Can't get rid of copper

Shellback82

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Hi all, I;ve got a huge problem! I inadvertantly added copper to my display reef tank. Huge and costly mistake. After many attempts to get all of the copper out, I decided to tear down the entire tank and start over with new rock and sand. After thoroughly washing the tank down with vinegar and water, I rinsed it down several times with fresh water then dried it. I then added freshly made saltwater and filled up my 125 gallon aquarium. Just out of curiosity, I tested the water again hoping to find a copper result of 0.00ppm. To my dismay, it was up around .47ppm. I just made a new batch of fresh RODI water and tested it for copper and got my 0.00ppm result. My RODI system is good. I then added some salt (Instant Ocean Reef Crystals) and put a fairly new powerhead in the barrel to mix it. I tested that water and I'm up at .60ppm oc copper! The only two places it could be coming from is the salt or leaking out of my fairly new powerhead. Can anyone help me figure out what to do to fix this problem?
 

Saltyreef

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What test kit are you using?
Did you rinse the equipment that was used in the tank in vinegar as well?

Fwiw my hanna HR reads copper @ .19ppm in fresh mixed water.

You can send in a water sample to ATI to double check but mine came back 0.
 

Uncle99

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Something seems wrong with testing, those amounts represent therapeutic levels and if nothing like rock or sand went back, that doesn’t seem possible.

Get a second opinion.
 

R33fDaddy

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Hi all, I;ve got a huge problem! I inadvertantly added copper to my display reef tank. Huge and costly mistake. After many attempts to get all of the copper out, I decided to tear down the entire tank and start over with new rock and sand. After thoroughly washing the tank down with vinegar and water, I rinsed it down several times with fresh water then dried it. I then added freshly made saltwater and filled up my 125 gallon aquarium. Just out of curiosity, I tested the water again hoping to find a copper result of 0.00ppm. To my dismay, it was up around .47ppm. I just made a new batch of fresh RODI water and tested it for copper and got my 0.00ppm result. My RODI system is good. I then added some salt (Instant Ocean Reef Crystals) and put a fairly new powerhead in the barrel to mix it. I tested that water and I'm up at .60ppm oc copper! The only two places it could be coming from is the salt or leaking out of my fairly new powerhead. Can anyone help me figure out what to do to fix this problem?

How much Copper did you add to the tank and what kind?

Adding Copper to a reef tank does not "nuke" the tank. We really have to get of this type of thinking.

I've dosed Cooper in my display tank with before and it hasn't been a problem at all. Hopefully we can help you.
 
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Shellback82

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What test kit are you using?
Did you rinse the equipment that was used in the tank in vinegar as well?

Fwiw my hanna HR reads copper @ .19ppm in fresh mixed water.

You can send in a water sample to ATI to double check but mine came back 0.
I'm using the Hannah HI702 checker Copper HR (ppm). Yes, both powerheads were rinsed in vinegar solution. I think it's in my salt because I tested my fresh water and it tested 0.00. It was only after adding the salt that it jumped. Yes, I sent a sample in laste week. I got an email from them saying they received it so I shoud be hearing back hopefully on monday. Thanks for letting me know what yours tested in freshwater!
 
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Shellback82

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Something seems wrong with testing, those amounts represent therapeutic levels and if nothing like rock or sand went back, that doesn’t seem possible.

Get a second opinion.
That's what I thought too! I did send out a sample to be tested and hopefully, I'll hear back on monday.
 

Saltyreef

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There is copper in salt. But not at the levels youre seeing on the hanna.
Theres a lot of reports that are similar.
I think you have nothing to worry about.

Was it chelated or ionic?
 

TheDragonsReef

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Ive heard of it leaching into the silicone seals but i doubt it could do that much. Pick up some cuprisorb and see if that helps. I would also verify with an icp test to make sure youre not getting false readings.
 
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Shellback82

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How much Copper did you add to the tank and what kind?

Adding Copper to a reef tank does not "nuke" the tank. We really have to get of this type of thinking.

I've dosed Cooper in my display tank with before and it hasn't been a problem at all. Hopefully we can help you.
It's been about 6 months since I did that so I don't remember how much. I think the brand was odin-ex in a liquid form. I'm starting to think that i may have a faulty tester from Hanna.
 
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Shellback82

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There is copper in salt. But not at the levels youre seeing on the hanna.
Theres a lot of reports that are similar.
I think you have nothing to worry about.

Was it chelated or ionic?
Chelated or ionic? I wish I knew. I'll have to wait toi see what the results of that ICP test is.
 
