ABS Plastic!!!!!!

Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene is used in plumbing for waste pipe only...why do people use it in their reef tanks? It's not suitable for potable water...

 

for dumb people like me is this the black pipes..???

 

Well I've been using it for the plumbing on all my tanks and for my home made six foot tall skimmers for seventeen years and I've not had any problems with it.

 

It probably has to do with the purity of it, some processes leave it unpure others don't.

I doubt it is poisonous since tattoo ink can be made of it.

 

I use schedule 40 PVC...

 

So do I...

That stuff is toxic as far as I know (ABS) Just because we can't see problems doesn't mean the fish/coral like what they have to breathe...

 

Any more thoughts on the foam core pipe?

 

There is nothing wrong with using ABS plastic pipe and fittings in a reef system. Its not that ABS is not safe for drinking, it is not a pressure rated pipe so there is no need for the manufacturers to subject it to the rigorous and expensive ANSI/NSF testing process. Yes it is traditionally used for waste water and drains but the materials are safe for a reef.

NSF standards are intended for items which normally come into contact with potable or drinking water. Just because something does not carry a NSF label does not make it bad, it probably was never designed to be used with water to begin with. Trashcans are a perfect example, the Rubbermaid Brutes are the most popular in our hobby, mainly because Rubbermaid chose to spend the time and money to have those models certified. The Rubbermaid Roughnecks are made from the same materials, in the same machines in the same factories but are a little lighter duty so you don't see them used as much commercially like in large restaurants and food preparation facilities so they do not see the need to spend the cash and years of time to have them tested by ANSI/NSF. Are they bad? No. Just because they don't carry a NSF 59 or 61 rating just means they have not been tested as food grade, not that they are bad.
By the way, I have a friend who does contract plastic moulding work for Rubbermaid, Sterilite, Tupperware and many others and its all the same raw materials just a different label.

 

I've been using ABS for years.

 

Very interesting. Good info!