Copper test shows ~.12 copper in my tank, not sure what that means.

[raketemensch]

I'm seeing medicinal copper levels listed, but not what should be expected every day.

I recently received a CuC package, and am trying to determine if they were DOA or if I killed them, and from what I read, copper can be a common cause of death for them.

 

[raketemensch]

So, reading up some more, in case google coughs up this thread one day...

What I've read is:

Here are some therapeutic levels that will help:

• .15-.20 ppm for Oodinium/Brooklynella (most freshwater applications)
• .20-.25 ppm for Crytocaryon

So, by that measure, .15 is the beginning of therapeutic levels.

I also just read that:

Even small amounts of copper can prove fatal for Astrea snails and copper based medications can not be used in a tank containing Astrea or other snails.

So, anything over 0.15 would be bad, and I'm just about there, if not exactly there, as the color in the kit is somewhere near the middle of 0 and 0.25.

Basically, I put the first things into my tank, and I killed them.

So much responsibility in this hobby.

(Cuprisorb and a filter bag are on the way, and I'll be doing a 20% water change this weekend)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Seems too high for a reef tank, but it also may not be accurate.

 

[jsvand5]

What are you using to test? Unless it’s a Hanna checker I’d assume it’s testing error. Cuprisorb can’t hurt just in case though.

 

[raketemensch]

It’s an API copper test. I’m guessing no one trusts API kits?

 

[jsvand5]

It’s an API copper test. I’m guessing no one trusts API kits?

Definitely not for Cu. Unless you’ve dosed copper to that tank at some point it’s very unlikely you have that level.