Copper not working

[Nate5154]

Hi, i’m currently quarantining a few fish and have been dosing with seachem and using the seachem copper tests. I have dosed the right amount every day for 3 days but none of the days have I gotten a reading. My tests have been 0 copper every time. In my filter i took out the bio balls and carbon and am just running the sponges. Does anyone know why this is happening?

 

[fishywishy]

Are you using Seachem Cupramine or another copper med? Cupramine is not ionic copper. Seachems test kit doesn’t work with Cupramine, it only measures ionic copper. So if you’re using Cupramine and testing with Seachem’s copper test, it will read 0 ppm even if Cupramine is present.

 

[MnFish1]

Are you using Seachem Cupramine or another copper med? Cupramine is not ionic copper. Seachems test kit doesn’t work with Cupramine, it only measures ionic copper. So if you’re using Cupramine and testing with Seachem’s copper test, it will read 0 ppm even if Cupramine is present.

You may be incorrect - depending on which test and which copper is being used. From Seachem's website: "Copper kits are usually of two types: compleximetric or titration based. Some kits measure only ionic copper and others measure both ionic and chelated copper. This kit uses a highly sensitive catalytic compleximetric based procedure to measure all types of copper to less than 0.01 mg/L in marine or freshwater. MultiTest™ Copper performs over 75 tests and contains a reference sample for validation"

It is important to know which copper is being used - and what test is being used.

 

[MnFish1]

Hi, i’m currently quarantining a few fish and have been dosing with seachem and using the seachem copper tests. I have dosed the right amount every day for 3 days but none of the days have I gotten a reading. My tests have been 0 copper every time. In my filter i took out the bio balls and carbon and am just running the sponges. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Can you please let everyone know which copper test you're using and what copper you're using - as you may be getting inaccurate results. You also need to make sure that the test you're using is compatible with the copper you're using.

Good that you took out the carbon. Is there a lot of rock in your tank - if so - copper may be adsorbing onto the rock

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi, i’m currently quarantining a few fish and have been dosing with seachem and using the seachem copper tests. I have dosed the right amount every day for 3 days but none of the days have I gotten a reading. My tests have been 0 copper every time. In my filter i took out the bio balls and carbon and am just running the sponges. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Please verify which copper product you are using and have you removed carbon and any media before applying copper?

 

[Nate5154]

Hi, i’m currently quarantining a few fish and have been dosing with seachem and using the seachem copper tests. I have dosed the right amount every day for 3 days but none of the days have I gotten a reading. My tests have been 0 copper every time. In my filter i took out the bio balls and carbon and am just running the sponges. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Please verify which copper product you are using and have you removed carbon and any media before applying copper?

I’m using the Seachem Cupramine and the seachem multi copper test

 

[Nate5154]

Hi, i’m currently quarantining a few fish and have been dosing with seachem and using the seachem copper tests. I have dosed the right amount every day for 3 days but none of the days have I gotten a reading. My tests have been 0 copper every time. In my filter i took out the bio balls and carbon and am just running the sponges. Does anyone know why this is happening?

Can you please let everyone know which copper test you're using and what copper you're using - as you may be getting inaccurate results. You also need to make sure that the test you're using is compatible with the copper you're using.

Good that you took out the carbon. Is there a lot of rock in your tank - if so - copper may be adsorbing onto the rock

Yea there’s no rocks or anything just pvc and bare bottom

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I’m using the Seachem Cupramine and the seachem multi copper test

That copper product is readable by that copper test.

Your target dose for Cupramine is 0.50 ppm.

If there is not something pulling the Cupramine out of your tank water (calcium based substrate for example) then there must be a problem with the test or the bottle of medication.

I’d make up 5 gallons of saltwater in a bucket and test that. If that reads zero, then the problem is with the test or the copper and not your tank.

 

[Nate5154]

I’m using the Seachem Cupramine and the seachem multi copper test

That copper product is readable by that copper test.

Your target dose for Cupramine is 0.50 ppm.

If there is not something pulling the Cupramine out of your tank water (calcium based substrate for example) then there must be a problem with the test or the bottle of medication.

I’d make up 5 gallons of saltwater in a bucket and test that. If that reads zero, then the problem is with the test or the copper and not your tank.

I was originally mixing some of the copper with regular rodi water to bring smaller doses slower but maybe I got the amounts wrong.