Copper killing everything?

[arrowanaguy]

i've had my tank for three years (55gal) and everything has gone okay until recently, i found a small trace of copper in my reef....i know that copper stays in the tank and in anything pourous (rocks, etc...), but is there really no way to remove it?

Is my tank doomed to no more than a boring fish tank now?

Should I take it down (and if i do, i've been told i must scrap everything ((fish included)) to start over)?

Can this really be happening?


Any help would be appreciated!!!! 8O

 

[arrowanaguy]

To add more.......

my mushrooms, leathers, green star polyps, and some anemones are all shrunk up and have been for weeks!!!!!!



please help..........

 

[Anonymous]

carbon/charcoal and chem-sorb type of thing may help you with the metal. Are you using them already?

 

[Anonymous]

How are your snails doing? Worst care you still won't have to get rid of your fish. Copper is an essential trace element it just can't be present at more than a trace. How did the copper get there, tap water?
Poly pads can get the copper out of the water but not off the glass or rocks.

 

[arrowanaguy]

carbon/charcoal and chem-sorb type of thing may help you with the metal. Are you using them already?

I am using carbon, but not for long......i haven't heard of chem-sorb but will look into it.....thanks for the info....

 

[arrowanaguy]

How are your snails doing? Worst care you still won't have to get rid of your fish. Copper is an essential trace element it just can't be present at more than a trace. How did the copper get there, tap water?
Poly pads can get the copper out of the water but not off the glass or rocks.

unfortunately, the copper got there from "Purified" RO Freshwater from my LFS.........i noticed everything keeling over and decided to test EVERYTHING in my water, when copper came up, i decided to test everything i add to the tank (B-Ionic, RO Water, etc) and found medium levels of copper in their RO water!!! I thought i would die, here i have been busting my A** trying to make my tank successful when all along the pet store has been killing it!!!!


however, the (turbo) snails are doing okay....i only have like 8 in my 55 but am down to 6, i noticed the hermit crabs have taken over the 2 shells.......thanks again guys.......

 

[arrowanaguy]

any takers today?

 

[Anonymous]

any takers today?

If I had proof that it came from the LFS's water I would raise some holy hell!

Like as in getting a lawyer and suing kind of hell....

If it were my tank I would keep doing water changes with "pure" water and keep a log of the copper test results. You should be able to see how bad its in the rock by how bad the water is before every water change.

Good luck with it....

 

[owenz]

Unfortunately, the news is grim:

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/curemovalfaqs.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/curemovalfaq2.htm

It doesn't seem like the mere presence of copper is always the kiss of death. There is a big difference, for instance, between accidentally allowing some copper-treated water from the LFS to sneak into your tank while floating a bag...and directly dosing your tank with copper. If you directly dose your tank, you will likely kill live rock and all inverts. The live rock will be permanently infused with copper and useless, even in a fish only tank. On the other hand, if you mistakenly allow some copper-contaminated water to leak in then time, water changes, and chemical treatments may eventually mitigate the damage.

I would read the wetwebmedia FAQ's and compare your copper readings to those mentioned there. This will help you determine if you need to start over, or if time, water changes and chemical treatment can work.

If you lose a substantial amount of livestock, I would strongly consider legal action. If you go this route, I would start by taking water samples from the store to an independent third party. Then consider filing a claim in small claims court or hiring an attorney if the loss is substantial enough.

 

[Anonymous]

In the mean time... Poly filters. They are awesome.

~wings~

 

[slowpork]

I use Cuprisorb. When it's filled up with copper, it can be regenerated using muriatic acid.

 

[Anonymous]

Not for anything, but I'd use them, and get rid of them. I'm not a chemist, but I wouldn't want to put acids back into the tank I'm trying to balance out. ...but you might know better.

~wings~

 

[ChrisRD]

You don't put the acid in the tank. You regenerate the media with the acid after you're done with it (ie. out of the tank).

 

[Anonymous]

You don't put the acid in the tank. You regenerate the media with the acid after you're done with it (ie. out of the tank).

No, I get that...I'd just be concerned about residue.

~wings~

 

[Anonymous]

You don't put the acid in the tank. You regenerate the media with the acid after you're done with it (ie. out of the tank).

No, I get that...I'd just be concerned about residue.

~wings~

One of the big advantages of Hydrochloric acid is the ease at which it can be diluted and removed with just purified water. The major disadvantage is what it does to flesh 8O

 

[Anonymous]

Is that the same as muriatic acid?

~wings~

 

[ChrisRD]

LOL, sorry Wings - misunderstood you. :wink:

You need to rinse the media with freshwater before you use it again (ie. what Guy said).

Yes, muriatic acid = hydrochloric acid = HCL + water.

Personally, I don't mess with the stuff...

HTH

 

[arrowanaguy]

wow, thanks guys, i was told that you guys would have all the answers......i have tried several things to no success,,,,i guess i will keep it a fish tank for now until i move then, set up my 125 as salt.....i haven't done this yet because i have a 3 1/2 foot arrowana that needs a bigger tank than the 125...so, i will move her into a 265 and then change over the 125 (a guy at another LFS said he would come and help me out)...anyone know the average price for a guy coming over to help me out??? thanks for all your infinite knowledge and patience people as i can only get to my emails sometimes once a week!!!