta]

If I can help it, I never allow anything to be sprayed around my fish.

Lots of things that are safe for humans are not safe for fish. Especially when they accumulate in the water due to being used multiple times. Don't risk it.

If you must spray, make sure you seal the tank and external filtration unit/sump with at least one layer of cling film, taking care to close the gap created by cords and tubes as well as you can. If possible, place the airpump outside and use a longer airline tube.

:P

[fishish]

lol I really can't imagine us wrapping the whole thing up in cling wrap every time we burn incense or some such! Not particularly enviro friendly not to mention the hassle.

Fly spray can be avoided. Usually we don't use it, my mother visits sometimes and loves attempts at committing genocide on the fly population of Australia but I think I can keep her under control

not sure about everyone else but i never fill a tank to the brim there is always a 1-3 cm air pocket between the glass lids and the water. dose this tank have a gap for air hose, heater, filter cords?

So the lid itself does not need to have holes? I have no idea re gap for cords, didn't think of how you get them through actually lol, how do you have a gap in a glass tank? Now I am stumped lol! The one we had our eyes on online looks like an oblong shaped glass box to me and thats about it :P

[gulp]

The lids usually have a corner sliced off to allow for cords leading out of the tank, I think thats what you were asking... ?

[fishish]

ah i see, yep that answers it, ta

I've seen some online that look to have a lid that isn't glass, some kind of plastic thing that is raised, ie not horizontally flat so figured they have gaps in them for air to get in or some such.

[splendidbetta]

By the way, substances don't need to dissolve in water to be harmful to fish. They can float on the surface and be ingested as the fish takes a breath of air, or they can sink and remain as particles that float in the water or cover the substrate, where they may also be ingested. They don't even need to touch the water, because bettas and other air-breathing fish will inhale the contaminated air directly.

Note: Cigarette smoke is another thing that no animal should be exposed to.

[Chuckie]

Usually we don't use it, my mother visits sometimes and loves attempts at committing genocide on the fly population of Australia but I think I can keep her under control

LOL! Mine does that too. We can't have a FLY in the house! The sky will fall!

[fishish]

LOL! Mine does that too. We can't have a FLY in the house! The sky will fall!

Once a mother, always a mother. They just have to find any possible way of exerting that influence regardless of age of offspring

I suppose they're protecting us from the flies... dreadful things :D

Edited June 7, 2010 by fishish

[fishish]

Thanks splendidbetta

Edited June 7, 2010 by fishish

[Shannonbjs]

I burn Nag Champa religiously in our house and have never had fish suffer ill effects.

Several of my burners are close to my betta tanks - although all of my tanks have glad wrap covers so it wouldnt get into the water anyway :P

[fishish]

Thats a good quality brand. So you wrap them all gaps up every time you burn? Or you leave the cling wrap on all the time?

[gulp]

Nag Champa is what I burn also, no ill effects experienced as yet... oh, and sri sia flora is another that I burn... I havnt heard the fish complain about it at all...

[splendidbetta]

You can leave cling wrap on permanently. You would only need to replace it when it starts to lose its ability to stick to the glass. Make sure the tank is aerated though, and that the air pump is away from fumes. If you can't move the pump outside, perhaps have it near a door.