I have recently come along a lot of articles and videos reporting on how much macro plastic is in the ocean. Most of these articles however just state vague problems like “these plastic kill fish and coral reefs!!” Or don’t state any problems they just say “this is a huge problem!!”. The most recent amount of plastic I could find was .01 ppm and seeing as my frag tank is acrylic and has pvc pipes I’m sure mine is higher than that. The only problem with these claims is that plastic is very prevalent in marine aqua-culture aquariums with no current ill effects. Now I’m not saying there is no problems with plastic as obviously plastics toxic to marine animals are bad and so are plastics that can choke or harm animals are really bad. Anyways just thinking out loud. Tell me what you think.
Macro plastic kills?
- Thread starter geddavis
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It kills marine life so yes... it’s bad.
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geddavis
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Not plastic in general but macro plastics mainly ones in the microscopic range. I feel like if I set up a 10 gallon and put .004 ml of random Finley crushed plastics in it it would show no ill effects compared to a control with no plastic. Also I agree with larger plastics just wondering what would actually cause I’ll effects in in regards to macro plastics.
Also macro becomes micro eventually. We all know micro plastic is detrimental to marine ecosystems.
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geddavis
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I’m just wondering how it is detrimental. What are the symptoms and what is cause if it. I’m not trying to disinter I just genuenly don’t know. And most article just say the same vague thing like that.
Grrr, not smart enough with the right search words today. Major early senility moment.
A few months back someone posted a fascinating article about the "ocean boom" device that would sweep up aggregates of plastic from the, wow senility, dead zones, sargasso sea- but Pacific, eastern whirlpool of debris in the north Pacific above the equator. (Name please)
The issue was that the reason the sea turtles were eating the microplastics in the first place was that it resembles a tiny cool looking translucent ocean creature called ($64,000 question) therons, terons, theodes, something or other. The creatures looked like something out of Heavy Metal meets a rorschach test.
Anyway the creatures used to live amongst the floating seaweed. Now the creatures lives amongst the floating plastic, and resembles some of it.
Sea turtles eat both.
Sea turtles are sick.
The article said that the problem with the "ocean boom" solution was it was like clear cutting a forest to get rid of invasive tree species. :-/
Apparently these tiny sea creatures are little know, little studied, but very important, small building block, base of the food pyramid, type creatures.
A few months back someone posted a fascinating article about the "ocean boom" device that would sweep up aggregates of plastic from the, wow senility, dead zones, sargasso sea- but Pacific, eastern whirlpool of debris in the north Pacific above the equator. (Name please)
The issue was that the reason the sea turtles were eating the microplastics in the first place was that it resembles a tiny cool looking translucent ocean creature called ($64,000 question) therons, terons, theodes, something or other. The creatures looked like something out of Heavy Metal meets a rorschach test.
Anyway the creatures used to live amongst the floating seaweed. Now the creatures lives amongst the floating plastic, and resembles some of it.
Sea turtles eat both.
Sea turtles are sick.
The article said that the problem with the "ocean boom" solution was it was like clear cutting a forest to get rid of invasive tree species. :-/
Apparently these tiny sea creatures are little know, little studied, but very important, small building block, base of the food pyramid, type creatures.
Go to Google and look up any version of "tiny plastic particles in ocean"
I never did find the specific article I was looking for.
But there are plenty about krill eating microplastics, microbeads (mostly phased out of cosmetics industry), etc, etc.
Depressing.
"Ocean boom" sweeper was supposed to be one of the good answers.
I never did find the specific article I was looking for.
But there are plenty about krill eating microplastics, microbeads (mostly phased out of cosmetics industry), etc, etc.
Depressing.
"Ocean boom" sweeper was supposed to be one of the good answers.
I can't say for 100% sure, but mostly, no. 
For the majority of common fish available at your LFS, no. At least none we can measure as hobbyists.
Just don't shred some and add it to your tank.
Plastic is a common building component of pumps, filters, skimmers, etc.
Whatever detrimental effect it has on your tank is still an improvement on rusting metal.
For the majority of common fish available at your LFS, no. At least none we can measure as hobbyists.
Just don't shred some and add it to your tank.
Plastic is a common building component of pumps, filters, skimmers, etc.
Whatever detrimental effect it has on your tank is still an improvement on rusting metal.
https://www.theatlantic.com/science...cleanup-project-could-destroy-neuston/580693/
Finally, thanks to
https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4132
Interesting article.
'Neuston' was the creature I couldn't remember. :-/
Finally, thanks to
https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4132
Interesting article.
'Neuston' was the creature I couldn't remember. :-/
Instigate
Valuable Member
If you were not depressed enough.
Check out this article I found on the Get WIRED app: https://www.wired.com/story/wind-microplastics
And apparently the definition of a "microplastic" is a piece of plastic less than 5mm or .2" in size. :-/
Check out this article I found on the Get WIRED app: https://www.wired.com/story/wind-microplastics
And apparently the definition of a "microplastic" is a piece of plastic less than 5mm or .2" in size. :-/
MnFish1
10K Club member
Im confused - the poll asks if 'macro plastics' are bad - but everyone is talking about 'micro plastics'. Though I know that macro plastics can become Microplastics -I thought the main source of 'Microplastics' was 'microbeads' of plastic.
BTW - I think the huge areas of plastic debris (macro) are disgusting. It is beyond comprehension people/countries that would dump trash into the ocean. It makes me wonder what it going to help for our country to ban 'plastic' - while other countries continue to use the ocean as a dump.
FWIW - Large visible plastic debris (> 1 mm) is defined as macroplastic, while smaller debris (< 1 mm) is defined as microplastic. Macroplastic debris can be degraded and broken down into microplastic debris by UV radiation and the action of waves.
BTW - I think the huge areas of plastic debris (macro) are disgusting. It is beyond comprehension people/countries that would dump trash into the ocean. It makes me wonder what it going to help for our country to ban 'plastic' - while other countries continue to use the ocean as a dump.
FWIW - Large visible plastic debris (> 1 mm) is defined as macroplastic, while smaller debris (< 1 mm) is defined as microplastic. Macroplastic debris can be degraded and broken down into microplastic debris by UV radiation and the action of waves.
MnFish1
10K Club member
You're possibly mixing up terms. Macroplastics by definition are not microscopic?
Large visible plastic debris (> 1 mm) is defined as macroplastic, while smaller debris (< 1 mm) is defined as microplastic. Macroplastic debris can be degraded and broken down into microplastic debris by UV radiation and the action of waves.
Curious - where do you get your data that in 10 gallons of seawater there would be .004 ml. (is that translating the 0.01 ppm to ml/gallon - which is an unusual unit)?
Also - plastic is a broad word for a huge number of materials. If you're talking about 'macroplastics' that you're mentioning in your poll - being present in your reef tank - I doubt it (i.e. because of the acrylic and PVC you mentioned) - But I may be misunderstanding what you're saying.
pigmo
Active Member
i have worried about my plastic blade on my algae magnet. it wears down. i read corals actually like to ingest microplastics 
skynews had an ocean exploration report, hours of live feed, around maritius or nearby islands a few months back, it was great.
skynews had an ocean exploration report, hours of live feed, around maritius or nearby islands a few months back, it was great.
