*COPPERSAFE WARNING* along with Research on Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker

[Kyl]

Yep, on the list for this weekend. I'm probably just going to do it in a bucket of RO, shouldn't matter being FW as it seems you did the same thing. Darn, was counting on a nice 1.6-1.8 reading, then the leopard could have gone in the DT, the tank it was in taken down and the QT station built up. Curse these crappy eyes.

 

[HotRocks]

Yep, on the list for this weekend. I'm probably just going to do it in a bucket of RO, shouldn't matter being FW as it seems you did the same thing. Darn, was counting on a nice 1.6-1.8 reading, then the leopard could have gone in the DT, the tank it was in taken down and the QT station built up. Curse these crappy eyes.

For the purpose of testing your concentration level I would just use RO. Just make sure you precisely measure your water/copper. Then you will be good to go.

Problem with Wrasse is they rarely show the signs of ich/velvet due to the thick mucous coating they have. I know you don't want to hear this. But I would run it through another 30 day copper treatment to be sure. That's just my .02, obviously you can do whatever you see fit.

On the bright side, you can monitor it really easily now and stay just above the 1.5ppm mark. My 2 leopards are still doing excellent, and I've been trying to maintain 1.7ppm-1.8ppm.

 

[Kyl]

Yeah, shortcuts never work. Just the obvious five reagents left, still no ETA on more up in Canadaland. I'm wondering if it's even worth it to test that bottle again since it was both almost empty, and now technically expired. Instead, test the brand new one to get a baseline from which to dose for round two. That won't really help "confirm" the checker is working properly if it's not reading 1.5ppm @ 1tsp/5ml in 4gal.

I will say that this already has potentially saved me some headache, it was most definitely not therapeutic when the other test for me personally was saying otherwise. I'd rather not have had to dig the fish out down the road and gone fallow for a second time.

 

[HotRocks]

Yeah, shortcuts never work. Just the obvious five reagents left, still no ETA on more up in Canadaland. I'm wondering if it's even worth it to test that bottle again since it was both almost empty, and now technically expired. Instead, test the brand new one to get a baseline from which to dose for round two. That won't really help "confirm" the checker is working properly if it's not reading 1.5ppm @ 1tsp/5ml in 4gal.

I will say that this already has potentially saved me some headache, it was most definitely not therapeutic when the other test for me personally was saying otherwise. I'd rather not have had to dig the fish out down the road and gone fallow for a second time.

I would only test new bottle. Just keep the old one and test it once your additional reagents arrive. Once you test the new, you can start dosing. Once you get to what should be 50% check and make sure it aligns. Then as long as it does, test again at 100%. Leaving you enough reagents to monitor and or for after a water change etc.

 

[Josh Kraft]

We should put a post together with copper safe batch numbers and test their concentration. People can use that to know how much to dose to get to the right levels.

I have two I can test when my meter arrives

 

[alpenreefer]

Good morning everyone, @Humblefish @Big G @HotRocks @dwwataz
Not much chat this morning. Everyone must be "playing" with their new HI702's?
Not sure if this question should be posted here or on the "Quarantine" forum, but it had to do mostly with copper so I'm posting here. I recently QT'd fish from my DT due to Velvet/Brook and I am currently treating with Cupramine and Metro (arrives today). I live in a very dry climate with excessive evaporation, so I need to top off QT often. Question: Does Cupramine precipitate? Will Metronizadole (Seachem) precipitate? Can I just top off with RODI (marked QT water level at setup) to keep therapeutic level(s) correct?

 

[HotRocks]

Good morning everyone, @Humblefish @Big G @HotRocks @dwwataz
Not much chat this morning. Everyone must be "playing" with their new HI702's?
Not sure if this question should be posted here or on the "Quarantine" forum, but it had to do mostly with copper so I'm posting here. I recently QT'd fish from my DT due to Velvet/Brook and I am currently treating with Cupramine and Metro (arrives today). I live in a very dry climate with excessive evaporation, so I need to top off QT often. Question: Does Cupramine precipitate? Will Metronizadole (Seachem) precipitate? Can I just top off with RODI (marked QT water level at setup) to keep therapeutic level(s) correct?

Haha that's funny but probably true! I tested this am!

Copper will not evaporate. Just the water. You are good to just top off with RO. I try to do it daily, just to keep levels consistent. Best way is as you said, mark the tank and just keep it at that level as best as possible.

 

[alpenreefer]

Haha that's funny but probably true! I tested this am!

Copper will not evaporate. Just the water. You are good to just top off with RO. I try to do it daily, just to keep levels consistent. Best way is as you said, mark the tank and just keep it at that level as best as possible.

Thanks! That's what I though, but just wanted to make sure top off wasn't messing with therapeutic level. What about the Seachem Metro?

