Styrene toxicity from newly glassed pools

[Brockp]

I wondered what advice is being given by the glassing experts about what to do with a newly glassed pond to avoid potential styrene toxicity?

The reason for asking is there have been several recent threads on other sites alleging very serious consequences and there appears to be no standard advice, do you leave the pond two weeks before filling, do you was it with washing up liquid!, do you fill it straight away ?

So guy what is the correct advice for the guy with his new black/green pond?

Peter

[Gazza]

Hi Peter,

I am not 100% sure but can this only happen if the flow coat is done done correctly

When mine was done i think we left it a day or so and then i got in and made sure there was no sharp bits and gave it a rub over and i did you washing up liquid as well then rinsed off. Then it was filled and left ruining to make sure of no leaks and i think i did dump a load of the water before i filled again and started to put the fish in.

[Brockp]

I think we all agree on getting rid of any stray glass fibres buy rubbing the walls with a plastic pot scourer or similar and roughing up the glass inside the frame if there is a window but then what ?

1) Leave a week, a day? to allow styrene and other organic solvents to evaporate as they are not very water soluble?
2) Clean down with washing up liquid and rinse thoroughly, fill use?
2) Fill and drain several times, fill use?
3) PP the pond as per normal drain and fill use?
4) Just fill and use?

Or any combination of the above?

On the point of it being down to poor flowcoat application, as the flowacoat is only coloured resin it is bit difficult to see how this can be at fault unless the wrong amount of catalyst was used.

Just trying to understand....

Peter

[Gazza]

Hi Peter,

As i say i am not a glasser so could be wrong but i am sure its something to do with the flow coat perhaps not mixed correctly or even as its a sealer then perhaps its to do with the stuff underneath not having the correct flow coat on it

Come on Bob help us out you've done a bit of this glassing stuff

[steve t]

Hi

I had my pond glassed about 3 months ago, when the glassers had finished I was told to wash the walls with salt water, I had to get some water in the pond a bit quick because of the water table,so the following day after the glassers had finished, I rubbed the walls down with sandpaper, then washed with salt water. The pond has been running for 3 months with no problems.

Steve

[Brockp]

I hadn't heard the rub down with salt water one before. One more to add to the the list of options.
Peter

[Duncan]

Hi guys

Styrene leaches from the fibre glass under the flow coat not from the jell flow coat itself

When you lay up a pond with the glass it hardens very fast but unfortunately it does not harden completely, all the way through, this takes weeks to months dependant on how well the catalyst and how much catalyst is mixed in and it will leach its styrene until this hardening is complete once completely hardened it will no long leach styrene when it has hardened right through this is termed going bartol hard at this points its set hard like granite all the way through and you would not need a jell flow coat

The jell coat not only gives a smooth surface it puts a barrier on the glass to stop it leaching styrene into the pond while it hardens right through, a wax additive is added to make the jell coat flow stop micro pore holes opening up from which styrene may leach through, hence the name flow coat

Anyone who has filled a motor car with body filler will know this it goes hard fast but it’s not rock hard right through if you try sanding it your sand paper will block after a few hours the filler goes bartol hard and sanding it then will not block your paper

When styrene’s leach into a pond it’s because the flow coast has not been done correct there is not enough wax added and it’s not acting as a barrier or the glass has not had the right hardener or amount put in and won’t fully cure or a combination of the two

I have heard of ponds being ripped apart after a couple of years and the glass has still been tacky inside

Mike Whitelaw did mine and he instructed me to wash down with salt

dunc

[steve t]

Sounds as though its in the family then Duncan, because Mick Whitlaws nephew "Chris" who has now taken over from Mick done mine and he told me the same


Steve

[Brockp]

Salt wash it is then. It would seem to me that the guys on the other sites who had problems, dead fish etc should be having a word with their glassers !

Peter

[Glenn]

Hiya Pete, you won't have any problems with your glassing knowing who did it, they don't come better and more cost effective,

Regards

Glenn

[Brockp]

Hi Glenn;

I never thought for a minute I would..... excellent job well done, good price, many thanks.

Now I will get on with giving it a salt wash and wait for the glass.

Peter

[Gazza]

Hi Pete,

I used soap and water in mine as i needed a wash anyway

[Brockp]

See Gazza; I wouldn't do that now, followinf what Duncan said and a bit more reading I have doone. If the wax in the flow coat closes the pores in the resin in the the flow coat and thus stops styrene leaching through, washing with a detergent albeit washing up liquid could well remove some of the "sealing wax". Just a thought.

Peter

[Gazza]

Hi Pete,

Your mad mate but i like you Just fill it up and get those fish in there

[Brockp]

Hi Gazza

You are right, totally mad, but little things bother me.

I would love to get the fish in but without glass in the window it would be a bit sad.

One totally mad koi keeper.

Peter