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Shellback82

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Ive heard of it leaching into the silicone seals but i doubt it could do that much. Pick up some cuprisorb and see if that helps. I would also verify with an icp test to make sure youre not getting false readings.
I've been running cuprisorb and filter pads for the last 6 months with very little difference. At one point, I had it down to .15ppm. It hasn't been anywhere near that low since I took all the live rock and and out and replaced it with new.
 
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Shellback82

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What copper product did you use is what im after.
Different theraputic levels for each....
1624136178693.png
 

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It's been about 6 months since I did that so I don't remember how much. I think the brand was odin-ex in a liquid form. I'm starting to think that i may have a faulty tester from Hanna.
Make sure that you don't have any finger prints or air bubbles when you test. Those two things will throw off the Hanna Copper tester big time. Also if you can grab a cheap API Cooper Checker to compare that would be great.
 

R33fDaddy

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I've been running cuprisorb and filter pads for the last 6 months with very little difference. At one point, I had it down to .15ppm. It hasn't been anywhere near that low since I took all the live rock and and out and replaced it with new.
Cuprisorb is extremely effective at removing Cooper. How much are you running and big is your tank?

Also is it in a high flow area?
 
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Shellback82

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Make sure that you don't have any finger prints or air bubbles when you test. Those two things will throw off the Hanna Copper tester big time. Also if you can grab a cheap API Cooper Checker to compare that would be great.
I do wipe off the glass vile before putting it into the tester. I will see if i can pick up that different tester. Thanks!
 
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Shellback82

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Cuprisorb is extremely effective at removing Cooper. How much are you running and big is your tank?

Also is it in a high flow area?
I had an extra caniter filter that came with this tank (I don't use this normally). I have it with both high grade carbon and about 2 cups worth of cuprisorb in filter bags inside the canister filter.
 
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Shellback82

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I just got the report back from my ICP test. Here are the results. Are any of these harmful and if so, how do I get them under control?

MACRO-ELEMENTSANALYSISSETPOINT
NaSODIUM12084 mg/l10000 - 11300 mg/l
CaCALCIUM626 mg/l415 - 520 mg/l
MgMAGNESIUM1760 mg/l1320 - 1500 mg/l
KPOTASSIUM462 mg/l380 - 480 mg/l
BrBROMIDE84 mg/l62 mg/l
BBORON6.195 mg/l4.5 mg/l
SrSTRONTIUM12.607 mg/l8 - 12 mg/l
SSULPHUR970 mg/l900 mg/l
LI-GROUPANALYSISSETPOINT
LiLITHIUM420 µg/l200 µg/l
NiNICKEL1.089 µg/l5 µg/l
MoMOLYBDENUM5 µg/l12 µg/l
I-GROUPANALYSISSETPOINT
VVANADIUM0 µg/l0 - 3 µg/l
ZnZINC6.233 µg/l0 - 5 µg/l
MnMANGANESE8.783 µg/l0 - 3 µg/l
IIODINE132 µg/l30 - 90 µg/l
FE-GROUPANALYSISSETPOINT
CrCHROMIUM0 µg/l0 µg/l
CoCOBALT0 µg/l0 µg/l
FeIRON10 µg/l0 µg/l
BA-GROUPANALYSISSETPOINT
BaBARIUM76 µg/l0 - 10 µg/l
BeBERYLLIUM0 µg/l0 µg/l
SI-GROUPANALYSISSETPOINT
SiSILICON3056 µg/l0 - 200 µg/l
 
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Shellback82

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Your salinity is too high. Lowering it will help lower calcium, magnesium ,potassium, etc.

Did you get a copper result?
Hi Randy, Yes, it's zero. Looks like i had a bad tester from Hanna. Here are the rest of the results.


UNWANTED HEAVY METALSANALYSISSETPOINT
HgMERCURY0 µg/l0 µg/l
SeSELENIUM0 µg/l0 µg/l
CdCADMIUM0 µg/l0 µg/l
SnTIN0 µg/l0 µg/l
SbANTIMONY0 µg/l0 µg/l
AsARSENIC0 µg/l0 µg/l
AlALUMINIUM62 µg/l0 - 60 µg/l
PbLEAD0 µg/l0 µg/l
TiTITANIUM0 µg/l0 µg/l
CuCOPPER0 µg/l0 µg/l
LaLANTHANUM0 µg/l0 µg/l
ScSCANDIUM0 µg/l0 µg/l
WTUNGSTEN0 µg/l0 µg/l
 

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