Brass valve

[moortim]

I have recently finished building a sump/refugium for my 55 and I want to add another valve to my plumbing to control water flow. The one I found locally that would work perfect is made out of cast brass, would this have any negative effect on my water quality? Would I be introducing anything to my tank by having 1 metal fitting? Would the saltwater be too corrosive to the valve? If anyone has any input that would be great!

Tim

 

[mfinn]

You do not want to use brass.
If you can't find a pvc one locally try www.savko.com

 

[moortim]

Thanks! Since none of the local places seem to have what I need I think I will just order one.

Tim

 

[big t]

The reason you don't want to use brass is that one of the main ingredients is copper.

 

[moortim]

That is what I was really wondering, what other metals are in the brass.

Tim

 

[big t]

according to this site http://weber.ucsd.edu/~dkjordan/arch/metallurgy.html

Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper with zinc, and is usually made up of anywhere from ten to forty percent zinc. Small amounts of other ores produce special-purpose brass. (Tin and aluminum increase resistance to corrosion, for example.) Zinc ore (called calamine) is difficult to mix with the copper ore, however, and brass appears later in the archaeological record as well as being far less common than bronze.

 

[moortim]

since we are on the subject is there any metal that is reef safe (stainless steel for example)? I don't have an intended application for this I was just wondering.

 

[mfinn]

I believe titanium is.

 

[Little B]

EEEEK, not brass, anything but brass. well all most anything:lol: Brass in a saltwater tank releases copper, I know a few people who have killed a lot of inverts with brass parts, stainless will rust, even the low carbon stuff. Titanium seems to be the metal of choice in salt. Most pumps (good ones anyway) use titanium.