DIY chelated copper

[Andy clark]

Hi,

Having done some reading around quarantine for fish I can see in the literature that copper chelated with edta has been used in the past to treat marine itch and velvet.

I am based in uk and have limited options for chelated copper. There are posts for copper and citric acid but wondered if anyone had tried to make solution of copper sulphate and edta ( both available in uk). If so what would the dosing instructions be for effective treatments?

Cupramine used to be the go to but no longer available.

Any advice appreciated!

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hi,

Having done some reading around quarantine for fish I can see in the literature that copper chelated with edta has been used in the past to treat marine itch and velvet.

I am based in uk and have limited options for chelated copper. There are posts for copper and citric acid but wondered if anyone had tried to make solution of copper sulphate and edta ( both available in uk). If so what would the dosing instructions be for effective treatments?

Cupramine used to be the go to but no longer available.

Any advice appreciated!

I've only used EDTA to bind up free copper in tanks where I needed to remove it (through subsequent water changes). My references only have one report of this: In Nelson's handbook, he relates that CuSO4+EDTA (no amounts given) can be dosed at 1 ppm to treat FW ich.

Be sure that you know what copper product you are working with: anhydrous or pentahydrate, as the calculations for dosing are different due to the hydration of the latter form.

Citric acid is really only used to keep the copper in solution prior to addition to the tank - that's the ionic copper treatment with a target of 0.20 ppm

Coppersafe and Copper Power are chelated with some sort of amine.

Jay

 

[Andy clark]

I've only used EDTA to bind up free copper in tanks where I needed to remove it (through subsequent water changes). My references only have one report of this: In Nelson's handbook, he relates that CuSO4+EDTA (no amounts given) can be dosed at 1 ppm to treat FW ich.

Be sure that you know what copper product you are working with: anhydrous or pentahydrate, as the calculations for dosing are different due to the hydration of the latter form.

Citric acid is really only used to keep the copper in solution prior to addition to the tank - that's the ionic copper treatment with a target of 0.20 ppm

Coppersafe and Copper Power are chelated with some sort of amine.

Jay

Thanks for your advice on this Jay