Treating w/Copper (Cu)

[Riptide]

Anyone else experience this problem? I am having a very difficult time getting the concentration of Cu to go above .05 in my quarantine tank. I have -0- rocks or gravel, it is bare bottom. No carbon is being used or any sort of chemical filtration. I have a bio-wheel going, but it was added only a week ago.

I am using the SeaCure Cu and the FaStest copper test. I've put about 25 drops of the stuff in there and it just won't budge - stays at .05. Tank is only 10g so that should be a pretty hefty dose.

Is something wrong with these test kits or this medication? I've already exchanged them and it hasn't helped.

One thing of note: the date on the bottom of the copper medication as well as the test kit shows as being past date by several months. What the hell? The first kit and the first bottle of medication also had the same issue and when I went to return it at the LFS they told me they can't get them in without them being past date. I was skeptical. But, after ordering a whole new set from Dr. Foster's guess what? They also came expired which backs up what the LFS told me.

[Sharyl C]

I posted on your other thread too - but I just read this one...

I agree the expired test kits and medication may be to blame, but...

The copper gets "absorbed" by everything that your tank water comes in contact with and until that "gets filled up" (for lack of a better description) your copper level will continue to drop. When I run quarantines (I use copper sulfate and test daily) at work it normally take about 2-3 weeks for the copper to "stabilize".

i would test at least daily or 2X per day and dose as needed.

hope that makes sense.

[Riptide]

It's a bare tank so in theory nothing should be able to absorb the copper. But I can put in up to 25g worth of dose and not test anywhere near what I should be at. And that's in a 10g tank. It's ridiculous, and I'm frankly sick and tired of wasting money on these absolutely WORTHLESS test kits.

I will keep treating at the dosage according to the manual and best guess it. I don't have the patience or money to keep throwing kit after kit at the problem.

It's particuarly difficult when none of my 4 LFS have copper kits. We got the first one from one of our LFS but it was expired. The second one was flown in from Dr. Foster's and it was expired. Both of them show the same results even after giving that 10g tank what should be a heavy dose.

[Gealcath]

Silicone glass also absorbes copper, so even though its bare bottom, the glass is soaking up the copper.