Copper and rock

[Andrewk5018]

So i have some ich going on in my display tank. I had plans to switch over my 120 fresh to the new reef display. So my plan now is to move just my smallish corals over to the 120 and let them grow out for the 70+ day period and just leave the fish and rest of the scape in my current 75. If i leave the scape in there for 70+ days with a copper treatment can i then swap it over to the 120 after the ich is eradicated? Or am i out 50+lbs of rock? I’m already planning on a mew substrate so i don’t care about the sand but rock is super expensive as you all know

 

[Jekyl]

Copper will absorb into the rocks and thus leech out until removed

 

[LeftyReefer]

Move the fish to a QT tank for treatment. While you are treating these fish in a QT tank, leave your main tank be. Leave all the rock and corals alone, fishless, for 45+ days. This will allow the ICH to die off and won't harm your rocks.

After you've treated your fish and let the main tank fallow for the 45+ days, THEN you can start moving rock and corals out to a new tank without worry.

 

[Andrewk5018]

Ok. Only reason i wanted to leave them in the current smaller display is was because of the sump but i have a 55 with 2 hob’s that will have to work. Thanks for the info I appreciate it

 

[exnisstech]

Most people will say the rock is trash after using copper with the rock. I will disagree with them. All of the rock in this tank went through copper when I decided to treat the DT about 3 years ago. I used cupramine as treatment and cuprisorb to remove the copper afterwards. I just kept testing untill the copper was gone. Rock has been in this current tank for over 2 years and all is well. I have inverts also. Not sure if the results would be different had I used copper power instead of cupramine? Of course LeftyReefers recommendation would be the preferred method.
Tank with copper treated rock

 

[Andrewk5018]

Most people will say the rock is trash after using copper with the rock. I will disagree with them. All of the rock in this tank went through copper when I decided to treat the DT about 3 years ago. I used cupramine as treatment and cuprisorb to remove the copper afterwards. I just kept testing untill the copper was gone. Rock has been in this current tank for over 2 years and all is well. I have inverts also. Not sure if the results would be different had I used copper power instead of cupramine? Of course LeftyReefers recommendation would be the preferred method.
Tank with copper treated rock

Good to know. Gorgeous tank also! I think i’m going to just keep letting my stock in my 120 grow out for a few more months before moving everyone over to my 180. I’ll treat the fish in a bare 55 then I’ll switch the 55 over to a sump for that 120 after

 

[exnisstech]

That would be best. It's a pain to treat with the rock in the tank because it tends to absorb the copper so it makes it difficult to keep at the recommended therapeutic levels. Bare tank with pcv pipes etc is the best way. I just wanted to show that the rock can be reused but I would not recommend that method and would probably not do it again unless I had no choice

 

[Andrewk5018]

That would be best. It's a pain to treat with the rock in the tank because it tends to absorb the copper so it makes it difficult to keep at the recommended therapeutic levels. Bare tank with pcv pipes etc is the best way. I just wanted to show that the rock can be reused but I would not recommend that method and would probably not do it again unless I had no choice

What copper tester do you reccomend? I’m using fritz copper safe. I should get the high range hanna right?

 

[exnisstech]

What copper tester do you reccomend? I’m using fritz copper safe. I should get the high range hanna right?

The hanna high range is what I prefer. I'm not familiar with fritz copper safe so I can't comment on that. Copper power is what I used the last time and compared to cupramine it was awesome. Once the correct level is reached the only time I had to add more was when I was mixing new salt water for changes then I just brought the new water up to that level before changing.

 

[Andrewk5018]

The hanna high range is what I prefer. I'm not familiar with fritz copper safe so I can't comment on that. Copper power is what I used the last time and compared to cupramine it was awesome. Once the correct level is reached the only time I had to add more was when I was mixing new salt water for changes then I just brought the new water up to that level before changing.

Whats your opinion on hyposalinity for curing ich?

 

[exnisstech]

Whats your opinion on hyposalinity for curing ich?

I have read good things about it but have not tried it personally.

 

[Andrewk5018]

Welp everyone is in the quarantine tank. 1 clown(his buddy jumped a few days ago even with glass lids, i didnt have the plastic strip on the back) powder blue(of course the one that got ich), blue eye kole tang, coral beauty, 3 yellow tail damsels, 2 electric blue damsels, one spot fox face, and a small 6 line that i got at the pet store when getting my hanna copper tester. Figured if i’m starting up this qt tabk might as well get the last fish i wanted for this setup. Probably going to sell the powder blue though. He was kind of aggressive toward the angel and the other tang(some aggression was expected). Plus i don’t want to deal with this again in the future. I’m only maybe 4 months into my salt venture and i think i’m at the part where everyone tells you to have patience lol

 

[Jay Hemdal]

Whats your opinion on hyposalinity for curing ich?

It will work, and without the issue of copper getting into your rock. You need to go to a specific gravity of exactly 1.009 for 30 to 35 days. It isn't a good of an option for active cases of ich because it takes a couple of days to drop the salinity and then it takes 3 days to start to work, and by that time, really sick fish may have died. Copper works a bit faster.

Jay