Metal Item in Marine Tank

[downonthereef]

Hiya, so just wanted to start a discussion on metal items in reef tanks.

I have seen a lovely tank, that has an replica acrylic anchor in and it just looks amazing. There isn't any corals in there
Just rock, some algae and of course the anchor.

I was just wondering, what would happen if I was just to use a real anchor? I'm not really looking to have a reef tank, maybe the odd encrusting coral, I would like some macro algaes and there would be a handful of fish and invertebrates such as crabs and/or shrimp in there to achieve a sort of coastal look and feel.

Please let me know the positive and negative effects of metals in marine tanks, I know metals are not the best for corals, but there won't be many in here.

I of course don't want to harm any marine life, or wake up one day and a mutant crab-zilla is walking around my house from the toxicity of metals.

Please let me know, thankss.

 

[Unitylover]

*bump*
copper is highly toxic, but thats really all I know about metals

 

[downonthereef]

*bump*
copper is highly toxic, but thats really all I know about metals

Okay, thank you, I have seen that copper is used for infections? How come?

 

[WisReef]

Okay, thank you, I have seen that copper is used for infections? How come?

It is, but it is only non-lethal at lower doses for certain periods of time.

 

[Unitylover]

Some fish cant even handle copper. And inverts and corals get destroyed by copper. and a copper anchor would slowly leech it, bringing it to a toxic amount, and then dead fish.