Copper?!!!

[VoodooChild]

Alright, so I decided what a good idea it was to test for Copper (thanks for the advice everyone), and I used Red Sea's test kit. Now, the difference between 0 ppm and .1 ppm is a few shades of green. After consulting with a few other people as to what I color I got, we're pretty unsure. One says 0, one says .1, and I guess I'd maybe shoot for .05. I know that inverts can't live with Cu and I was really looking forward to a herd of hermits and shrimp. My questions are----Can certain inverts live with small levels of Cu? Will this affect live rock and kill everything in it to make it basically base rock? And finally-is there any way to neutralize it? I did the test three times and will do so many more tonight. Thanks for the help. I'll be so pissed if I can't have my herd of hermits...

[gcvt]

My first thought would be to have more tests run with different test kits. Can you go to a few shops and pay them a couple bucks to test your water for copper? Red Sea doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to test kits. If you could find a lfs using Salifert, Hach, or LaMotte test kits, that would be better and would give you a more accurate test result.

[MonoSebaelover]

I once used a Red Sea Copper test kit after I had treated my Q-T tank with copper and wanted to see the level. The test read 0, and I was like how could that be? So I tested with a SeaTest Copper test kit and it read copper was at the highest you want it for treatment. I threw away the Red Sea one because it didn't prove anything. Why would you have copper in your water? Have you treated with copper or do you have copper in your tap water. Other than that there really is no reason there should be any copper in your tank.

[SpongeBob]

Are you using old FW equipment that was previously exposed to copper? We need to determine the source of the "potential" copper.

[Satchmo]

I'd agree that the Red Sea kits are horrid. IMHO, most of the products made by this company are terrible. Salifert is probably the most cost-effective reliable kit.

[Corax]

A buddy of mine, that happens to be an environmental engineer and certifiable reef-nut, told me not to bother testing copper because by the time it is high enough to be detected by hobbyist-level test kits, it is already beyond what copper-sensitive critters can tolerate anyway...

[gcvt]

Originally posted by RaVenCAD
A buddy of mine, that happens to be an environmental engineer and certifiable reef-nut, told me not to bother testing copper because by the time it is high enough to be detected by hobbyist-level test kits, it is already beyond what copper-sensitive critters can tolerate anyway...

That would depend on what this individual considers to be a "hobbyist-level" test kit.

Sounds like VC is doing a preemptive check; it doesn't sound like there is any livestock at risk.

[Corax]

If I'm not mistaken, he had the Aquarium Systems kit and I THINK a Salifert... In both cases, the range started aboce what was considered a critical level... I'm regurgitating what he told me, and probably doing a poor job of it, but this is the jist of what he told me and he's generally a great sourse of info...

[VoodooChild]

Thanks guys for the help. I'll buy a few more. I'm using a Millenium 200 and a Marineland Powerhead that I've used before, but my pipes are copper. I didn't think that would get into the water...Well, I'll try again. You guys really don't like Red Sea? I like the way they have the instructions set up, with the diagram, and I seem to be getting accurate readings on my Ph, alkalinity, and calcium. The oxygen test kit is a pain in the arse to use though. Thanks again. Is there any way to take the copper out? I put alot of carbon in (I read that somewhere), which I hope doesn't screw up my cycling (the tank reeks...go shrimp).

[VoodooChild]

Ok, so I was thinking about where these two pieces of equipment have been, and the powerhead was in a Malawi 55, and as far as I can remember, and I know that I remember right, the only chemical ever in there besides Mela fix and Stress Coat was No More Algae, by Jungle. The Millenium wasn't even running (I never got the extension cord I needed) but the intake was in a 30 Amazon setup, with only Flora Gro in there. I checked the ingredients on both, and neither had copper. I went to Drsfostersmith and bought a Seachem test kit and some sort of crystals by Jungle that's supposed to neutralize copper (if it doesn't, it still dechlorinates). I also pumped a bit of Stress Coat into the tank, which also is supposed to neutralize heavy metals. Does anyone know if all of this, like the excessive neutralizers and the carbon, will upset my cycle? Thanks for everyones patience.