Fallow tank or start from scratch

[mujimran]

Is it better to wait 76days for a fallow tank to remove ich, or throw away the water and empty the tank then start from scratch. New rocks, sand and wait 4 weeks to get it cycled and ready.

I had dosed copper with live rovks and sand so most suggest those rocks and sand cannot be used anyway as its harmful to inverts.

Suggestions please

 

[brandon429]

I agree M I think the rocks aren’t good for inverts now, let’s see what the team thinks

 

[DeepintheReef]

How much rock and sand are we talking about? If it’s a smaller tank, it may be easier to start over. A little patience and a lot of changes can get you back on your feet if it’s a larger setup.

Doing several larger (50-100%) water changes with remove a significant amount of copper. I would recommend that as the first course of action and then running carbon and cuprisorb for a few weeks to make sure you’ve gotten it all out. I use the poly filter color changing pads as an indicator of when to test the copper levels. Once it stop turning blue, I start testing for trace amounts of copper with either API or Hannah. Test with some snails and shrimp after that.

 

[Danroo]

Hmm you can give it a shot with adding pods that multiply. If you don’t see them at all in a giving week it might time for a rip clean with new rock and sand.

 

[BVF]

 

[mujimran]

How much rock and sand are we talking about? If it’s a smaller tank, it may be easier to start over. A little patience and a lot of changes can get you back on your feet if it’s a larger setup.

Doing several larger (50-100%) water changes with remove a significant amount of copper. I would recommend that as the first course of action and then running carbon and cuprisorb for a few weeks to make sure you’ve gotten it all out. I use the poly filter color changing pads as an indicator of when to test the copper levels. Once it stop turning blue, I start testing for trace amounts of copper with either API or Hannah. Test with some snails and shrimp after that.

Its is a 75G tank with 20lbs of rock and another 20lbs of sand. Was thinking of getting new rock and sand while I process these rocks separately as it will take weeks.

 

[DeepintheReef]

Yeah, just start over fresh. That’s probably the easiest way. You can probably treat the old rock in a 10 gallon while the new tank cycles

 

[HB AL]

Maybe I misunderstood but did you add copper to your display with your current rocks and sand? If so that rock and sand is gonna leach copper so inverts and corals will die. If you plan on keeping corals and inverts then your rock and sand are contaminated with copper and must all be replaced.

 

[vtecintegra]

Someone point me to something that shows conclusively that copper contaminates rock and sand to the point that it will kill things in the future. Reminds me of one about garlic curing ich.

 

[Lowell Lemon]

Someone point me to something that shows conclusively that copper contaminates rock and sand to the point that it will kill things in the future. Reminds me of one about garlic curing ich.

Copper was used to skin and copoer paints were used on the hull of ships to keep the barnacles and such off the hull...so yes it is proven that copper kills inverts and does indeed remain in the rock and sand for extended time periods. You can use cuprisorb or a similar product but you will have to continue to test with sacrificial inverts to determine toxic levels that may not show on a water test. So given the risk a rip clean is better than rolling the dice.

 

[mujimran]

Maybe I misunderstood but did you add copper to your display with your current rocks and sand? If so that rock and sand is gonna leach copper so inverts and corals will die. If you plan on keeping corals and inverts then your rock and sand are contaminated with copper and must all be replaced.

Yes I dosed about 8-10 ounces of copper power directly in my DT (I did remove corals and all inverts) not knowing live rock and sand absorb it.

 

[mujimran]

Yeah, just start over fresh. That’s probably the easiest way. You can probably treat the old rock in a 10 gallon while the new tank cycles

Lesson learnt. Will start fresh. I know a lot more about reef tanks now compared to when I started 5 months back.

 

[HB AL]

Ya, It would have made the learning curve much quicker although hands on can't be replaced.

 

[mujimran]

Ya, It would have made the learning curve much quicker although hands on can't be replaced.

I have my RODI system started to get fresh water to refill the tank. Will be treating the rock and sand separately.

However how do I clean the tank and other equipment (protein skimmer, power heads, pump, pvc piping) to ensure no ich remains. Leaving it out in the sun (80F temp) for few hrs should be enough right?

Also, what about the chaeto in the sump? Chaeto has frown from a golf ball size to the size of a soccer ball. How do I make sure the chaeto is ich free?