Get the copper out!!

[delfinius]

Hello all! I have recently had a disaster with my tank and unfortunately had to use a copper treatment. I am now strugling to remove the copper from my tank..I am using charcoal only so far..is there anything else I can use? It doesnt seem to be working so far..maybe Im just being impatient but I want my reef tank back..ASAP!! Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kris walker]

Hi Terry,
Maybe it's because I am a newbie, but I see no reason hyposalinity is better than copper, and I am curious as to why you do.
From what I have read in books and on this board, the problems with copper are that they kill inverts and corals, and is almost impossible to remove from liverock once it has been exposed for some time. It is removable from substrate with a good rinsing. The good associated with using copper is that it will kill parasites in a tank in a week with proper use.
The problems with hyposalinity are similar to those with copper in that hyposalinity will kill inverts and corals. But, in addition, it will kill all the good stuff on the liverock, effectively making liverock useless. Another problem with hyposalinity is that it takes a whole month for it to kill the parasites. And it makes sense to me that hyposalinity stresses the fish to the point that it weakens their immune system.
I must not know something because from what I have said, I cannot see why hyposalinity is better than copper. Can you tell me what I am missing?
sam

 

[kris walker]

Thanks Terry,
It does answer my questions. I will copy and paste this reply into a file on my computer for future reference.
Cheers,
sam

 

[beginnermatt]

I had added copper to a tank several years back and shortly after disassembled the tank. A couple years later I started up a new tank and reused the same rock. Do you think the copper stayed in the rock. I have a small crab that lives in the tank. Thanks in advance.

 

[kris walker]

Matt, if the crab is doing fine, I would say go with it. However, if you want to be sure, get a copper test kit and find out for yourself. I had copper in my FO tank before (without liverock), then rinsed out the cc gravel for use in a reef tank. Now I have a few corals in my tank and they are doing fine. If you want to make an additional test, I would buy several snails and put them in your tank. If they survive the next 2 weeks, odds are that copper in the rocks is not of a significant quantity.
sam

 

[beginnermatt]

Thanks for the advice, however I don't seem to have any algae growth for the snails. Do you think lettuce would work? The tank has been going for six months with 12 hours of light a day. All that I hyave noticed was that a brown color is on the rocks. Like putting chicken in your broiler. Thanks again.