Advise on stailess steel

[sleezyp1]

Do you think these are reef safe? I don't plan on doing any welding with them just using them as is.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ESAB-Arcaloy-ER347-1-16-Stainless-Steel-Rod-10-lbs_W0QQitemZ130026576136QQihZ003QQcategoryZ34097QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[sleezyp1]

or this http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=004&item=140031735482&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

[oldreefer76]

those are stick welding rods and have a flux coating on them, I would say not reef safe at all

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Aside from that issue, I can't tell the composition of the rods themselves.
However, in general I believe that 316 stainless is reef safe, at least in limited quantities. I've had two 316 stainless steel parts in my tank for more than 10 years.

[oldreefer76]

there are varying grades of Stainless Welding rods with 304 being the most common, again though the flux on it would have me worried even if you could remove it all there could be some residual embedded in the rod itself

[Boomer]

The flux will also fall apart and fall of the rod in water. The flux can be easily removed but hitting the rods on a hard surface. Then you would have to sand them down to remove any of the samll amounts of flux left on the rod.

304 SS Comp
http://www.askzn.co.za/tech/tech_grade_304.htm

316 SS Comp
http://www.askzn.co.za/tech/tech_grade_316.htm

[oldreefer76]

great info.....on the compositions

[Tripspike]

you would be better off buying a 316 ss heliarc welding rod which has no flux at all.

[Tripspike]

also 304 contains some carbon and you will get rust...