Spare change ???

[kris]

ok here's the deal--I have this 40g that turned itself into a reef pretty much,with no help from me other than adding the lr to begin with. Had stars, snails, dusters, plants of some kind (not algae) shrimp and many other things unidentified.
Anyway the inverts croaked as did the plants the live rock looks like crap--and now I know why
The kids decided the tank was a wishing well!!!
While cleaning out all the dead stuff (so as not to kill the fish) I found 6 pennies, 2 quarters, and 3 nickels along with a little piece of rusted key chain.
Yes my kids are still alive, however--my stuff isn't.
I assumed it was copper from the pennies so I ran carbon for about 2 weeks (this happened about 1 month ago. Anyway I tested for copper and there isn't any.
SOOOOOOOOOO-do you guys think my lr will ever regrow-something must still be in there, cause we tried adding another snail yesterday after the copper test and it croaked within hours.
What could still be in there??
Should i replace the lr, I don't want to until I'm sure whatever is in there is gone-but I don't even know what else to test for.?
The fish in there are doing really well -no signs of any stress there except now I have to add artificial algae strips for the bicolor angel.
?s are will lr regrow after contamination ?
What chemicals besides copper could still be there? That would kill inverts and not fish--
Sorry this is kind of long winded, but I'm at a loss now
Thanks

 

[bt_1999_66]

Kris,
How long had the tank been up and running prior to the "Bad Deed"....?

 

[wamp]

I would just rinse the LR with freshly made salt water. Drain the tank and start over. I would imagine you would need to re-cure the rock.

 

[twicklund]

Unfortunatley, I agree with wamp...I understand it is extremely difficult to get all the copper out...Do you have a q-tank you can keep the fish in until then?
tw

 

[kris]

thanks for the input guys--
The tank has been running for about 2 years now.
Occupants are a bi-color pygmy, two percs and a redhead fairy wrasse (flaky little guy) And of course all that life that developed from the lr--it really did turn itself into mini-reef without any help from me--I am VERY dissapointed.
After considering this for quite sometime--I think i will in fact have to lose everything--the rock the cc and the bio-media as all will be contamintaed-near as i can tell. Although I tested 0 for copper this is got to be some other kind of chemical/mineral which has absorbed into these things and will forever leech out.
Recuring the lr won't really matter--there's nothing live on it--all the die-off there was has already occured in my tank-there's nothing live or dead on it I'm afraid, except of course for whatever chemical it's adsorbed.
The only other interesting thing is since the water quality has stayed pretty stable--so some of my bacteria must still be hanging around, right??? I did do a bunch of water changes when I realized the snails were dead, and the plants were dying.
Anyway I'm just thinking out loud at this point--but if anyone else has any ideas on how to get around this problem I would love to hear any suggestions.
Thanks Guys