Cupramine Q

[Tat2demon]

I know you don't want rock in the QT when using a copper treatment but I hear Cupramine may not absorb into rock. Is this true? If it does absorb what are the drawbacks to that other than needing to add more Cupramine?

I have some rubble in my 75 QT right now and like to leave it in if possible. I know it cant be used after that in a normal tank but I'm fine with that.

 

[MCCOOL]

I keep live rock and sand in my qt, I'd assume it absorbing some copper but I just dose more. Just test frequently until you reach the desired level.

 

[Orcrone]

I've included part of a post from Reef Sanctuary. This may not apply to Cupramine. The entire thread is located here.

"When copper ions get into our aquarium water, they will complex with several other salt water ingredients and some of the things we put in our aquariums. Copper ions, as noted above, are very fond of forming complexes with carbonates. When they do, this complex is not very soluble at the pH of our aquariums and it will precipitate, or come out of solution.

Copper ions will do the same with rocks and substrates that contain any form of carbonate materials. This is one reason why it is best to use copper medications in a bare-bottom hospital tank without live rock, dead rock, and carbonate based decorations.

The precipitated copper-carbonate will redissolve if the pH of the aquarium water goes down. This has the effect of suddenly increasing the amount of copper in the tank water. So, the aquarist thinks they are in control of the copper concentration only to find that there is a surge of copper when the pH drops. In addition to maintaining the effective copper concentration, attention has to be given to the holding the pH of the water steady. By the way, this surge in copper, no matter how short of time it is, is enough to permanently injure, poison, or kill the fish being treated."

I think I'd be safe and remove all rock.

 

[Mrsbmckee]

I just dosed my 85 reef with cupramine and I have no problems. Take put all
Inverts or they will die! But my ich is gone and after 2 days of running my filter with Chem pure elite I have no copper and my inverts are back in the tank and doing fine! I believe cupramine is the real thing. If it wouldn't bonded I believe none of my inverts would be living! I've also got a colony of greenstar polyps and some mushrooms Whig have not been effected by this product!

This is my story and opinions so I hope it works out for you! I know a lot of people out here believe that all copper will bind but with science moving he way it is I think this stuff weka and my tank is doing Great!

 

[MrTuskfish]

I just dosed my 85 reef with cupramine and I have no problems. Take put all
Inverts or they will die! But my ich is gone and after 2 days of running my filter with Chem pure elite I have no copper and my inverts are back in the tank and doing fine! I believe cupramine is the real thing. If it wouldn't bonded I believe none of my inverts would be living! I've also got a colony of greenstar polyps and some mushrooms Whig have not been effected by this product!

This is my story and opinions so I hope it works out for you! I know a lot of people out here believe that all copper will bind but with science moving he way it is I think this stuff weka and my tank is doing Great!

Cupramine is the best copper available; IMO & IME. However, it will kill any invert, be absorbed by LR, substrate, etc. Chemi-Pure (the "Elite" just adds a phosphate remover) or any carbon product will remove the copper in the water column. But, it will still leach, in unpredictable levels, from the LR & substrate. If copper is to be safe and effective; it has to be run at a fairly precise level. That's impossible to do with copper leaching continually. Cupramine's mfg, SeaChem has great tech support and I'm sure they'll tell you the same thing, the bottle's instructions do. Ich cannot disappear in two days, it just goes through another stage of its life cycle. If I follow your situation correctly, and I hope I'm not, you are in for a real catastrophe. I think this excellent sticky by snorvich explains it all:http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1986013
BTW, a tank can be used after being treated with cupramine. (The substrate & LR can't). The idea that silicone sealant in the tank's seams absorbs copper isn't true. A myth debunked long ago.

 

[JANOtheMANO]

actually IME live rock and substrate can be used after a Cupramine treatment ive done it twice.. Due to not QTing, youll have to wait at least a month IMO running Cuprasorb and recharging it over and over untill the copper has leached out of the LR and LS and been absorbed

 

[MrTuskfish]

actually IME live rock and substrate can be used after a Cupramine treatment ive done it twice.. Due to not QTing, youll have to wait at least a month IMO running Cuprasorb and recharging it over and over untill the copper has leached out of the LR and LS and been absorbed

Yeah, you'd get most of it that way, in time. I guess I'm always of the mindset that says a properly set up and used QT will avoid a ton or work, expense, dead fish, & other problems. But, like most of us, I learned this the hard way.