 

[HotRocks]

Thanks! That's what I though, but just wanted to make sure top off wasn't messing with therapeutic level. What about the Seachem Metro?

Metro is fine to just dose as instructed. It gets dosed every other day, so no need to compensate for evap.

 

[alpenreefer]

Metro is fine to just dose as instructed. It gets dosed every other day, so no need to compensate for evap.

Originally I read somewhere to treat with Kanaplex as well with the copper. What's the difference between that and Metro? Aren't both antibiotics? Should I dose both?

 

[HotRocks]

Originally I read somewhere to treat with Kanaplex as well with the copper. What's the difference between that and Metro? Aren't both antibiotics? Should I dose both?

Kanaplex treats things like find rot, pop eye, etc. It does contain antibiotics.

You will see recommended on R2R frequently, the use of Metroplex, Kanaplex, and Furan-2 in combination. This is basically a trio of medicine that will treat most types of bacterial infections. Covers a very wide range. I have personally used with much success.

For Brook, you want to use metroplex, it is antibacterial, but also treats for internal parasites if mixed with food. Dosing it into water column will kill off Brook.

 

[Big G]

Better not to dose antibiotics with copper.

That being said, you can dose antibiotics for specific needs. Copper + metro for Brook as Hotrocks posted above. Copper + the trifecta (metro, kanaplex, Furan2) for ich/velvet and a bacterial infection. But there is risk to mixing copper & other meds.

Here's Humblefish's advisory on treating bacterial infections and ich/velvet, brook, uronema, etc. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-bacterial-infection-predicament.310311/#post-3816129

 

[HotRocks]

Update on my QT:

All fish are still great, no losses yet. Today is 2 full weeks therapeutic!

Whatever was absorbing the copper has stopped (or absorbed as much as it can). My level is now increasing as water evaporates. I have intentionally not topped off in a few days.

 

[HotRocks]

Now that I am all stocked back up on reagents I did some additional testing today and have to agree with @Humblefish copper safe is all over the board, and should probably not be used, definitely not without a Hanna tester. I tested my other new unopened bottles today. Results below, pics show batch number and related test. I did test each one twice with no variation in results. Tests were performed with 1 gallon of RO, and 1.25ml of copper safe.

My bottle that was the cause of all this matches this batch # as well^^^. It's the one that reads 3.0ppm.

Copper Power seems to be much more consistent. I have tested several bottles with the lowest reading of 2.42ppm and highest of 2.53ppm.

 

[JMM744]

Can’t wait to get my tester. My chemetrics shows 2 but who knows. So, can ick show up after 10 or so days of copper? My saddleback had two spots on its tail a couple days ago out on the edges and uniform top to bottom. Thought maybe it was natural. Yesterday a third showed up off center. Def something like ich. Too big for velvet which they had.

 

[Brew12]

Now that I am all stocked back up on reagents I did some additional testing today and have to agree with @Humblefish copper safe is all over the board, and should probably not be used, definitely not without a Hanna tester. I tested my other new unopened bottles today. Results below, pics show batch number and related test. I did test each one twice with no variation in results. Tests were performed with 1 gallon of RO, and 1.25ml of copper safe.

My bottle that was the cause of all this matches this batch # as well^^^. It's the one that reads 3.0ppm.

Copper Power seems to be much more consistent. I have tested several bottles with the lowest reading of 2.42ppm and highest of 2.53ppm.

Did you ever test an older bottle of Coppersafe?

 

[HotRocks]

Can’t wait to get my tester. My chemetrics shows 2 but who knows. So, can ick show up after 10 or so days of copper? My saddleback had two spots on its tail a couple days ago out on the edges and uniform top to bottom. Thought maybe it was natural. Yesterday a third showed up off center. Def something like ich. Too big for velvet which they had.

Typically, no you wouldn't see any spots after 10 days in theraputic copper.

Clowns can be tricky though, as Brook can start showing up spotlike. Which Brook has to be treated with metro, as copper doesn't erradicate it. Keep an eye on it.

The other thing possible but unlikely is a copper resistant strain of ich.

Can you post some pics?

 

[HotRocks]

Did you ever test an older bottle of Coppersafe?

I have tested all three bottles I have currently. I'd have to get a sample from someone who has an older bottle. Do you have one?

 

[Brew12]

I have tested all three bottles I have currently. I'd have to get a sample from someone who has an older bottle. Do you have one?

I do, at least what is left of it.

 

[ReefSlice]

Now that coppersafe is out of the question what would you guys recommend for copper treatment? I am setting up a qt and plan on putting all fish through prazi and copper, but this thread is confusing me, as I've heard cupramine doesn't work as well.