I used copper power in my QT tank for 4 weeks and even though Ive done a 100% water change, copper keeps leeching back in

[chemchris]

I have a 20 (acrylic) frag tank with an old school bio-ball trickle tray filter, with a sponge separating the compartments in my sump. On the return side is just a return pump. Never had any sand or live rock, only some PVC.

Now that my QT period is over, I want to make it a tank for a mantis shrimp. I did a 100% water change, changed out the filter floss and added a pack of cuprisorb to my sump and let it run for 4 weeks. Much to my surprise, I tested last night and my copper was 0.23 ppm. I did a 25% water change, added the other bag of curprisorb, another pack of chemi pure elite that I had lying around and noticed the copper went down to 0.07.

I tested again this morning and its now back up to 0.12 ppm. I bought NovAqua plus which is supposed to remove copper, but I think its made to remove copper from tap water, not the levels I'm at. I cant figure out where the copper is leeching back in from. The only culprits I can think of are:

1. bio balls
2. return tubing (its silicone)
3. PVC
4. sponge between sump compartments

I was thinking of getting a reefmat anyway since theyre such messy eaters which would eliminate the bioballs from the equation. Obviously Im going to have to try everything until I can reduce the copper level, but where should I start? Is there anything Im not thinking of?

 

[Xxflounderxx]

I have a 20 (acrylic) frag tank with an old school bio-ball trickle tray filter, with a sponge separating the compartments in my sump. On the return side is just a return pump. Never had any sand or live rock, only some PVC.

Now that my QT period is over, I want to make it a tank for a mantis shrimp. I did a 100% water change, changed out the filter floss and added a pack of cuprisorb to my sump and let it run for 4 weeks. Much to my surprise, I tested last night and my copper was 0.23 ppm. I did a 25% water change, added the other bag of curprisorb, another pack of chemi pure elite that I had lying around and noticed the copper went down to 0.07.

I tested again this morning and its now back up to 1.2 ppm. I bought NovAqua plus which is supposed to remove copper, but I think its made to remove copper from tap water, not the levels I'm at. I cant figure out where the copper is leeching back in from. The only culprits I can think of are:

1. bio balls
2. return tubing (its silicone)
3. PVC
4. sponge between sump compartments

I was thinking of getting a reefmat anyway since theyre such messy eaters which would eliminate the bioballs from the equation. Obviously Im going to have to try everything until I can reduce the copper level, but where should I start? Is there anything Im not thinking of?

How are you testing the copper?
What kind of bio balls are they plastic or ceramic?

 

[chemchris]

How are you testing the copper?
What kind of bio balls are they plastic or ceramic?

Plastic and Im using the hanna checker. Packets expire 07/29. I just took the sponge out, it wasnt doing much anyway.

 

[Xxflounderxx]

Plastic and Im using the hanna checker. Packets expire 07/29

Ok so I have had this problem before the hanna checker is a high range meter not a low range therefore you are getting false results at the low end. Since you are using plastic bioballs and even used cuprisorb. That's my bet. You can always send out an icp to confirm. Did the cuprisorb change color?

 

[chemchris]

I think so, I've never used it before. Does this look like its getting exhausted?

(I put substrate in before I checked the copper, I know rookie mistake. It's only been in there a day, Im prepared to remove it if I have to, but I can't imagine a .12 average level over 24 hours is enough to seep into the substrate enough to significantly impact it. But I may be completely wrong.)

 

[vetteguy53081]

I think so, I've never used it before. Does this look like its getting exhausted?

(I put substrate in before I checked the copper, I know rookie mistake. It's only been in there a day, Im prepared to remove it if I have to, but I can't imagine a .12 average level over 24 hours is enough to seep into the substrate enough to significantly impact it. But I may be completely wrong.)

This is cuprisorb or similar media. Do a massive water change and reset coppersafe (with no inverts/coral) to 2.25 and test with Hanna brand test kit. Accuracy is of importance. Add no chemicals or media and Novaqua removes some metals- Not Copper. Eliminate guesswork and ask if not sure as there can be implications adding wrong doses and wrong medias
If not cuprisorb- Cuprisorb WILL remove copper and if using Tap water will add some copper

 

[chemchris]

@Xxflounderxx What did you do to eventually get rid of it?

 

[Xxflounderxx]

I did an icp and it came back copper free. The hanna checker cannot check levels that low and gives inaccurate results. The cuprisorb dose not look exhausted adding me to believe there is no copper in the system

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I have a 20 (acrylic) frag tank with an old school bio-ball trickle tray filter, with a sponge separating the compartments in my sump. On the return side is just a return pump. Never had any sand or live rock, only some PVC.

Now that my QT period is over, I want to make it a tank for a mantis shrimp. I did a 100% water change, changed out the filter floss and added a pack of cuprisorb to my sump and let it run for 4 weeks. Much to my surprise, I tested last night and my copper was 0.23 ppm. I did a 25% water change, added the other bag of curprisorb, another pack of chemi pure elite that I had lying around and noticed the copper went down to 0.07.

I tested again this morning and its now back up to 0.12 ppm. I bought NovAqua plus which is supposed to remove copper, but I think its made to remove copper from tap water, not the levels I'm at. I cant figure out where the copper is leeching back in from. The only culprits I can think of are:

1. bio balls
2. return tubing (its silicone)
3. PVC
4. sponge between sump compartments

I was thinking of getting a reefmat anyway since theyre such messy eaters which would eliminate the bioballs from the equation. Obviously Im going to have to try everything until I can reduce the copper level, but where should I start? Is there anything Im not thinking of?

What you are describing is how a tank that has been coppered with a calcareous substrate in it would react.

Can you drain the tank, fill it with tap water, test it and then add white vinegar to lower the pH to below 6. Let it run a day and test again. If it jumps up, then copper is leaching out of something.

 

[chemchris]

What you are describing is how a tank that has been coppered with a calcareous substrate in it would react.

Can you drain the tank, fill it with tap water, test it and then add white vinegar to lower the pH to below 6. Let it run a day and test again. If it jumps up, then copper is leaching out of something.

Thats great advice, thank you! I dug through the sump and saw a ceramic block I forgot I added to help seed it from my main tank. Now thats removed, Im hoping to see it go down. If I dont see a daily downward trend, Ill toss out all my substrate and do as you say. Thanks so much!

 

[Xxflounderxx]

My experience with this was in a 155 gallon copper for 6 weeks full of rock and sand today over 6 years the tank is full of inverters I've even had anemones.

If you had a ceramic block in there then you most likely leaching copper back out. You could put the curprisorb back in i always put the bag in a reactor and ran for a minimum of two weeks