# Fishing line safe for tank?



## Atom

I just bought some fishing line to tie some moss down to things in my tank, but on the back of the package it says "WARNING: This product contains lead..." and this seems to be fairly common in fishing lines.

Is this safe to use in my aquarium? It seems to be a commonly used material in other peoples' aquariums and is suggested to tie things like moss to driftwood.

Thanks!


----------



## bob123

I don't know what type of fishing line you bought but I use 4lb monofilament fishing line and it works just fine.


----------



## Atom

Yeah I bought South Bend brand monofilament line. Accidentally bought the 12lb kind, but I don't think that matters too much. Thanks for letting me know monofilament line works for you though  gives me a bit more confidence to use it


----------



## brycon

I think a lot of fishing companies use the same label for all their products and it probably applies more to South Bend's hooks, sinkers, weights, etc....


----------



## Atom

Ahh got it. That might be the case then. I couldn't see how the lines could contain lead  so that'd make more sense. Thanks!


----------



## woopderson

Woah, seeing that on the label would have made me think twice as well! haha

That is some potentially dangerous lazy labeling


----------



## Atom

Yeah it was just a bit surprising 

It's now in my tank around a moss carpet and rocks so we'll see if it has any ill effects on the fish, but so far it seems fine. 

The only thing is I made the rookie mistake of not boiling rocks before I put them into the aquarium. I only soaked them in hot tap water for 4 days  I got them from a relatively dry environment though so hopefully just cleaning them off and having chlorine from the tap water was enough to sterilize them. If not, I can still take them out  they've only been in for a couple hours.


----------



## darkangel66n

NEVER EVER boil rocks. Some rocks can fracture and even explode with enough force to injure any one nearby.


----------



## Atom

Oh D: ok. I had read somewhere that it was recommended to get rid of the bacteria, but maybe it's a good thing I didn't then.

One would think tap water has enough chemicals to get rid of at least some harmful bacteria right? I'll post in the next few days in case something goes wrong to let you guys know!

Thanks for the warning though. Could've saved me or anyone else reading this from injury.


----------



## bob123

I have boiled all the rocks, not a hard boil just a slow roll for a minute, that went into my tanks and never had any problems not even a crack. Just my experience.


----------



## Atom

In the future, I might just boil water and pour it over the rocks outside if that's needed to disinfect them then. It has the effectiveness of hot water without the danger of doing it indoors or with a rising heat.

darkangel66n: how do you disinfect your rocks? Is there a method I'm missing?


----------



## jimmyjam

yup the line is fine. I use a great deal of fishing line and regular cotton thread to tie my moss with no issues. Fishing line is just a bit tougher to cut


----------



## jimmyjam

I typically wash and scrub them first, then, spray some peroxide, then just pour boiling water outside. I also like to dry them up and keep them in doors for a bit to make sure nothing arise.


----------



## Atom

Got it  thanks for the info jimmyjam. Do you eventually cut the fishing line or does it always have to be intact to keep the moss attached?


----------



## jimmyjam

yes I keep it on as the moss grows over it, you cant see the line.



Atom said:


> Got it  thanks for the info jimmyjam. Do you eventually cut the fishing line or does it always have to be intact to keep the moss attached?


----------



## bluegularis

Yes fishing line may contain lead or some metal, you have floating line and sinking line. How do you think they get the line to sink.

Plant sinkers used to be pure lead. If you do proper water changes you should never get a build up of lead dissolved in the water either.

Just maintain proper care and nothing should create issues in the ecosystem.

Thanks


----------



## BillD

Whether rocks will burst if boiled depends on a number of variables, including type of rock, porosity, and source. Regardless, I don't understand why anyone would go to the bother of boiling rocks when a solution of bleach and water will wipe out just about anything on the rock. In addition it makes the removal of any bio film easier. When done it is easy to get rid of and is non persistent. I bleach every hard item that goes into my tanks.


----------



## Atom

Thanks for more replies 

I think the line I have floats, but I've since taken it out of my tank due to issues with the moss carpet floating around. It's nice to know that the build-up of metals in the tank is counteracted by water changes though. I've been seeing white dusty-looking particles within the water in my tank so I wasn't sure if this was dissolved minerals from the rocks I put in or something else. I've been keeping up with a weekly water change and the fish seem fine so maybe it'll resolve itself in time.

I had also heard that a bleach+water mixture is sufficient enough to sterilize tank decorations and then using a dechlorinator to make the items tank-safe. It seems easier to do that than boiling water so thanks for the suggestion!


----------

