Hanna high range copper checker questions

[kartrsu]

I’ve been testing copper in my tanks and RODI with the Hanna copper checker and I’m questioning the results. I have been getting low readings of copper in my display around .07 ppm. Also my 5 stage rodi is showing .01ppm which is strange since I changed my carbon/mechanical/resin a month ago. My tap is .40 ppm.

I did an icp test on my display a few weeks back and results showed .002ppm, so I wonder if my Hanna checker just can’t read low to no levels of copper well. So far my corals and inverts are totally fine. I have never dosed copper into the tank, none of my equipment is rusting.

I’m also pretty diligent about my testing method. Always rinse vials with rodi, align 10ml sign to same place, and swirl vs shake until full dissolution. Oils and finger prints wiped clean all the way. I notice that the vial becomes a little cloudy once I add the reagent, when it should turn purple at higher levels. Micro bubbles still show up but I do my best to minimize it. I checked with Hanna on the batch of reagents and no issues.

Can people share their experience with the checker on the display? I’m doing another icp test of my tank and rodi. Since everything looks okay, should I just turn a blind eye? In the meantime I’m just running cuprisorb, polyfilter and Carbon as safety.

Thanks for the help!

 

[kartrsu]

I’ll add that I use reef crystals as my salt and have been using rusted stainless steel tongs and tweezers to feed food. Could these be contributing factors? Nonetheless, differential vs icp test is strange.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You almost certainly do not have that level of copper.

Nearly everyone gets that false reading.

Do not measure a normal reef tank with this device. it is not accurate at the low end.

 

[kartrsu]

Much much appreciated Randy!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You're welcome.

Happy reefing. :)

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

You almost certainly do not have that level of copper.

Nearly everyone gets that false reading.

Do not measure a normal reef tank with this device. it is not accurate at the low end.

You almost certainly do not have that level of copper.

Nearly everyone gets that false reading.

Do not measure a normal reef tank with this device. it is not accurate at the low end.

Hopefully this is still the case. I checked after finding a heating element in my water heater was extremely corroded. I got 0.7 and 0.9 when I checked 2 tanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Well, it might also be real in a case like that.

You could try the checker on some new salt water and/or get an ICP test of the tank water.

 

[ReefRxSWFL]

Im

Well, it might also be real in a case like that.

You could try the checker on some new salt water and/or get an ICP test of the tank water.

I ordered a mass spec icp, but i think it shouldn’t have made it through my 5stage RODI.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Im

I ordered a mass spec icp, but i think it shouldn’t have made it through my 5stage RODI.

True. I’m not suggesting it as a source, I’m suggesting it as a check on the device functioning.