Can I Run Skimmer with Copper?

[dochow]

Can I run a skimmer while dosing Copper Power in a QT tank? How about other medications like General Cure (metro and prazi)?

I assume Cooper Power would be OK since it isn’t a protein and hopefully wouldn’t be bound to those proteins which are removed in the “flash skimming” process of a Tunze Comline 9004 DC skimmer.

Maybe medications wouldn’t work with the skimmer so keep the skimmer off while General Cure needs to be effective?

I couldn’t find any good articles on this and I’d like to run a skimmer for my QT to help control ammonia while Copper in the tank for the next 4 weeks.

thank you community!

 

[Reefer1978]

I don't believe you skimmer will help with amonia, but running a skimmer is absolutely fine. Some say equipment that's seen copper should never see a reef tank afterwards, some say if you use chelated copper you can wash it off later. If you have a dedicated skimmer on the QT tank I think you will be ok.

 

[Reefer1978]

If the concern for ammonia is lack of lots of bacteria, you can throw a marine pure block into the tank and cycle it well. That will create a lot of bacteria colonization surface and since it's a QT tank you don't have to worry about Marine pure leaching long-term (which is also not a huge concern, I am running one for 2 years in my tank).

 

[dochow]

The QT has been up and running for over 6 months and has 2 marine pure blocks in it seeded from my DT. I’m assuming my multiple doses of General Cure has probably knocked out this bacterial population th

the skimmer would just aid in removing waste that would be in the water column that would break down to ammonia and give the bacterial colonies a chance to bounce back after antibiotic treatment.

my concern is that the skimmer would remove copper and hence cause a restart in the 30 days of copper treatment if it drops below 2