Equipment Contamination with Cu

[sleepydoc]

I have Maxijet 1200 pump that I use for water changes, etc and just started treating some new fish in quarantine with cupramine. Should I treat this pump as 'contaminated' and get another one to use only with my DT?

 

[snake42490]

Personally I have used many pumps and equipment for that matter that has been in copper. I can tell you I clean the heck out of it with hot water vinegar and a small solution of bleach to make sure it's clean as can be. Whenever I'm done cleaning something I make sure it doesn't smell like any of the chemicals I used to clean it. Also, I always let my stuff dry out before it goes in. Just for safety measures! I don't want anything to tag along.

 

[Mr. Bill]

Agreed, copper will wash off of non-porous surfaces.

 

[MrTuskfish]

Agreed, copper will wash off of non-porous surfaces.

Yeah. That old rumor that says "you can never use a tank for coral/inverts" is still around.

 

[sleepydoc]

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't worried so much about it absorbing into the plastic as I was about 'cross contamination,' since the tubing and impeller likely never fully dry and I don't routinely rinse them off between uses.

Thinking about it, I think I'll pick up another pump anyway. BRS has them for $27 and I should really have a dedicated pump for my QT either way just to prevent accidental disease contamination of my DT.