Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

ph is also a factor, isnt it?

and i'd bet that the temperature is a multiplying factor due to the PH.

eg: hot acid works faster than cold acid

AHHHH,,,I really didn't want to get the copper discussion happening again

I've given up on all alternatives other than stainless steel.
Just have to have a very large surface area to make heat exchange efficient.

crapioli, my no-return valve is most likely brass. Between the copper in my no return and the lead (possibly) in my bathtubs I'm wondering if i'll be able to consume any of this stuff....

Just have everything gold plated..problem solved

OK, can anyone point me to where I might actually be able to find a lead test kit? I've rang a few places with no joy.

and maybe a pvc 20mm no return valve (or a gold plated one =D)?

Ecowise couldn't help?
(or maybe their prices have gotten too imaginative?)

Southern Plumbing sold me a PVC Philmac 1-way valve.

Lead test kit...humm... anything but... although I have seen one mentioned here on the forum...

Can get 25mm non return valves... I'll have a look for a 20mm one next time I'm up at the suppliers...

P.S. ... here's the Philmac site.... http://www.philmac.com.au/Product/Produ ... .aspx?g=28

25mm non-return valves are around $25-40 at any irrigation store

Thanks for that.

Ecowise were actually pretty good, $75 to get a test for all heavy metals in the water. Just wondering if there was a kit you could get from b* or something.

I've gotten a led test kit before. I think I must have gotten it online. I don't think the price was outrageous for a one time test but it was high enough that you wouldn't be testing monthly or anything like that.

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin (typically 80-95% copper).
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc (typically 50-80% copper).

So bronze is not a mixture of copper and brass!


ALL copper alloys, even aluminium bronze (alloy of copper and aluminium), sillicon bronze (alloy of copper and silicon) and even nickle silver (an alloy of copper, nickle and usually zinc) WILL LEACH OUT COPPER in acidic environments.

Brass (yellow) cartridge 70% copper 30% zinc
Brass (red) 90% " 10% "
Jewellers Bronze 88% " 12% "

Bronze 96% 4% tin

Sterling Silver 92.5% silver (fine) 7.5% copper

9 karat gold 37.5% gold(fine) 12% silver(fine) 45% copper 5.5% zinc
10 " " (yellow) 42% " " 7% " " 48% copper 3% zinc
18 " " (yellow) 75% " " 15% " " 10% copper
22 " " (yellow) 92% " " 4% 4% copper

(fine) = 999.9 pure
electrical wiring is 999.9 copper
heka