# safe clay pot ?



## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Are all clay pots safe?

I want to go out and get some for my sa/ca tank but am unsure of which to get and which to avoid...

Common sense says, no painted, anything else I should look out for?


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Supposedly, just plain terracotta pots.... unpainted indeed. I've heard that "Made in Italy" is a good indicator of OK.... though Strawberry Pots are typically made in the USA. So far, so good with these.

Soaking them in warm water overnight and making sure they don't leach anything weird is worth it.

-Ryan


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Why made in Italy?

Anyone else have anything to add or am I basically just good to go with the 99 cent clay pots at Home Depot?


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

klumsyninja said:


> Why made in Italy?


Oh, I dunno. I was just passing on some rumors. :lol:

The ones at Home Depot likely are made in Italy anyway.

-Ryan


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

i have been thinking about getting a pot like this, just a standard teracotta plant pot, cutting it in half (down the height) and placing the cut edge down in the tank.

So its like a semi-circle shaped tunnel.

I want to coat it in some sort of adhesive and then cover it with the same gravel as i use for substrate, so it would just blend in with the bottom of the tank and should look like a cool cave.

What adhesive would be reccomended? and what would be safe when dried?

Cheers

Gaz


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## Heyguy74 (Aug 11, 2005)

Terra Cotta pots are safe to use. Use silicon for the adhesive. Just donâ€™t touch the silicon with your hand, it will stick. Try putting on rubber gloves first. Smear the silicon around and then roll it in some gravel to cover. I would make sure the gravel is dry first. Remove a couple of handfuls of gravel from the tank and let dry for a day or two. Just make sure the silicon has no bioseal or antifungal additives. GE silicon 1 is usually recommended.


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

Thanks alot,

I will deffinitely give this a try.

It sounds like you've done it before?

Does it look effective?

Cheers

Gaz


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

Strawberry pots are an excellent addition, too. Our local hippie gardening shop has piles of these... and for cheap.

I put a nice, big one in the 75g and our chocolate set up shop right away!

-Ryan


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

I used corner sections of guttering in my Mbuna tank years ago. Coat the tops in silicone and cover them in gravel. Works a treat and actually looks kinda nice too. The mbuna loved them.


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Guttering?

So like clay roof corner pieces? Eavestrough ? Sewering?

C'mon, pom speak english already... 

(no really I want to know what you mean by that)

And is STRAWBERRY pots a brand name or is it actually a pot for growing strawberries in?


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## mok3t (Nov 28, 2008)

I didnt use clay ones i used plastic. And ummm.... the stuff that catches the rain from your roof....guttering


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

lol.. right, eavestrough it is 

Thanks mok3t


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## RyanR (Apr 29, 2008)

klumsyninja said:


> And is STRAWBERRY pots a brand name or is it actually a pot for growing strawberries in?


Stawberry pots:


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

You guys rock, thanks a lot....


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## psyber (Jan 7, 2009)

The Warden said:


> i have been thinking about getting a pot like this, just a standard teracotta plant pot, cutting it in half (down the height) and placing the cut edge down in the tank.
> 
> So its like a semi-circle shaped tunnel.


How are you going to cut it w/out the pot shattering? Those things are fairly fragile.


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## Egress (Feb 20, 2006)

A circular saw with the guard pinned and a masonry blade. Think dremel on the 'roids.


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## The Warden (Jan 13, 2009)

I was going to soak it in boiling water over night so its not as brittle. Then use a little angle grinder and a very careful hand.

Will let you know how i get on...


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## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

Smack it with a hammer and then file off the sharp bits... Bury the rough edge in the substrate


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## lawnmowerman219 (Jan 22, 2009)

Hi all, I have just made several pot caves. To cut the pots you can use a dreamel tool with a reinforced fiberglass cutting wheel I think its cutting wheel #426. The problem with this cutting wheel is that with out a source of "cooling water" (just like cutting floor tile) while your cutting the blade gets red hot while cutting the clay. I pluged my dremal into a GFI outlet and had a very small trickle of water flow over the pot where I was cutting. Worked fine and it made a very nice cut!. Since I made a bunch of these for my friends I have discovered a diamond cutting wheel (Sorry I don't have the dremal tool #) for my dremal. No water needed! ITs made for cutting tile! Cost is $20. I purchased mine from a local big box store and for $3 more you get a two year warrenty, if it breaks just return it for a new one no questions asked. Also I just used a hot glue gun for sticking the gravel to the outside of the pot. I've read from alot of other people on here have used it with no problems so I tried it. So far after 6 wks. I've seen no problems hope this helps.
Thanks!
Chuck


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## Curator (Feb 18, 2009)

Hot glue? doesnt seem to kosher to me :/ ... :-?


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## Desi&lt;3 (Feb 13, 2008)

I couldnt get my pots to cut so i got mad hit it with a hammer and it broke right in half - just the way i wanted it to. When all else fails . . . hit it with a hammer


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