I started treating with coppersafe last night for ick. I have a 55g qt that isn't quit topped off so I added 13 teaspoons of coppersafe. The instructions say 1teaspoon per 4 gallons of water. I tested the wter for my copper levels afterwards. Mt test is a little hard to read. The kit jumps from 20 to 30 and I know that the # needs to be about 25. The test has the tube that you add 10 drops of the solution into the tube of tank water. Do I read the test from looking from the side of the tube or from the top looking into the tube. I know that this has to be done correctly to work and not harm my fish. What are some signs that the fish are stressed?
coppersafe readings
- Thread starter tmkx3
- Start date
BTTRFLYGRL
New member
This is a Chelated copper . Make sure your test kit can be used with chelated copper..They are hard to find
Thanks for your help. This kit is done from the top of the tube and is for chelated copper. My readings are about 1.5. The color is just slightly lighter than the color chart for 2.0. The fish are all eating. I am feeding them formula one and two soaked in garlic. The temp is 80 and all my other readings are 0 except for my nitrates,which are 40. I used 30g of water from my main. I guess that is why my reading is high. I am preparing to do a water change. I will add back the copper accordingly. How large of a water change do I need to do to effect the nitrate #? I am thinking 20%.
That level of nitrate won't harm fish at all, so I wouldn't bother with a water change to reduce them. If you want to make a serious impact on nitrate, you'd want to do 2-3 25% changes. That should knock nitrate about in half or so, very roughly. The level often bounces right back up, though, in many tanks.
