copper and live rock

[tallyho]

I have about 10 lbs of LR in my 29 gal Quarantine tank where I just treated for ick with a copper/formalin additive.I will gradually replace the water to reduce copper levels and want to know
if the copper has "killed" the live rock.
Can it be rinsed and returned to my 150 gal tank
with 80 lbs of live rock for revitalization.
I do have one anemone and want no copper in my
show tank...any history here?

 

[broomer5]

If you are planning to keep inverts in this 150, I would not even use this copper contaminated live rock in a reef tank again, even after additional curing, copper may still be present.
Sorry - but that's my opinion.

 

[fshhub]

i agree with broomer, it may not have killed the life completely, but the copper is now in the rock, and you cannot rinse copper off of rock or out of substrate, i would forget returning that rock to the tank

 

[jonthefb]

I agree with Tang and Broomer. Copper is nasty stuff that kills just about any inver that could be residing in your live rock. TO add to that, live rock is so damn porous that it will likely contain some minimal amounts of copper forever! But if it is in your qt tank i would leave it there and arrange it nicely so that when you do get a fish and need to quarentine it it will have lots of hiding places, and wont stress as much!
Good luck!
jon

 

[tallyho]

Thanks,
I was under the impression that it was a good idea
to give quarantined fish a preventative medication.Fish which require access to live
rock for feeding would thus cause you to kill
some rock...If you were to use a preventative
medication during quarantine with live rock,
what would it be.
rgds

 

[tallyho]

thanks Old Yeller,
Thats what I am loooking for.
rgds

 

[livingwater]

just for future references, you dont want to put anything in a Q-Tank. go to a home depo and get a piece of pvc tubing for shelter. that way the fish will have a place to hide. as far as the rock......dude if its that small a piece just toss it or leave it in the Q-Tank.
if you have the Q-Tank in site where it can be seen. and you want it to look nice. i would get a dead piece of coral and maybe even some lava rock or other types of rock. but dont waste your money on live rock. maybe even a few pieces of colored glass. remember ....... the fish is considered to be in the hospital. not on vacation
good luck