Freshwater to Saltwater Tank

[DanMichSr]

I have had a 125 gallon freshwater tank set up for 3 years. I would like to empty it and clean it out and convert it to saltwater. I was told by a dealer that because I might have used aquasol or something that contained copper for medication that it would have gone into the silicone and that I should buy a new tank or cut the old silicone out. The silicone is very very clear and I was wondering if anyone has done this and had a problem with coral or invertbrates..... Thanks:help:

[ToeJam]

I have had a 125 gallon freshwater tank set up for 3 years. I would like to empty it and clean it out and convert it to saltwater. I was told by a dealer that because I might have used aquasol or something that contained copper for medication that it would have gone into the silicone and that I should buy a new tank or cut the old silicone out. The silicone is very very clear and I was wondering if anyone has done this and had a problem with coral or invertbrates..... Thanks:help:


No ... hell no... to reef or inverts... :eek3:

Reason: Copper absorbs into everything...glass to. And the decontamination process is not just dangerous ...expensive.

You need hydrocloric Acid (Spelling bad)...Acetone... and lots of RO water for rinsing... yah..bad idea.

You are pretty much stuck with selling it as a freshwater or Marine fish only tank on craigs list... then use that to offset a new purchase on a tank.

But if you really want to decontaminate it.... I would be extremely cautious with the acid... and thoroughly rinse like mad... you should be able to find a article on how to decontaminate copper in fish tank someplace.

still ..being not a common practice...do you really want to mess with volatile chemicals off a forums walthrough? :headshake2:

=) ok a bit more colorful reply but on a more serious tone: its best to avoid using that tank for reef or inverts....you will have a copper contamination that will wipe your reef out.

[cjtabares]

I am pretty sure that you should have no problem using the tank. I read on here that the silicon absorbing the copper is a myth. I think someone on this form did an experiment where they filled the tank with water then added a huge dose of copper. They let it sit for a while, emptied the tank, then refilled it with clean water and let it sit. There was no trace of copper in the new water.

[ToeJam]

Reef site with good reputation ...read this about copper:
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/31684-tank-cleanup-procedures.html

I was reading a bit more

http://www.reefcentral.net/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1031844

read the bottom thread by the Seachem rep posting...so it seems you can get the copper out and prevent it from being an issue...

You may want to try the cleaning method in the first link...then going the extra mile by using the product in second thread to prevent leakage from affecting inverts.

still all a gamble...

Do what you think may be best for you...I am just a cautious person.

[cjtabares]

Well I would like to say i never used an old tank that has been dosed with copper for a saltwater tank. I was just referring to things i have read here at ac.
So I would most likely use it but i would do more research.

[DanMichSr]

Thanks alot guys, I never used the 125 gallon tank as a QT tank just added Aquari-Sol when I added new fish. I'll use the procedure outlined in the link ToeJam sent. I'm glad I asked the question, now I know what I'm up against. Thanks again

[Deanthoreu]

not to be a devils advocate here...but exactly how is copper removed then from water?
last i looked every home has copper pipe plumbing...and if u take the water....and age it, remove the chlorine...ok how do u get the "copper" out of the tap water to put in your aquarium?
and since the amount of copper one would be dosed in a medicine on a rare occasion i would assume as opposed to water that is laying in copper pipes...and running thru copper pipes..i would assume the exposure to copper from tap water to potentially be more severe.so how do u get the copper out ?
(i know nothing aobut marine..so i am wondering since i would like a marine tank but now i have copper pipes)

[cjtabares]

well i use a rodi filter which should filter everything out of the water. Although i dont suggest it if you do use tap water as long as the water has not been sitting over night or something, in the pipes, it should be fine. And if you want you can let the water run for a little to be sure there is no copper in the water.

[ToeJam]

not to be a devils advocate here...but exactly how is copper removed then from water?
last i looked every home has copper pipe plumbing...and if u take the water....and age it, remove the chlorine...ok how do u get the "copper" out of the tap water to put in your aquarium?
and since the amount of copper one would be dosed in a medicine on a rare occasion i would assume as opposed to water that is laying in copper pipes...and running thru copper pipes..i would assume the exposure to copper from tap water to potentially be more severe.so how do u get the copper out ?
(i know nothing aobut marine..so i am wondering since i would like a marine tank but now i have copper pipes)

I was digging up more about cleaning up copper or contamination of other tanks through brass fittings or equipment going boom etc etc.

the second link i posted talked about some product made by Seachem that is a resin and specifically absorbs copper ions in the water itself.


Still the situation with copper pipes ...i think testing the water with saliferts copper test kit would be a way to find out how much is leaching into your water.

To understand copper treatment i read this :you have to register good site fyi
http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27005&highlight=copper+contamination

It never answered my question though about contamination and removal...it did give me more insight on how dangerous copper is if used.

I keep seeing warning after warning about not using QT tanks med tanks etc etc for reef since people dose meds using copper ...

I've been trying to dig up some more reputable articles by actual labs or people who are chemists in RL but in the hobby...hard search..I will dig more.

Still reefs have such a very low tolerance of copper that the risk is too high in my opinion .. To salvage a tank used for medicating sounds like you really need to scrub it down well...ive even read about the acid being used.

its a very risky situation for the poster above... proceed with caution is all i can say.

[ToeJam]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/printthread.php?threadid=861048

I finally had some help finding more info about copper and removal.

Hope this helps clear up some things about copper and how to get rid of it.