Thank you, good observation - the reason it is so low is that my corals consume so much that if I even skip one day of not feeding them it will drop - I run a large frag tank plumbed into a display tank. After I feed the readings are more in the 0.1-0.15 range.
I hear you and I have read the article. I also just did another test, now it is showing me 0.08 - can this also be a false reading? I get it when it is in 0.02 range, but this seems that it is really off.I think Miami Reef already told you the checker is no good at low levels. There are actually a few threads on this scaring people.
Post #8 is RHF saying the same.
Hanna Copper Checker False Positives??
Hi, I got a Hanna Copper test kit for BRS a week ago and after testing and testing I noticed I'm getting false readings on my QT tank. I also tried testing other waters and this is what I got. QT Tank With Copper power (as per bottle instructions) 3.02 should be 2.0 QT Tank test next day...www.reef2reef.com
My mag is at 1440 right now, temperature is at 76.5-77
I still see some moderate die off and polyps are not extending. I had a tiny UV running in the past but have not been running it for a few months (could coincide with the start of the issues, but not quite), it is a 9w turbo twist on a 400 gallon system, so doubt it was doing too much. Anyways, I do not run it anymore nor do I have it - I have tossed it for a worry of it leeching anything into the tank.
Hmm, definitely could be the case as well. I feel like it could be either one easily, but very hard to deduce. At least that 0.08 copper reading appears to be a smoking gun, but I do not see where copper could be coming from - I have even checked my M2 Vectra today, still nothing out of the ordinary.
How old are your vectras? I have 6 in my system, oldest one being around 2 years old, and I have had no issues out of any. I did have a MP60 that the magnet exploded on, but I think I caught that before anything major happened. ( I clean them when I take them off line and then again before I put them back online, if they were down for a period of time) Luckily I caught it before I put it back online. For what it is worth, if you look into a new UV, I went with Lifegard. They have units that are well built, Only complaint I had with them is they did not package the bulb well and it was busted when it came in. They did however quickly replace it. Some of the UV's for the bigger tanks can cause a person to go bankrupt trying to pay for it.
Maybe make a thread in the chemistry forum, or call one of the pros here. There's tons of threads on these HR and LR copper checkers not being right for testing a reef tank at low levels, the HR model is only supposed to be good for checking therapeutic levels for fish QT.
