Used tank treated with copper?

[heatheryjoy]

I am looking to buy a used acrylic fish tank that was treated with copper once. Would this be o.k. to use if it was cleaned out really well? Or does the copper somehow imbed istelf into the acrylic? It is just the tank. I will be using my own filters and stuff. Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[scsinet]

Yes, it'll be fine. Rinse well and you should be in good shape.
The notion of copper being absorbed into silicon, glass, acrylic... hogwash.

 

[lexluethar]

Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2470439
Yes, it'll be fine. Rinse well and you should be in good shape.
The notion of copper being absorbed into silicon, glass, acrylic... hogwash.
THANK YOU SCSI!! I've been saying this for months on here an no one listens. It is a wives tale, and unless you are purchasing a tank that was made in the 70's when they used different silicon you have NOTHING to worry about.
I've treated my current tank with copper multiple times when i had goldfish and my anemone/fish/corals have been fine for months.

 

[metweezer]

Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2470439
Yes, it'll be fine. Rinse well and you should be in good shape.
The notion of copper being absorbed into silicon, glass, acrylic... hogwash.
That's good news Quint

I guess I had read the same thing. I thought that the copper leached into the silicon.
Steve

 

[jtrzerocool]

Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2470439
Yes, it'll be fine. Rinse well and you should be in good shape.
The notion of copper being absorbed into silicon, glass, acrylic... hogwash.
i have thought this very same thing for a while now...i used a tank that had been treated with copper with no ill side effects...

 

[heatheryjoy]

Oh good! I thought that sounded "FISHY" too!!

At the very least I thought I could fill it up with declorinated tap water and test for copper. And if it shows a high level then my goldfish get a bigger tank! Thanks guys!

 

[coachklm]

yes copper does have a side effect but ............. I've used the tank and rocks from a common copper treated tank for a year with no side effects....
I bleached and cured the rocks for 2 weeks, and simply rinsed out the tank..
dont worry.

 

[maeistero]

maybe i'm old school, but i can't bring myself to say it's all good. when your fish die you will find trace copper in them just like you find lead in our blood. differing levels are proven to shorten their lives.
as far as this particular tank goes, do you really know what was used to bond the acrylic? or if the previous owners used the correct amount of copper? i'd be wondering if they killed off the tank and gave up by overdosing.
there's a lot of questions to consider. i'd use it for a fish only F.O. , but i wouldn't put a fish in there that i wanted to keep for years. if you buy fish on a regular basis because the others are dying, then it would be an ok tank for that. i know there are people that do that, that's why there's a big market for cheap pet co fish.
there is a copper test you can do. if you get the chance, fill it with mixed water for a couple weeks and see what levels it turns.
whatever you decide, i wish you luck and let us know how it turns out.

 

[johnnyd]

Originally Posted by maeistero
http:///forum/post/2471159
maybe i'm old school, but i can't bring myself to say it's all good. when your fish die you will find trace copper in them just like you find lead in our blood. differing levels are proven to shorten their lives.
as far as this particular tank goes, do you really know what was used to bond the acrylic? or if the previous owners used the correct amount of copper? i'd be wondering if they killed off the tank and gave up by overdosing.
there's a lot of questions to consider. i'd use it for a fish only F.O. , but i wouldn't put a fish in there that i wanted to keep for years. if you buy fish on a regular basis because the others are dying, then it would be an ok tank for that. i know there are people that do that, that's why there's a big market for cheap pet co fish.
there is a copper test you can do. if you get the chance, fill it with mixed water for a couple weeks and see what levels it turns.
whatever you decide, i wish you luck and let us know how it turns out.
ya can have a reef tank with copper of .04 and it will be fine.

someone on here has that amount in there current reef tank. so it should be fine it the tank is rinsed out.