Hanna HR Copper Checker .07

[boeingn747]

Hello Reefing community,

So I am currently treating some fish (separate QT tank) for ich and a secondary infection. I using the HR hanna copper checker to monitor and maintain copper levels in the QT system. Well for the hell of it i decided to run a test on my mixed reef. The hanna checker indicated a copper level of .07ppm. It's a 75gallon display. It's stocked with a pretty even amount of soft, lps, and sps corals along with several bubble tips, multiple rockflowers, many Hermits, snails etc. I have 2 chunk cleaners, and 2 fire shrimp in that system along with several fish. According to hanna (website) the HR copper checker has a resolution of .01 and a accuracy of +/- .05ppm or 5% of the reading. I tested 0tds RODI water and got a reading of .01. If the test has a accuracy of +/-.05ppm and for arguments sake say we take the. 05 from the .07 we are still left with .02ppm copper. Does either .02ppm or .07ppm seem like a reasonable reading within a reef tank? All coral and inverts have been fine for years. I guess I was surprised to see such a high reading. I didn't expect to see 0 since the rodi water showed .01. But personally, .07 seems high, no? Can someone please weigh in here and let me know if I should be concerned? I run rox carbon and gfo. Being that 1.5-2.0ppm is considered to be therapeutic copper ranges. Would .07ppm be considered trace amounts found in red sea salt and considered to be a normal amount? Thanks

 

[AJsReef]

I would expect to see 0.00 in my display tank. Personally, I would run Cuprisorb and test. Along with sending out an ICP

 

[boeingn747]

I would expect to see 0.00 in my display tank. Personally, I would run Cuprisorb and test. Along with sending out an ICP

I put a poly filte in. Will see what that does in a few days.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I put a poly filte in. Will see what that does in a few days.

I'm seeing exactly the same 0.07 in my 75g tank, but everything is healthy

Did you mange to figure it out?

Interestingly, I just tried measuring some freshly mixed Red Sea blue bucket and it is telling me 0.17.
Something is weird.

 

[boeingn747]

I'm seeing exactly the same 0.07 in my 75g tank, but everything is healthy

Did you mange to figure it out?

Interestingly, I just tried measuring some freshly mixed Red Sea blue bucket and it is telling me 0.17.
Something is weird.

Well, .07 is a very low amount either way. But .17 is a therapeutic amount. When I first got into this hobby about 6 or so years ago I had issues with unknown copper in my tank. I found the problem. I buy red sea salt in the 200gal bag. Well not knowing but I used a homedepot bucket that I used at one time to keep copper fittings in it. I think the cheap plastic that they use for the bucket is very susceptible to absorbing and leaching. So I think my bucket was contaminated and leached copper in my salt. I was fine after replacing salt. I never again use home depot buckets. I only use food grade buckets for anything reef related. As far as my .07 is concerned, no I never found the problem. Nothing in my tank has a problem. I did order the Copper calibration for the checker. When that comes I'll calibrate my checker to make sure that it's reading right. I still do not know why I am getting that reading. Unfortunately shortly after I posted this l, I left the country until March. So I won't be able to figure it out until then. When I get home I will get it sorted out. I will make a update if I figure it out. I would however, be concerned about a .17 reading as .15-.20ppm is considered therapeutic levels and will kill copper sensitive inhabitants. If nothing is dying then maybe something is wrong with your checker.

 

[jdiefenbaugh]

I always get readings in my reef tank with the HR checker, and zeroes from ICP. I doubt it's accurate at low levels, as it's not intended for that purpose.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Well, .07 is a very low amount either way. But .17 is a therapeutic amount. When I first got into this hobby about 6 or so years ago I had issues with unknown copper in my tank. I found the problem. I buy red sea salt in the 200gal bag. Well not knowing but I used a homedepot bucket that I used at one time to keep copper fittings in it. I think the cheap plastic that they use for the bucket is very susceptible to absorbing and leaching. So I think my bucket was contaminated and leached copper in my salt. I was fine after replacing salt. I never again use home depot buckets. I only use food grade buckets for anything reef related. As far as my .07 is concerned, no I never found the problem. Nothing in my tank has a problem. I did order the Copper calibration for the checker. When that comes I'll calibrate my checker to make sure that it's reading right. I still do not know why I am getting that reading. Unfortunately shortly after I posted this l, I left the country until March. So I won't be able to figure it out until then. When I get home I will get it sorted out. I will make a update if I figure it out. I would however, be concerned about a .17 reading as .15-.20ppm is considered therapeutic levels and will kill copper sensitive inhabitants. If nothing is dying then maybe something is wrong with your checker.

Hi,

SInce I last posted, with the help of my LFS I have tested the water at my LFS with both my checker and with their checker, and with two different batches of reagents. The results were anthing between 0.07 and 0.09 with the Hanna LR tester. The water was from their dedicated SPS tanks which use NSW

So it seems the problem is no problem at all, especially given the stated spec of the checker is +- 0.05ppm.

Data seems to indicate that this is the normal range of Natural Sea water.

SUE - Contents

web.stanford.edu

I wouldn't buy the Hanna Check kit, that only checks the electronics and does nothing to change the actual calibration.


Regards
Graham.

 

[piranhaman00]

It has been proven time and time again that this device is not made for low range copper (reef tank) it’s not made to test your not medicated tank.

 

[gbroadbridge]

It has been proven time and time again that this device is not made for low range copper (reef tank) it’s not made to test your not medicated tank.

Well, unfortunately it's also not much use for testing a medicated tank, where the desired concentration is between 0.18 and 0.22ppm Copper using some products.

Unfortunately where I live, Cupramine, Copperpower, etc are illegal and the only product available (Reef Revolution Quarantine) requires those low concentrations.

Regards
Graham.