Copper Testing Simplified! Using Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker HI702

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Copper Testing Simplified!

Using Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker HI702

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Photo by: https://hannainst.com

Have Trouble reading visual tests when using copper to treat fish for parasites? Problem Solved!

I first want to start off saying, I have been in the hobby a little under a year. I have done about everything you can do wrong and had many expensive lessons. That is what brings me to this article and the discovery of the Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker. A good friend (@4FordFamily) who helped me start in the hobby, coached me that the only way to do this and do it right was to set up a quarantine tank. Interest quickly led to obsession, and I wanted all of the hardest to keep fish. I know this topic brings much controversy, as to whether or not you can keep certain species fish in the presence of parasites and manage it successfully. Right, wrong, or indifferent, I chose the route of a disease-free display tank. After countless hours of reading, mostly on the disease forum and seeing the daily posts of members dealing with various parasites and diseases, I figured it was the best route.

Soon after, I purchased my new Red Sea Reefer 750XXL and sourced a used 40b to be used as my QT. I used the list on the disease forum for recommended medications to keep on hand and ordered my first batch of fish.

Copper Quarantine Attempts

Within three days of my first order’s arrival, signs of Marine Velvet Disease were imminent. I ramped up copper over 36hrs using Copper Safe (a chelated form of copper). Within 24 hours of reaching the therapeutic level, over half my fish had died and I was experiencing a major bacterial bloom. I started with twelve fish, and by the time I finished the 30-day copper treatment I had done 27 water changes and had four fish left. I was over it. Some time passed, those fish made it to my DT. I thought I was ready for round two...

I now had enough time to get over the frustration and aggravation of my mostly failed first attempt. So, I ordered another dozen fish. I placed them in QT. Without going into grave detail, two weeks in and I had four fish left. I could not give up yet; my brain does not allow me to operate in that fashion. What am I doing wrong?

My third attempt was a complete failure with a total loss within a couple days of reaching the “therapeutic level” for copper. I used the same salt, RODI water, etc. as my main display. I keep two ammonia alert badges in my quarantine, neither of which ever showed an alert. Fish in display were just fine. This could only lead me to believe that my issue was coming from the copper inconsistencies.

I Wasn’t Alone

Meanwhile, Jason (@4FordFamily) is having the same exact problem at his house. He has two 55-gallon QTs — one that is his and one that we share. Keep in mind, Jason has over 13 years of experience in the hobby and has successfully quarantined and kept some of the most difficult fish in the hobby. We were both stumped! We live only five minutes apart but do have separate municipalities for our water source. Other than that, all equipment we use was identical.

For Informational purposes, all three of Jason and I’s quarantine tanks were set up identically: Bare bottom with PVC fittings, air stone, cheap led light from Amazon, powerhead, Marineland HOB filter, and Eheim Jager Heater. Factory inserts were removed from the HOB filter and filter floss in its place seeded with Dr. Tims live nitrifying bacteria.

Problem Solved!

While I am somewhat embarrassed to admit, I wasn’t testing frequently enough and clearly had a difficult time reading the API test kit. Shame on me! I made the assumption that I could just dose as others had successfully in the past.

I immediately started looking for a solution, and even though at the time Hanna Instruments could not validate the accuracy of the High Range Copper Checker HI702 in the presence of saltwater, I took a chance, ordered two, and did some experimenting of my own.

Test 1
1gallon RODI, 1.25ml syringe measured copper safe to match dosing instructions on bottle. Result 2.99ppm
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Test 2
Added salt to test 1 bucket, to a specific gravity of 1.024. Result 3.03ppm
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Hanna states a +/-.05ppm margin of error so even in saltwater test results seem to be very accurate at this point.

Test 3
1gallon RODI with syringe measured 1.475ml of copper power Result 2.53ppm
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Test 4
Added salt to test 3 bucket, to a specific gravity of 1.024. Result 2.49ppm
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These initial tests suggested there was no significant difference between testing saltwater or freshwater.

I immediately contacted Hanna Instruments with my findings and continued to do some additional testing. All of my further testing was done in saltwater only. I did not see the need to compare the results of fresh/salt any longer.

I tested the following products and dosed precisely with syringes following the manufacturer’s instructions into saltwater and yielded the following results:

Copper Power = 2.5ppm concentration

Cupramine = .5ppm concentration

Cuprion =.2ppm concentration

All of which, match manufacturers stated concentration/potency.

I also at the request of Bobby (@Humblefish) ordered the ingredients to make “Old School Copper,” Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate solution. Results were also as expected.

*Only Copper Safe tested inconsistently.

Additional Results can be viewed in the thread I created when all of this came about.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/c...instruments-high-range-copper-checker.368943/



Hanna Experiment

I had to try this out in a true setting with fish in the water! I ordered several known sensitive species of fish (Leopard wrasse, Moorish Idol, Regal Angel, to name a few) intentionally for the purpose of experimenting (and I wanted to keep them).

I switched to Copper Power due to my past experience of inconsistencies while using Copper Safe. There is enough uncertainty in the hobby as it is, and I was fed up!

I was able to successfully “ramp up” testing frequently using the “Hanna method.” The result was amazing; it is so easy to monitor the level of copper and stay just slightly above the therapeutic level of 1.5ppm. My target was 1.75ppm. After a full 30-day treatment, only one fish was lost 21 days into treatment. What copper? The fish I lost was a black leopard wrasse, and I never saw him eat, even with several different types of food offered.

Tester Verified by Hanna Instruments!

Shortly after, I had completed my successful quarantine with the use of the Hanna Checker, Hanna made the announcement that they had completed their research and verified the tester was now deemed accurate for use in saltwater!

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/hi702-copper-checker-for-seawater.386806/#post-4692733

I hope that this discovery can help hobbyists who choose to treat fish prophylactically or fish afflicted with Ich and Marine Velvet Disease using copper, do so in a manner that is much safer. This will hopefully save the lives of countless fish and become the “go to” way to test copper.

Thank You!

I also want to extend a special Thank You to 4fordfamily and Humblefish for your support. Without you two, I wouldn’t be where I am today in this hobby. You guys and all the members on here are what make Reef2Reef such a great community to be a part of! Thank you, Hanna Instruments, for this great product and the effort you put into verification for saltwater use. A special thanks to all the Reef2Reef members who ordered immediately after my original post and contributed data to the original thread.

About the Author:

Kyle has been involved in the hobby for around one year. Almost immediately, he developed quite a passion for this hobby. Competitive, he aims to keep difficult fish through research and learning. He frequents the disease forum and enjoys helping others around the R2R community diagnose and treat various ailments in marine fish.

Kyle has been with his wife Audrey for 16 years, married for 11, and has two daughters ages 2 and 3. He is self employed in the asphalt paving business, hence the name HotRocks. His other hobbies include but are not limited to cars, remote-control airplanes, helicopters, and more recently drones. HAPPY REEFING!
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HotRocks
4FordFamily is a nerd!

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