copper in the system?

[Reef Reaper]

I just started a small broodstock system with a 30 gallon sump, 20 gallon grow out tank, two 10 gallon larvae tanks and two small 5.5 gallon tanks for the breeding pairs. I forgot that one of the 10 gallon tank was as a hospital tank with copper for one week. My question is , if I remove this tank from the system, will they be still enough copper left in the water to kill any live rock that i will put into the sump? Thanks for all your help!!

 

[rambler67]

Was the tank still filled with water with copper in it or just used with copper? If it was just used with coper I would say there shouldn't be much if any getting into the water but I would get a test kit and test for it to be totaly positive about it.

 

[Reef Reaper]

I purchased the tank from a fellow Manhattan Reefer and he stated that the tank was used only once for one week with copper. It has been dry since then. Thanks.

 

[Jzhou]

you should definitely get a copper test kit to see if the tank itself is leaking any copper into your system. If he only used a small amount of copper and the kit is testing for very low levels of copper, you should be fine.

 

[duke62]

go to petco and buy a 10 gallon for 10 bucks.your mind will be at ease

 

[FlyTekk]

Yea replace the tank. Test for copper. Use cuprisorb, high grade carbon and poly filters. Poly and cuprisorb turn blueish when they absorb copper/.

 

[Brando457]

I used a 10g as a qt for 2 months and ran cupramine in it for that duration. Recently in a bind I had to put my last fish and hermits/snails in the same tank after it sat dry for a few months. All inverts and everything are fine and now in my nano.

If he only used it for 1 week and it has sat dry for a long time then I wouldn't be worried.

 

[prattreef]

I find the tank silicone leaching copper theory to be highly unlikely at best. How much copper can silicone sequester and how much can it possibly release? Not enough to come anywhere near a toxic level IMO. I think this is one of those reef-keeping wives tales that just persists in the collective consciousness of the hobby.

 

[Brando457]

I find the tank silicone leaching copper theory to be highly unlikely at best. How much copper can silicone sequester and how much can it possibly release? Not enough to come anywhere near a toxic level IMO. I think this is one of those reef-keeping wives tales that just persists in the collective consciousness of the hobby.

I agree and if such the case would silicone then absorb all the chemicals we add at given points and slowly leech them too.

 

[blueink]

go to petco and buy a 10 gallon for 10 bucks.your mind will be at ease

spend that 10$ n off to bed.lol!

 

[Reef Reaper]

Thanks for all your help! I was planning on buying a new tank anyway, but the main concern was the copper in the water. I going to use cuprisorb anyway, just to be on the safe side. I will pick up a new tank, cuprisorb and a copper test kit today. I don't want to kill any invertbrates or any live rock in my sump. Better safe than sorry!

 

[Boomer]

First Silicon doe not adsorb copper, so it can not leach it. The so called blue-green color you see, where some like to say it is copper, is from light deterioration of the silicon, mostly UV, where you will often see it on old tanks that have never has copper.

This whole issue of any potential copper in the tank can be solved by scrubbing the tank with Vinegar or Muriatic Acid. Using only sand or gravel that has been copper treated is another issue and should be thrown out as it is to much of a dare for something to go wrong, although I never did.

Using dechlor in any such substrate is a no-no, as ANY dechlor has the bad habit of converting Cu++ into Cu+ which is 10 x more toxic than Cu++ which is used for things like '"ick". If there are any doubts of copper in a tank just add a Poly-Filter and if it turns any shade of blue you have copper. And the bluer it is the more you have.

 

[prattreef]

Thanks Boomer. So that is the origin of this persistent hobby myth--- silicone discoloration from UV exposure.

 

[Reef Reaper]

By the way, what is a good copper test kit ?

 

[Brando457]

Seachem

 

[TRIGGERMAN]

I agree copper does not stay in silicone I tell people all the time and they don't believe me. As far as blue silicone/tubing that can also happen from using malachite green which is in many medications for ich treatment.

 

[Boomer]

You are correct Trig on the malachite green or other dyes used for treatments.

Cu++ test kit either the SeaChem or Salifert

 

[MatthewScars]

I purchased the tank from a fellow Manhattan Reefer and he stated that the tank was used only once for one week with copper. It has been dry since then. Thanks.

I bought a car from a little old lady that only drove it to church on Sundays.

That's how I read that statement.

 

[Reef Reaper]

tanks gone already!