Dropped tiny screw in tank.

[ChaseBurke]

So i was taking a light off my aquatic life hybrid fixture and dropped one of the tiny screws that hold the led mounts in place. pretty sure it fell into a hole or crack in my rock work. Out of the 4 screws, 1 is magnetic, and the other 2 are not. No idea what they are made of. What would you do?

 

[ZachR32]

How bigs your tank?

 

[ChaseBurke]

90 gal total system volume

 

[BrianReefer]

I’m sorry, that is a pain. I did the same with my same fixture but the one I dropped was the metal one that hold the T5 clips in. Everyone told me to get it out at all cost - that the eventual rust would cause problems. Not sure how big of an issue it’d be but I guess consensus is be overly conservative with this. You could leave it be and do periodic ICP tests. Are you 100% they’re non magnetic? The mag-float is what found mine in a massive pile of reef rock and corals...

 

[ZachR32]

I would try my best to get it out, otherwise maybe take an icp test in a couple months and see if any metals are out of whack

 

[ChaseBurke]

Seriously just my luck. Well the good news is I run triton method. So if i don't find it my next test will tell me if it's out of whack. But yeah i used my mag float on the others and only one was magnetic... I don't know why the others aren't.

 

[ChaseBurke]

Seriously just my luck. Well the good news is I run triton method. So if i don't find it my next test will tell me if it's out of whack. But yeah i used my mag float on the others and only one was magnetic... I don't know why the others aren't.

 

[Dom]

One rusty screw in 90 gallons of water is harmless. I would bet that the concentration of whatever leaches from the screw into 90 gallons of water would be undetectable at the hobby level.

I wouldn't worry.

 

[Sailfinguy21]

I wouldnt worry about it lol. A little screw isnt going to do anything.

 

[Doctorgori]

I've done that more than once ...
The bad news: never found one
The good news: one of the other zillion things that can crash your tank are probably more likely

 

[Doctorgori]

duplicate....

 

[Paul B]

Just leave the silly screw in there and go out to breakfast. Try the pancakes. I have so many screws in my tank I could build a 1957 Oldsmobile out of them and my tank is running almost 50 years. I built half my "rock" out of screws and threaded rod. This hobby is not very hard but we make it sound difficult with all this worrying.
My thermometer is also stainless steel
If my copperband had thumbs he would straighten out that can

 

[Billdogg]

Although I'm not quite ready to move my tool storage to the tank as Paul B seems to have done, but otherwise I agree 100% with him. This hobby is only as complicated as you choose to make it. Take one of the remaining screws to HD/Lowes and get a replacement for the one that you lost. In fact, get a few so that the next time you drop one in you already have the spare!

 

[Toosalty]

Why is there a string attached to those pliers?

 

[beaslbob]

macro algae sometimes needs a little iron.

 

[Hemmdog]

Just leave the silly screw in there and go out to breakfast. Try the pancakes. I have so many screws in my tank I could build a 1957 Oldsmobile out of them and my tank is running almost 50 years. I built half my "rock" out of screws and threaded rod. This hobby is not very hard but we make it sound difficult with all this worrying.
My thermometer is also stainless steel
If my copperband had thumbs he would straighten out that can

Is that a cowboy hat or a stingray? Lol.

 

[Jay Z]

Paul knows his stuff. I dumped my tools in the tank also. Told the fish to get out or build something. Tired of my fish complaining.

 

[Paul B]

Why is there a string attached to those pliers?

So I can slowly drop it in the tank without breaking a bottle. That pliers was a test and it was in there for a few weeks. It didn't rust so I figured the pliers was defective.

 

[ChaseBurke]

haha @Paul B your photo's made grin and realize it's not a big deal. Also has that tank really been running for 50+ years??? If so that is truly incredible .

 

[Paul B]

haha @Paul B your photo's made grin and realize it's not a big deal. Also has that tank really been running for 50+ years??? If so that is truly incredible .

No. It has only been running for 48 years. In March it will be 49 years. It was started in 1971 and has never crashed. But I put it in larger glass 3 times and moved it twice.

 

[Da8]

Same here today

Sps 95 gal. A tiny half cm fixture screw.



Cant confirm it is in, but havent seen it out either



Any clues? How did it end to the OP?



Thanks