Substrate Sorrows...Ruining My Plans

[Alesha]

I wanted to set up a pretty tank. I know! I know! But don't judge me! 😄😄😄

I bought some "sea glass". I read the online description. It sounded fine:

It's very pretty...exactly what I wanted:

I got it home and just happened to read the lid before filling my tank:

Grrrrrrr!

Any idea why it's not ok for a tank???

Alesha (akconklin)

[walruseggman]

(Not my personal knowledge, but input from a professional crafter):

Decorative Sea Glass is typically glass that has been tumbled with acid and/or other compounds to achieve that "frosted" look. This is sometimes even done inside of re-purposed cement mixers.

The color of the glass can also be altered with chemicals during this tumbling process, so as to get large batches of uniformly-colored glass.

Real sea glass is frosted by years of tumbling naturally in saline waters.

The artificial tumbling also smooths out the glass some, but usually nowhere near to the extent that real sea glass has been smoothed.

(End of relayed knowledge)

So, thus likely the warning. I'm sure there's something in that "frost" that's harmful to animals, which the manufacturer is openly acknowledging with the warning and the "decorative" label.

Edited November 11, 2020 by walruseggman

[Alesha]

2 minutes ago, walruseggman said:

(Not my personal knowledge, but input from a professional crafter):

Decorative Sea Glass is typically glass that has been tumbled with acid and/or other compounds to achieve that "frosted" look. This is sometimes even done inside of re-purposed cement mixers. 

Real sea glass is frosted by years of tumbling naturally in saline waters.

The artificial tumbling also smooths out the glass some, but usually nowhere near to the extent that real sea glass has been smoothed.

(End of relayed knowledge)

So, thus likely the warning. I'm sure there's something in that "frost" that's harmful to animals, which the manufacturer is openly acknowledging with the warning and the "decorative" label.

Ok. I guess that all makes sense. I appreciate the information, @walruseggman.