QT Tank Question

[Saltwada]

Hi everyone,

I am about 14 days into the fallow period of my dt tank and i have the qt up and running well. So i havent done a water change because there is no ammonica present in the tank according to the seachem badge. all i have is the aquaclear sponge in there with seachem matrix. i also added biospira so i think those are all helping keep it stable. as far as copper goes, i heard copper power is more consistent so i bought copper power. I been adding it to my 10 gallon for about a week. I know that the hanna checker is better, but i bought the corresponding copper test which was API. First day i added 3 ml, 2nd day 3 ml, 3rd day 2 ml, 4th day, 2 ml, 5th day ml, 6th day 1ml, and every time i do a reading it shows roughly around .50 or 1 and im not sure why. i figure by now it should be 2.0. here is what i have in my qt tank equipment wise: heater, airstone, seachem matrix, sponge, aquaclear HOB, powerhead, pvc pipe and seachem ammonia badge.

Also i have a coral beauty and 2 butterfly fish in the qt as well. do those fish not do well in copper? thanks so much!

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm useless at fish quarantine as I've never had to do it.

But let's call in some support #ReefSquad

 

[Dr. Reef]

Unfortunately this is why i recommend not using any media in qt or if any then use pure silica sand and or pure ceramic media.
Your copper is being absorbed by media in your tank and if you keep increasing the copper you may have a disaster on your hand.
Not saying media will leach copper back out tomorrow but it will someday and you wont catch it till its too late.
I would buy ceramic media and place it in the tank, add more bacteria in a bottle and remove matrix. then check for copper levels and adjust accordingly.

 

[EmdeReef]

Sounds like a testing error. Dosing ~1ml per gal should get you to roughly 1.8ppm.

I don’t see issues with anything you’re using in your tank. Matrix is largely chemically inert, although perhaps not 100% this seems way out of whack. I’ve used it dozens of times in QT without major issues.

Are you using any sponge in your HOB or just your air stone?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Tank looks good. You do not want media or carbon as they will remove any treatment added to tank

 

[Saltwada]

Sounds like a testing error. Dosing ~1ml per gal should get you to roughly 1.8ppm.

I don’t see issues with anything you’re using in your tank. Matrix is largely chemically inert, although perhaps not 100% this seems way out of whack. I’ve used it dozens of times in QT without major issues.

Are you using any sponge in your HOB or just your air stone?

Yeah I read marrix shouldn’t affect the copper so I’m not sure. I am using a sponge in the hob and airstone both.

 

[Saltwada]

Tank looks good. You do not want media or carbon as they will remove any treatment added to tank

I have seachem matrix so I’m unsure what to do. I read it doesn’t absorb copper so I’m confused

 

[Saltwada]

Unfortunately this is why i recommend not using any media in qt or if any then use pure silica sand and or pure ceramic media.
Your copper is being absorbed by media in your tank and if you keep increasing the copper you may have a disaster on your hand.
Not saying media will leach copper back out tomorrow but it will someday and you wont catch it till its too late.
I would buy ceramic media and place it in the tank, add more bacteria in a bottle and remove matrix. then check for copper levels and adjust accordingly.

I read that seachem matrix doesn’t absorb copper so if I keep ceramic media in the tank, thay doesn’t absorb copper?

 

[rkpetersen]

I know that the hanna checker is better, but i bought the corresponding copper test which was API. First day i added 3 ml, 2nd day 3 ml, 3rd day 2 ml, 4th day, 2 ml, 5th day ml, 6th day 1ml, and every time i do a reading it shows roughly around .50 or 1 and im not sure why. i figure by now it should be 2.0.

Possibly some absorption by media combined with the known problems getting valid readings from the API test. More the latter, I bet.

 

[Dr. Reef]

If it's not a bad kit or result then copper is going somewhere. Either being absorbed by media or out the tank via water change or skimmer etc

 

[Saltwada]

If it's not a bad kit or result then copper is going somewhere. Either being absorbed by media or out the tank via water change or skimmer etc

Hmmm so it’s probably seachem matrix. Should the sponge be enough to do less water changes

 

[Saltwada]

Possibly some absorption by media combined with the known problems getting valid readings from the API test. More the latter, I bet.

Hmm the api test kit should work ok tho