Seashem Copper test kit

cjrose

cjrose

Member
I'm having problems with my test kit. How much powder should coat the stir rod? I am getting no result with the reference test and a slight result when testing the water in my tank that I'm treating for ick. I am using Cupramine and the multitest copper kit both by seachem.
Since putting the copper in my fish are breathing heavier, especially my blenny. I don't know if this is normal because of the stress or not.
Please help.
 
cjrose

cjrose

Member
Yes that's what I have. I also went out and got an API kit. I did get a reading of .25 with the API kit. After reading the instructions for the umpteenth time I realized I misread them. I thought I was supposed to read the results 20-30 sec after I started stirring not after I finished stirring. I finally did get a reading that's about the same as the API test. But that said, I still did not get a reading when I did the reference test.
ph 8.0
ammonia 0
nitrite .50
nitrate 10
I had 3 pieces of live rock in the qt tank that I removed last night. I'm guessing that has something to do with the raised nitrites because when I tested my params 2 days ago everything was at 0. I plan on doing a water change in 2 days when I add the next dose of copper. Circulation is good. I have a hob filter, 1 powerhead breaking the water surface, and another at the opposite end of the tank pointing towards the middle of the tank. The fish have calmed down and are pretty much breathing normally again. I did dose with amquel after the fish returned to normal breathing. I'm wondering of I added the copper too quickly?
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
The live rock will die off once exposed to copper, causing he spike. You can not use the LR in the display tank.
 
cjrose

cjrose

Member
I am aware that the copper will kill off the lie rock and inverts. The live rock is not in tank that I'm running copper. I did have a couple pieces in the qt tank but removed them before I put the copper in.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
I see, then removing this source of biological filtration likely caused the spike. I used a few pieces of rubble rock to maintain biological filtration in my QT.
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I'm having problems with my test kit. How much powder should coat the stir rod? I am getting no result with the reference test and a slight result when testing the water in my tank that I'm treating for ick. I am using Cupramine and the multitest copper kit both by seachem.
how old is your tests kit ? I addressed the same problem with testing with seachem a long time ago and was told by the company that they in fact had a problem but WERE NOT recalling all the on the shelf copper test kits
FYI it is you that promoted me to get a mantis tank
 
cjrose

cjrose

Member
Beth, will the copper effect the bio-filtration?
Joe, I just received the kit in the mail a couple days ago. I looked for an expiration date but couldn't find one. How much powder do you use? I plan on testing with both test kits just to be sure.
How's Lola doing? She does look pretty neat. Whatever was clicking in my tank has stopped. The rock has been sitting in a heated/circulated tote bin w/o a food source for over a month now. I did set a trap but didn't catch anything. Hopefully I won't hear anything when it goes back in the DT this week.
Thanks all,
CJ
 
florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
I use a lite dusting but i would test with the test regent that comes with the kit and see my results
LOLA is fine thanks for asking
 
cjrose

cjrose

Member
Thanks Beth. It's amazing how quickly the water params can go down the drain. I went from perfect water conditions to pretty much crap right now. It litterly happened over night. All my fish except my yellow tang are handeling it well. My Yellow tang is about to bite the dust. He's just laying there on the bottom of the tank breathing hard with his mouth open. Everytime I look I expect him to be dead but he's not. I'm doing a 20% water change in the morning to help get the ammonia and nitrites down. Since I posted params this morning the ammonia has come up to .25. I hate this battle with ick and it has me to the point where I want to quit the hobby. But I have too much invested at this point. Never knew I would like my fish as much as I do.
I'm supposed to add the 2nd dose of copper tomorrow but I'm thinking maybe I should wait an extra day or 2. I haven't seen any spots of ick since I posted that pick of my blue tang last week. I know it's still in there and needs to be treated, but would it hurt to go another day or 2 before adding the 2nd dose? My yellow tang was fine before I put the 1st dose of copper in. I'm afraid that if he makes it through the night he will die when I add the next dose.
 
beth

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Just maximize water circulation as much as is comfortable for the fish. If your pH is above 8.0 then slowly drop it to 8.0. Ammonia becomes more toxic with higher pH.
Do the water change just before the re-dose.
Add some sand from you display into your QT.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top