Chaeto and copper

[Gtinnel]

I have a refugium on my system that I've never really used. I had chaeto in it once but it ended up dying because I had low nutrients. As my tank stocking has increased I now have enough nutrients that I'm going to try chaeto again. I've ordered some chaeto from another user on here that is supposed to arrive today and until I can get my refugium cleaned out (there is an inch or so of mulm on the bottom and the refugium is filled with red planaria) would it be okay to put the chaeto in my qt tank that has at least some cupramine in it. I've done water changes since my last fish was in it, so it's not even as high as a therapeutic level, but I know there is still some in there.

Will the copper kill the chaeto, or worse get trapped by the chaeto and then released into my display once I move the chaeto over?

I also wouldn't mind leaving the chaeto in the qt for a few weeks to check for pests before adding to my display tank. The user I bought it from told me what he has in his tank, and I have no reason to doubt him, but it's always best to be cautious.

 

[PatW]

The chaeto should handle copper just fine. But it might leach copper out later and marine invertebrates are very sensitive to copper. Just say no. It sounds like more trouble than it is worth.

If you want to get rid of pests, you could dip the chaeto in one of the popular coral dips and that should put paid to most things that might be in it. You could even keep it in the dip for far longer than you would corals like a couple of hours. After dipping, I would rinse very thoroughly in salt water and do it several times.

 

[Gtinnel]

The chaeto should handle copper just fine. But it might leach copper out later and marine invertebrates are very sensitive to copper. Just say no. It sounds like more trouble than it is worth.

If you want to get rid of pests, you could dip the chaeto in one of the popular coral dips and that should put paid to most things that might be in it. You could even keep it in the dip for far longer than you would corals like a couple of hours. After dipping, I would rinse very thoroughly in salt water and do it several times.

If there is any chance of it leeching copper back out then I won't be adding it to my qt. I'll probably just take your advice and dip it. Or I will put it in the fuge and isolate the fuge so it isn't connected to the rest of the system for a week or two, which on my setup is easy to do.

 

[DrMMI]

You can always just use a 5g bucket, air stone, and use water from your display that's loaded with nutrients to hold it for a week or two. Just dump some food in every few days. I've mailed chaeto that survived a week in a Ziploc bag and little to no water.

 

[Gtinnel]

I've just started to clean out fuge, once I get it clean I'll add the chaeto and put an airstone in, but keep it isolated from my tank water. Is leaving it seperate from the system for a week or two a good idea or pointless?
It seems fairly clean as far as I can see, plus I still plan on dipping it.