Can gravel from a QT tank treated with Copper be reused?

[mdellyd]

I have some gravel I had in a quaranteen tank that I recently broke down and I want to know if I can use the gravel in a reef tank. I treated the quaranteen tank with Copper and other chemicals and I read that rocks and gravel will absorb Copper so does that mean I can never use this gravel again? Is there any way I can wash or treat the gravel now to purge it of the Copper?

Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

No, I wouldn't use it. Calcium carbonate and other minerals can bind a lot of copper that is hard to remove completely.