Copper vs Malachite Green

[Anonymous]

Anyone know the difference in the chemistry between copper and malachite green in a salt water aquarium? Have an ongoing argument with someone who claims that malachite green is copper.

 

[Anonymous]

Just tell him no it isn't. Unfortunately, I can't post the entire chart, but I'll look up the chemical composition of malachite green. Copper would either be copper sulfate or.. crap... gotta look that one up, too.

 

[Anonymous]

This link: http://www.thekrib.com/Chemistry/malachite-green.html
Which says this:

This canard about the dye containing copper comes up regularly on the
Net, and I think it has several origins:
1) the mineral after which it was named is copper-containing;
2) in aquarium practice, I'm told there have been 'cure-all' mixtures
on the market which contain both the dye and copper, because copper can
be useful as a fungicide and molluscicide;

4) gardeners are familiar with green copper oxychlorides and other
copper mixtures (eg, Bordeaux mixture) to control fungi, so they are
primed to believe that a fungicide with this name probably contains
copper

Synonyms: aniline green, benzaldehyde green, china green, and others.
For malachite green G: brilliant green.
Composition: Malachite green does NOT contain copper. It is chemically
well characterised - it belongs to the triphenylmethane family, as
below: can't display molecular structure--please see link.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah, it has been an old rumor that resurface once awhile.

 

[Anonymous]

(Bumped for Dragoon)

HA!

 

[Anonymous]

HA HA!

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry rover I guess let my geology background get in the way, but can you blame me. This is what malachite means to me.

Malachite, formula= Cu2CO3(OH)2, Color=green,

Composition: CuO 71.9, CO2 19.9, H2O 8.2. Cu 57.4%

Occurrence: Malachite is a widely distributed supergene copper mineral found in the oxidized portions of copper veins associated with azurite, cuprite, native copper, iron oxides. It usually occurs in copper deposits assosciated with limestone.

Use: A minor ore of copper. It is used extensively as an ornamental and gem mineral. Also used extensively in the nineteenth century as a dye for the color green.

Name: Derived from the greek word malache for mallows, in allusion to its' green color.

 

[StevenPro]

My understanding is that you are likely both right. Yes, the compound malachite green does not contain copper, but some aquarium formulations of malachite green do contain copper.

 

[Anonymous]

And, according to two of my own charts and some reading, they may or may not contain formalin and zinc, too.

 

[Anonymous]

iirc, malachite green is a derivative of zinc, no?

 

[Anonymous]

This I do not know.

 

[Anonymous]

hmmm...


the question was adressed to all, in general :wink:

but here's a link-looks like what i thought about m.green was wrong...


http://www.thekrib.com/Chemistry/malachite-green.html


mebbe Randey Holmes Farley could chime in abit w/some background on malachite green's source?

 

[Anonymous]

This is amusing, reposting my link.. :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

heh-sorry, didn't see that

 

[Anonymous]

i won't edit it out, though...

a mistake is a mistake, after all...

 

[Anonymous]

It is a good link.

 

[garyjames6273 s]

Malachite Green and copper are distinct substances with different chemical properties and uses in saltwater aquariums. Malachite Green is an organic dye used primarily for fungal and some parasitic infections, whereas copper is a metal used to treat protozoan and other parasitic infections. Their differences in chemical composition, application, and toxicity should be considered when using them in an aquarium setting.