cooper and dry rock in new reef tank

[JARRETT SHARK]

copper and dry rock in new reef tank

Here is my question, I had a year ago a FISH ONLY TANK with huge live rock that a bought from someone. since then I had a bad case of ich and treated a little copper before I realized that copper and live rock dont mix well. So I took it out at the in june and dryed it out since it all died. and I was woundering if I can use the rock to set up on my New 220gal reef tank as base rock without having problems.Let me know. I just have over 200lbs of it.

I used 1/2 the dose of copper when I treated for Ich

 

[D1J8Z]

I would run the live rock in the tank or a garbage can/container with mass amounts of carbon and then do the hermit crab test :shhh:

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

I would take Cooper out of the new tank, he's big and takes up alot of room :lol2:

Hey Doc get out of the guy's tank he wants to set it up already!!!!! :screama:

 

[ocholoco]

hey

Thats not even right Chief. lol..... Hey man you sure you you put Cooper???? as far as I know one of the cures to ick is copper. lol... Dont worry we know what you mean, and im glad you asked this question because I also have some rock laying around that was also coppered.

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

carbon a good idea! Do you think it will leak out of rock later on?

 

[KathyC]

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewi..._campaign=mdcsegooglebase2&utm_content=SC3273

and then the hermit test...




....and will someone please tell Cooper to get the heck out of Jarrett's tank!

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

cooper is gone, Kathy do you think I will notice with one hermit crab as I am cycle my tank?
can't he die durning the ammonia spike

 

[KathyC]

Yeah he sure can.
I wouldn't be certain the copper is gone just from drying out the rock. It may no longer be liquid but it is still probably in the rock. I'd dump it (the rock)in a garbage can and treat it with the Seachem stuff assuming the copper is still there. Even a little of it can ruin your tank. I'd treat the tank itself seperatly with the same product.
Before you add the rock to the tank..and after it has cycled...that's when I'd do the hermit test.
You have a bit if a wait ahead of you to be sure that rock is ok

Is this the tank that you showed me down in the basement? Sweet!

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

yes all ready to go, just finishing pvc piping this week and want to start filling it with water after I get a sump

 

[Domboski]

FYI, not all copper treatments kill hermits or reverse it to not all hermits are killed with copper at the recommended treatment levels (you treated at half and whatever leaks from the rocks will probably be less than that). For example, I've had zebra and left handed hermits survive a 3 week treatment of cupramine at the high end of the recommended levels tested with a lamotte kit. I've also had all different types of hermits survive treatment with copper power. I suggest you get a GOOD copper test kit and use that to check for any leakage

 

[pecan2phat]

Copper binds to the rock so drying it out does not remove it at all. You should set up the rock and run in full salinity saltwater for at least a month with plenty of Cuprisorb.

BTW, I have used rock previously exposed to copper and then used it in an enviroment with snails, shrooms and leathers with no ill effect. But this is after the above treatment with cuprisorb and time cause it takes probably months for the copper to leach out.

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

could i just put rock in a garbage can and run a BS filter with cuprisorb and dont worry about the levels of the water.

 

[Domboski]

You could do it but that doesn't mean it is a good idea :lol2: Sorry I couldn't help but use the Chris Rock line.

I'd rather test the water levels for you than for you to take that risk. A really good test kit can cost up to $70 but think about how much it will cost you when your corals start dying? The corals do not die instantly either at low levels of Cu leakage. There is a good chance you will be stocked up pretty good and then things start going bad.

It is hard work to set up a reef tank including all of the aquascaping and gluing of corals not to mention all of the time you have committed to clear the rock of Cu. The prospect of doing all of that work and losing everything just to start from scratch is worthy of an additional step to be safe rather than sorry.

Like I said, I'd be more than happy to test your water for you when you get to that point.

If you literally mean the water level in the garbage can I think that is not so much a big deal but it is probably best to maintain a somewhat consistent salinity level if you want to cycle the rocks during the Cu removal time period.

 

[Awibrandy]

I agree with Dom!! I had treated my fowlr with "CopperSafe" about 2 yrs. ago. I only did the treatment once, followed by aggresive copper removal with cuprisorb, carbon and numerous water changes. Since then I have placed leathers, shrooms, palys, rbta, serpent starfish, and chocolate starfish with no ill effects to them. A week ago I placed my hermits in. All seem fine so I put my Harlequin shrimp in. The Harley last about 15 min. Most of the hermits and snails are do ok, but some of the hermits have been dropping off.
Like I said I agree with Dom, to big a risk to take!!!!!!!!!!

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

wow, maybe buy new base rock, who sells big stuff?

 

[Keith P]

Would muriatic acid help? I believe the copper is only on the outter layer (as there is nothing forcing the copper INTO the rock <is this correct?>). The acid will dissolve the outter layer of the rock.

I know this works wonders for removing phosphates. Could this possibly work?

 

[jrobbins]

The rock is porous so the copper is not just on the outer layer (ie. sandblasting the rock wouldnt get rid of it)

why not just chuck a polyfilter in there and see if it changes color? i would give it a few weeks or a month just to be sure.

 

[Marteen]

Poly filter pads will turn blue if there is copper in the water. You can use these to check for small traces of copper.

Jrobbins beat me to it.

 

[JARRETT SHARK]

cool