Rubberbands in Reef Tanks
Richard Durso
I feed my tangs nori by using a rubberband wrapped tightly around a glass cleaning magnet. I'm starting to get worried about some of the rubber bands that have been broken and floated to back parts of the tanks. (My naso sometimes snaps the rubberbands).
I would assume roting rubber in our tanks is not a good thing, but I'm looking for some more details than that. I've noticed the rubber suction cups on my heaters in the sump and other equipment has roted a bit over the years.
Ron Shimek
Don't sweat a little bit of rotting rubber. The stuff is basically proteinaceous and will produce normal protein byproducts which will be utilized by bacteria. All rotting means in this scenario is that marine bacteria are eating it.
I have lost rubber bands in my research and decorative marine tanks since at least the mid-1970's and other than being unsightly, they don't present any problem whatsoever.
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