Copper

[EightLeggedFreak]

How long does it take to get copper out of a 75 gallon tank? I added it a week ago to sure a fish. I did a 50% water change today and i added activated carbon and a copper sponge that is supposed to absorb it all. I should say how long would you wait before adding an octopus?

 

[NickA5582]

I think the only way to completely remove copper from a tank is to stip the silicon off and replace it.

 

[EightLeggedFreak]

there's no way im about to drain all that water first of all, and second of all theirs no way im gonna trust a silicon job by me. Thats all i need is 80 gallons of salt water all over my second story. You really dont think their is any other way? i have two crabs, and a shrimp that have been living in their even when the copper was added. Is their any in expensive test invertebrate i could test the tank with first to make sure???

 

[fluffysquid]

there are copper test-kits you can buy

 

[joel_ang]

Most invertebrates are sensitive to copper as well, you could try many species but the test kit would be best.

 

[EightLeggedFreak]

Crabs in copper

I have had 2 large crabs in their for about a year, and they have been through a couple copper treatments, and they are still thriving???

 

[Colin]

what treatment was it exactly?

 

[EightLeggedFreak]

copper

sea cure copper treatment, one drop per gallon

I have just talked to one of my buddies that works at a zoo maintaining aquariums. He said first to never use copper in a tank, (yes now i know) but he then said copper will not leak out of any surface and reform liquid solution unless your Ph drops and then it will. He said as long as you keep a high Ph, and a high salinity then i shouldn't have to worry about copper seaping from existing rocks and the tank. He also suggested that i use Poly Filter pads and those will tell me if i have any copper in my tank at all. Was wondering if the Ph and salinity thing made any sense to the rest of you? Thanks

 

[Colin]

i know that buying a new tank is an expensive option but it is the only way to be sure...

 

[AK-Dave]

I think (if my poor memory serves me corectly) that the copper binds to another chemical (some form of sulfer perhaps) and the resulting compound in not soluable at a higher Ph. The best place (that I know of) to find the answer to this would probably be on the reefcentral.com forums, specificly the Reef Chemistry forum with Dr. Randy Holmes-Farley or the Ask Dr. Ron forum with Dr. Ron Shimek. Dr. Holmes-Farley is of course a chemistry expert and Dr. Ron is an invertebrate zoology and marine ecology expert. I have seen both of these people address the copper issue.

 

[EightLeggedFreak]

Copper

OK, so in your opinion is the possibility of keeping an Octo in this tank likely or not? By the way thanx i will ask him. I've also consulted with the WetWebMedia crew and they said poly filters, water changes and a little time, should be ok.

 

[Nancy]

I would make sure that anyone you ask is an octopus expert, too.

Also, it's possible that you might experience an unexpected drop in pH, even if you're a very responsible aquarium keeper. This happened to me.

Nancy

 

[EightLeggedFreak]

Well i also found out why copper was in my tank. The distilled water supply i was using had a copper pipe that is really old inside the machine. Kinda pissed about that one, but atleast i found the problem. :x

Yes a drop in Ph is innevitable, for even the most experienced. I appreciate all the help You Octo-finatics have given me now it time to put it to use, so one day i to can experience the pleasure of an Octopi's antics .

 

[Jean]

Well i also found out why copper was in my tank. The distilled water supply i was using had a copper pipe that is really old inside the machine. Kinda pissed about that one, but atleast i found the problem. :x

Grrrr :x on your behalf don't ya HATE it when stuff like that happens, still better to find out now than after you put an Octi in

J

 

[Andy Lister]

I'd be dubious about adding a ceph to the system at all.

I work in a public aquarium quarentine unit and we have totally seperate systems for inverts and other fish that can't tollerate copper (Sea Dragons are a good example) and for fish that can as copper is a pretty good cure for cryptocarion.

Copper will remain in substrate as well so make sure you keep on flushing it out.

From a different point is there anything you can use that will bind with the copper and make it less toxic? We make up copper with citric acid but surely there must be ways to move it and bind it somewhere else which might make it easier to remove... I feel some research comming on!

Brittlestars are fairly good indicators of formalin in a system (Which we also use to treat fish, but kills inverts), if there is any then they will die off pretty quickly,not tried them with copper but you could do.

A German company called Merck do our copper tests, they aint cheap but are pretty good.

Hope that helps

~Andy