Copper in tank

[gatorcsm]

If you have a tank that has been treated with copper, is there concern over using test equipment for both. Even if you rinse it thoroughly? Like, if you do a water change from a copper treated tank, can you re-use the vessel that you drained into to mix water for a reef tank as long as it is rinsed thoroughly (Plastic or glass container)?
Basically, what materials cannot be reused (besides rock/substrate/porous materials)
Thanks

 

[beth]

Yes, there shouldn't be a problem with using the same equiptment, just rinse as soon as you complete the test.

 

[gatorcsm]

Thanks. So, then you could re-use an aquarium that was used for copper medication, as long as all of the porous materials were replaced. The aquarium itself would still be ok after being cleaned?
Thanks again.

 

[beth]

You can not replace the silicon that is used to construct a tank and copper is retained in the silicon. Thus, the answer is YES and NO. Yes, you can use the tank for FO, no you can not use the tank for FOWLR or Reef. Inverts have no tolerance for copper.

 

[marinerock]

HI BETH...
IN ADDITION TO GATORS QUESTION...HERES ONE THOUGHT...
MOST FISH STORES USE COPPER AND OTHER CHEMICALS
IN THEIR FISH ONLY TANKS...THEY USE IT BECAUSE IF THEY
DIDNT, THE CASUALTIES WOULD BE OVERWHELMING.
NOW, MOST PEOPLE WITH REEF TANKS ALSO PUT FISH IN
THEIR TANKS. MOST OF THE FISH COME FROM COPPER
TREATED WATER. EVEN THOUGH THE AMOUNT OF WATER ON
THEIR BODIES IS MINIMAL WHEN ADDED INTO OUR MAIN
TANKS, THERE IS STILL SOME COPPER BEING INTRODUCED INTO
OUR TANKS....THERE IS NO WAY TO AVOID THAT...
I FEEL THAT IF A SUPER SENSITIVE COPPER TEST WAS
AVAILABLE, WE WOULD ALL SEE LOW LEVELS OF COPPER
IN OUR TANKS ANYHOW.
WHAT IS YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS....?
REGARDS...
MARINEROCK