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Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 7
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OP
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 7 |
We have a small pond (roughly 12,000 sqft) and I'm building a dock for it. It's going to be very basic 12'X6' with 3 pilings on each side
I just realized, is there something I need to treat the treated wood pilings with (or all the treated lumber) so that the chemicals in the wood do not harm my fish?
I searched the forum and surprisingly couldn't find anything about this but I'm sure there's something on here and I just missed it
Thanks for your input
Last edited by fireforbreakfast; 11/07/21 05:12 PM.
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298 |
I know old telephone poles aren't suitable due to the creosote. Some chemical treatments are definitely bad for the fish.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714 Likes: 281
Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714 Likes: 281 |
My fish did not get the memo about old telephone poles so they are doing just fine:)
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298 |
Glad to hear your results, RAH. Me, I wouldn't take the chance.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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Joined: May 2004
Posts: 13,939 Likes: 268
Moderator Lunker
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Moderator Lunker
Joined: May 2004
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The stuff used to treat "treated lumber" has changed a great deal over the years to make them less hazardous. Arsenic hasn't been used for over 15 years. Wikipedia gives a good rundown of past and current processes; it looks like mostly copper compounds are used today. Lots of copper compounds used in pond treatment, but I don't know if the wood treatment coppers are a problem in ponds. Gotta be better than Arsenic, though.
"Live like you'll die tomorrow, but manage your grass like you'll live forever." -S. M. Stirling
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Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 1,470 Likes: 107
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Joined: Jun 2018
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I used them without any problems. Someday I might catch a one-eyed fish but intel then I think its. You don't really have a whole lot of wood that touched the water. Now there is a thought bout when it rains will the chemicals leech into the water. That I don't know yet but time will tell. What else would you use beside a metal or plastic material?
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298 |
Part of my reluctance is what I see & smell at a creosote treatment plant about 20 miles from my home. They have a small pond on the property that smells & looks dead, even water birds won't go there. Probably accumulated chemicals, including arsenic, over the years. Don't want anything like that in my water, especially on the dock where I feed.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 3,952 Likes: 184
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Joined: Aug 2014
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Agree A They say not to line garden using RR ties. Treated bad also but a large pond it won’t hurt . Who knows what the long term damage is
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298 |
Agree A They say not to line garden using RR ties. Treated bad also but a large pond it won’t hurt . Who knows what the long term damage is I remember asking Bob Lusk about using treated wood from a junked porch in the pond. He did not recommend it. Perhaps it's like using oaks for habitat enhancement, it might be fine and it might not.
Last edited by anthropic; 11/08/21 06:00 PM.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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Joined: May 2009
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Lunker
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Lunker
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 5,714 Likes: 281 |
Ever hear the saying "The solution to pollution is dilution"?
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298
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Joined: May 2014
Posts: 3,861 Likes: 298 |
Ever hear the saying "The solution to pollution is dilution"? Except when it comes to CO2, of course. There an increase from 0.028 percent to 0.041 percent of the atmosphere means the planet faces a dire emergency!
Last edited by anthropic; 11/08/21 07:06 PM.
7ac 2015 CNBG RES FHM 2016 TP FLMB 2017 NLMB GSH L 2018 TP & 70 HSB PK 2019 TP RBT 2020 TFS TP 25 HSB 250 F1,L,RBT -206 2021 TFS TP GSH L,-312 2022 GSH TP CR TFS RBT -234, 2023 BG TP TFS NLMB, -160
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Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 7
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OP
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 7 |
Actually my 4X4 pilings will be in the water
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Joined: Jun 2021
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OP
Joined: Jun 2021
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I used them without any problems. Someday I might catch a one-eyed fish but intel then I think its. You don't really have a whole lot of wood that touched the water. Now there is a thought bout when it rains will the chemicals leech into the water. That I don't know yet but time will tell. What else would you use beside a metal or plastic material? Did you see the part where I said the 4X4 pilings will be in the water?
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Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 1,125 Likes: 273
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Joined: Oct 2018
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I would hazard a guess that a typical pond in North America takes in more pollutants from the atmosphere in one year than would ever be released from a few treated posts holding up a dock.
Is using treated wood in a fish pond ideal? Probably not.
Is it going to kill everything in the pond and give you cancer if you eat a fish? Probably not.
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2 members like this:
RAH, gehajake |
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Joined: Jun 2018
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Joined: Jun 2018
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Yeah I seen that. I think you will be just fine. Heres what mine look like.
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Joined: Dec 2018
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Joined: Dec 2018
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I think anything less then 15 20 yrs old should be fine, now I do know back in the day they used some pretty harsh chemicals to treat wood like creosote and supposedly there's arsenic in it but in today's world I think most of the really harmful chemicals have been outlawed. I wouldn't be too afraid of the new stuff, actually barely enough stuff in them to keep the post from rotting.
All the really good ideas I've ever had came to me while I was milking a cow.
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1 member likes this:
RAH |
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Joined: Jan 2009
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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Moderator Ambassador Field Correspondent Lunker
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As the saying goes, "The solution to pollution is dilution." A way to find out is to look and see what amount is used to treat the wood then you might be able to find out what amount is leached out over time.
Personally? I would use them and not give it a 2nd thought.
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2 members like this:
gehajake, RAH |
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177 Likes: 28
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,177 Likes: 28 |
Note that there are different treated lumber grades. There are grades suitable for ground contact, and water submersion, meaning they use a form of copper that does not dissipate into water like the cheaper Home Depot varieties do. 84 Lumber will supply the various types you need.
My dock pilings (4x4) of water submersion grade lumber is growing some bryozoans. If anything is a testament to being safe, it is those.
I would stay away from Creosote. Just because I hate the smell of that shiz when it gets hot in the sun.
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