Life after copper in Display tank

[Aries360]

Ok everyone. This post is not for the “I told you so people “. I have a 360g reef n fish tank with massive amounts of rock. I just finished about 2 months of therapeutic level coppersafe treatment in my display tank for Ich and velvet, I saved a lot of fish so I’m happy I did. Not to mention had no other choice. I also moved my corals out. I did water changes and am running cuprisorb and poly filters to remove the bleeding coppers. Im hovering around 0.10-0.20 copper readings with my Hanna. It’s been about a month post treatment. For those you have been in my shoes when did you add back inverts and coral, what levels? I added Chaeto in my sump and it seems to be surviving and I’m starting to get some algae growth now. I don’t need people that haven’t done this before commenting, just real life experiences because I know it’s possible. As i said there was no other choice. Thank you in advance. Was thinking of throwing in a couple cleaner shrimp to test? Thoughts?

 

[Reefahholic]

Following.

 

[131696]

Throw rocks away start fresh he cooper soaked in rocks ,when you do a copper treatmeant all fish need to go in a tank with nothing in it.or you take everything out of main tank dose copper then 100% clean everything with I think vinegar while fish is at another place. This Is why there is a quarantine tanks ,start fresh clean main tank out throw away rocks throw away all plumbing start new this is the only way to rid of copper 100% it's that or watch animals die slowly like prize corals ,dont take a chance start fresh new. And get a quarantine tank also.

 

[Ali-F]

Hey, it is possible to get the Cu to zero but you have to be patient with lots of WC and Cu absorbers. In 2018, I got a preowned rocks that was in a fish only tank and treated with Cu whenever there is a sign of ich. I did not know about it until very late when I started to see the corals are dying and had to do ICP test. It took me around 5-6 months to get it to zero (confirmed by ICP test results). I was using TLF metasorb, Triton detox and water changes.

Good luck.

 

[Aries360]

Throw rocks away start fresh he cooper soaked in rocks ,when you do a copper treatmeant all fish need to go in a tank with nothing in it.or you take everything out of main tank dose copper then 100% clean everything with I think vinegar while fish is at another place. This Is why there is a quarantine tanks ,start fresh clean main tank out throw away rocks throw away all plumbing start new this is the only way to rid of copper 100% it's that or watch animals die slowly like prize corals ,dont take a chance start fresh new. And get a quarantine tank also.

It is physically impossible to remove all the rocks and there are thousands of pounds and they are Cemented together so that is not an option . The treatment was done. Have you physically had to do this in your tank before? That is the ad. And since that tank is over $10,000 so it is physically impossible to remove all the rocks that is not an option

 

[piranhaman00]

Are you using copper high range Hanna? It in very bad at reading the ranges you listed , I could test my tank that never had copper and get those readings

 

[Aries360]

Are you using copper high range Hanna? It in very bad at reading the ranges you listed , I could test my tank that never had copper and get those readings

 

[Aries360]

I am using coppersafe as the ad stated. Each copper treatment utilizes different parameters. Those ranges are nothing for coppersafe. The normal safe range is 1.5 to 2.0 and they are obviously fine as my fish have been in them for two months It has saved their life. Literally!

 

[exnisstech]

It is possible to get the rocks to stop leaching copper but it takes time. I did something similar a few years ago and all the rock that was in that tank is now in my display with inverts. I was able to remove it using cuprisorb. I can't remember how long it took as it was a while ago and I didn't really keep track. All of the rock in the display shown below is that rock so those that say it can't be done are wrong.
Awesome looking tank by the way!

 

[piranhaman00]

I am using coppersafe as the ad stated. Each copper treatment utilizes different parameters. Those ranges are nothing for coppersafe. The normal safe range is 1.5 to 2.0 and they are obviously fine as my fish have been in them for two months It has saved their life. Literally!

You misunderstood. The Hanna copper high range reader cannot read 0.1 to 0.2ppm. If you are using Hanna to read copper at low concentrations you are getting false results.

 

[Aries360]

You misunderstood. The Hanna copper high range reader cannot read 0.1 to 0.2ppm. If you are using Hanna to read copper at low concentrations you are getting false results.

Gotcha, yes it’s possible I misunderstood. It says the range I’m using it should do 0-5.0.

 

[Aries360]

It is possible to get the rocks to stop leaching copper but it takes time. I did something similar a few years ago and all the rock that was in that tank is now in my display with inverts. I was able to remove it using cuprisorb. I can't remember how long it took as it was a while ago and I didn't really keep track. All of the rock in the display shown below is that rock so those that say it can't be done are wrong.
Awesome looking tank by the way!

Oh nice. Beautiful Tank, yeah I figured I would be time. Just wasn’t sure how long. I’m about a month post treatment

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I have not personally pulled copper out of rock, because I've refused to add it to rock. With that said, active measures like you're taking are the only way at this point. Poly filters are good. Cuprosorb in a Reactor or two is your absolutely best option. Run passively in a media bag is very ineffective. The reactor will speed it up. The speed of water flowing through the reactor should be about equal to GFO. Barely bubbling is a bit too much. Change or reload your media often.

