If I use copper, will tank ever be safe for inverts again

[Jeff_S]

If I treat my tank with copper will it ever be safe to return hermit crabs, snails & starfish again? Can the copper be sufficiently removed or will it be held by the crushed coral bed & rocks?

 

[Anonymous]

I think the jury is still out... There have been people who've used some sort of commercially available copper sponge.

Realize that it may take 6 months to 2 years to bring the levels down enough for it to be safe.

Keep testing till it's really really gone.

Ty

 

[Anonymous]

Here's another idea that'll help out. Get out as much copper as you can, then swap out that crushed coral for a deep sand bed.

Ty

 

[Fish Head]

NO Do not use coper at all. you would be beter off leting every thing Die and be kiled
by what ever you think you have. And leting the disise die from no food and nothing to live on and starting over than uasing copper.


copper is ONLY good for hospital tank only.
kent RX-P is the only thing that I would risk uasing. But what do I know I've only bin
keping salt water fish off and on since 1974.
And I must be stuped be cause I can't spell.

 

[Bomber]

Fish Head - ROTFL

Nothing in the reef system, but why not formalin with or with M. Green? Works better for us than copper.

 

[Jeff_S]

I was able to catch the sick PB Tang and move him to the hospital tank. Hopefully I will not have to treat the rest of the tank. All other occupants appear fine. The PB kept scraping himself against the bottom and darting around rapidly.

 

[Glenn]

There is no need to tempt fate, but .... even though aragonite or crushed coral clearly adsorbs copper, think about how minute the concentration is even after 2 or 3 water changes. The copper with continue to leach from the substrate but within a reasonable amount of time (a couple mths) the concentration of copper should be no higher than those found in many water supplies.
My son decided he wanted some corals in his FO tank that had been nuked many times w/ copper. I did a couple of large water changes , added carbon, and then soft corals within a month. within 3 mths, I gave him a couple of Acro frags and they all did fine (until he decided girls were more interesting and less trouble than aquaria---he's got alot to learn yet.)