# Brass brush safe in an aquarium?



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

I've got some tight spaces that my stiff nylon nail brush can't get into on the driftwood with the plants around. I don't want to untie and retie everything with that moss on it. 

I'm thinking of using the brass head from my gun cleaning kit. I got a spare new brass cleaning tip as an extra when I bought the kit along with my other kit. Thankfully none of the gun oil or lead fowl from the old head while cleaning the guns got on the new head when I checked on it as it was in a plastic bag.

I like how it's small and narrow which after all was designed for gun barrels and such and would work for the tight spaces I'll be scrubbing some BBA out of. 

Now I'm curious about if there will be any effects in the tank while I'm using it? I'm assuming if any small brass particulate (sp?) pieces come off I think it'll trap in the filter but would it be ok to use the brass brush in there? 

Thanks.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

If you have a gun why don't you just shoot the BBA? Or at very least, point your gun at it and ask if it feels lucky?


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Haha..

No.

Seriously tho, is the brass brush safe in an aqaruium for use? Mainly srubbing out the tight areas on the dfitwood.

Thanks.


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## trailblazer295 (Mar 7, 2010)

Your safer with stainless steel, you see aquarium ornaments screwed to slate etc with stainless never brass.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

trailblazer295 said:


> Your safer with stainless steel, you see aquarium ornaments screwed to slate etc with stainless never brass.


Thanks. I'll see if I can find a SS brush.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

Technically, brass isn't really aquarium safe (it is an alloy of copper and zinc).

For short time periods, like scrubbing for a minute or two once a week, I don't really see any problem though.


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## AquariAM (Jan 28, 2010)

Chris S said:


> Technically, brass isn't really aquarium safe (it is an alloy of copper and zinc).
> 
> For short time periods, like scrubbing for a minute or two once a week, I don't really see any problem though.


Scrubbing= little pieces of metal being released. I wouldn't do it. 
I especially wouldn't do it if the brush had already been used to clean something as dirty as a gun barrel.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

> I got a spare new brass cleaning tip as an extra when I bought the kit along with my other kit.


If you read my OP I never said I was using one that has already been through the gun barrel. I said I had a new unused brass cleaning tip which was a spare which I was going to use for this.



AquariAM said:


> Scrubbing= little pieces of metal being released. I wouldn't do it.
> I especially wouldn't do it if the brush had already been used to clean something as dirty as a gun barrel.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

I'd just use a toothbrush and some elbow grease. If you need something harder - use a nail brush. The bristles on those things are pretty solid.


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## Oldman (Mar 26, 2010)

I'm sorry to say this Aquaneko but a brass brush is made of brass, an alloy of copper and zinc. Fish and especially inverts will be harmed by any copper that dissolves in your tank water. A quick way to control snails only costs about 2 cents in most tanks, you toss a couple of cents in change into the tank and the snails start dieing. Unfortunately the shrimp follow them on very short order and then the more sensitive fish start to go. The product "had a snail" has only one active ingredient, copper. It cautions you not to overdose a tank for a simple reason. If you did, all of your fish would die fairly quickly.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Chris S said:


> I'd just use a toothbrush and some elbow grease. If you need something harder - use a nail brush. The bristles on those things are pretty solid.


Toothbrush does not work. I tried it many times already. I was originally using the nail brush but it's large profile makes it hard to get into tight spaces without ripping out plants or entering holes/craters (can't think fo another word to call it) on the driftwood.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Oldman said:


> I'm sorry to say this Aquaneko but a brass brush is made of brass, an alloy of copper and zinc. Fish and especially inverts will be harmed by any copper that dissolves in your tank water. A quick way to control snails only costs about 2 cents in most tanks, you toss a couple of cents in change into the tank and the snails start dieing. Unfortunately the shrimp follow them on very short order and then the more sensitive fish start to go. The product "had a snail" has only one active ingredient, copper. It cautions you not to overdose a tank for a simple reason. If you did, all of your fish would die fairly quickly.


It seems from the comments above that for a short periods (like 1-2 mins max) it seems ok with the brush.

Where can one find those stainless steel brushes that look like this here?


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## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

Lots of driftwood pieces have been sold using brass screws to attach them to a piece of slate. For what you are trying to do, it should not be an issue. Brass is not the same as copper alone. Keep in mind that the water you use comes through copper pipes, and your fish and snails aren't dying (or your plants for that matter).


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