If you're wanting to test, don't use cleaner shrimp. Those are $25-35 a piece currently. A few snails in a sump compartment for a while will give you an idea.

 

[Aries360]

I have not personally pulled copper out of rock, because I've refused to add it to rock. With that said, active measures like you're taking are the only way at this point. Poly filters are good. Cuprosorb in a Reactor or two is your absolutely best option. Run passively in a media bag is very ineffective. The reactor will speed it up. The speed of water flowing through the reactor should be about equal to GFO. Barely bubbling is a bit too much. Change or reload your media often.

If you're wanting to test, don't use cleaner shrimp. Those are $25-35 a piece currently. A few snails in a sump compartment for a while will give you an idea.

Also, thanks for the comment on the reactor. I actually have it in filter media bag and was wondering why the color wasn’t changing. I am going through several Pollypads though and their color is changing. That’s funny that you mention the cleaner shrimp. I’m on my way to work now and I asked my wife to go pick up a couple to be my guinea pig. I will have her change it to maybe some peppermint shrimp in a couple small blue Legs And I will also order a reactor

 

[Joj]

I've used copper (cupramine) many times in the past with my 400g and LR. Then ran polyfilter pads till the pads stops turning blue. I have used those rocks successfully with softies, RBTA, pistol shrimps, cheato, hermit crabs, snails, etc. But i dont care for corals so i dont have any lps, sps, clams, that i can attest to.

Pods are thriving on the rocks too.. My Hanna checker reads up to .17 but it's probably not that accurate real low.

 

[SaJon]

Ok everyone. This post is not for the “I told you so people “. I have a 360g reef n fish tank with massive amounts of rock. I just finished about 2 months of therapeutic level coppersafe treatment in my display tank for Ich and velvet, I saved a lot of fish so I’m happy I did. Not to mention had no other choice. I also moved my corals out. I did water changes and am running cuprisorb and poly filters to remove the bleeding coppers. Im hovering around 0.10-0.20 copper readings with my Hanna. It’s been about a month post treatment. For those you have been in my shoes when did you add back inverts and coral, what levels? I added Chaeto in my sump and it seems to be surviving and I’m starting to get some algae growth now. I don’t need people that haven’t done this before commenting, just real life experiences because I know it’s possible. As i said there was no other choice. Thank you in advance. Was thinking of throwing in a couple cleaner shrimp to test? Thoughts?

Many years ago I did the exact same thing although I thought the Coppersafe was exactly that safe. Lol After which I had alot of friends tell me the system was doomed. I freaked out and got in touch with my then LFS and explained what I did. He tried to assure me it was going to be OK but at the time, I didn't believe him so we traded the complete system in for a new tank and I kid you not 2 days later he had that system set up with corals and everything. He said he wanted to prove to me that everything was going to be fine and it was. The corals survived and thrived. He said he just cleaned everything and kept going. Needless to say I was so upset, I loved the 180g system. Just wanted to share that story with you. Good Luck and keep going. Maybe you will have the same luck he had.

 

[lion king]

I'm so glad @exnisstech posted a pic of his beautiful tank. The fact is you can successfully remove all the copper, the rock will eventually leach back out all that been absorbed. Run your cuprizorb and poly filters a couple weeks after you test zero, it will happen, as others have said, it just takes time. I have seen many beautiful, successful reefs after copper treatment treatment.

 

[brandon429]

as a person who watches for cycle mechanics threads, this thread stood out bigtime.

that big reef didn't crash, lose it's biofilter/ kill everything and need to recycle/ off extended copper is that right/ taking notes.


given that, and the follow up testimony from more than one person that copper in the display didn't kill their cycle bacteria-cause for a totally new cycle

it would make anyone who studies cycles wonder what could overcome one... if not this pattern set above. thank you for the new data extreme to consider in cycle challenges. you've just made it harder for any non digital test kit owner to make their case for a broken cycle in a totally normal reef tank.


*man* what I wouldn't give for a seneye hooked up before, during, after here.

 

[brandon429]

we don't know ammonia here





but we know toxicity


ever seen a spread of fish like that before live well in ammonia water



we know that biofilter is fine, or they're all dead weeks ago. obviously that aquarium's liver is still functioning so to speak.

 

[nereefpat]

as a person who watches for cycle mechanics threads, this thread stood out bigtime.

that big reef didn't crash, lose it's biofilter/ kill everything and need to recycle/ off extended copper is that right/ taking notes.


given that, and the follow up testimony from more than one person that copper in the display didn't kill their cycle bacteria-cause for a totally new cycle

it would make anyone who studies cycles wonder what could overcome one... if not this pattern set above. thank you for the new data extreme to consider in cycle challenges. you've just made it harder for any non digital test kit owner to make their case for a broken cycle in a totally normal reef tank.


*man* what I wouldn't give for a seneye hooked up before, during, after here.

The concern here is corals and other inverts after using copper in a display. I don't think many people were worried about killing nitrifying bacteria.