Help: Confused about copper test reading

[jjencek]

About eight weeks ago I purchased a HANNA Copper LR tester. When I measured my tank, I was shocked to find out I had about 120 ppm of copper. It has varied between 100 and 400 ever since.

I have been trying to fix it, but without any success. What is confusing is that my HANNA tester measures as high as 400 ppm , but fish and all other creatures don't show signs of stress.

Furthermore, attempts of using copper absorbing media (ZEOLITE, METASORB and POLYFILTER) make no difference. I was expecting POLYFILTER to turn blue due to the copper, but it did not. It turned little brown about the same as my filter sock.

Any idea what can be going on? Can HANNA checker test positive for other reasons?

 

[mcgyvr]

Call Hanna... Sounds like a false positive IMO..

 

[bertoni]

My first guess is that the reagents in the kit are bad. There might be some sort of chemical interference, but I am a bit skeptical about that. I might try measuring some freshly-mixed saltwater. If that measures positive, I probably would treat about a gallon of it with a PolyFilter to see what happens.

 

[jjencek]

My first guess is that the reagents in the kit are bad. There might be some sort of chemical interference, but I am a bit skeptical about that. I might try measuring some freshly-mixed saltwater. If that measures positive, I probably would treat about a gallon of it with a PolyFilter to see what happens.

I tried a new reagent - same results.

I tried fresh water mix - ZERO "copper" in that.

It is something in the tank, but still trying to figure it out.

I am also considering sending a water sample to Triton.

 

[bertoni]

Are there any invertebrates in the tank? I think that level of copper would be fatal to a fairly broad range of animals, so there might be some interference issue. I'll do some research.

 

[jjencek]

Are there any invertebrates in the tank? I think that level of copper would be fatal to a fairly broad range of animals, so there might be some interference issue. I'll do some research.

Besides fish and corals I got bunch of snails, worms, and shrimps. They all seem to be fine.

 

[Dr. Reef]

LR is in PPB so 400 ppb is 0.4 ppm which may not be lethal to fish but surely will have fatalities on inverts. if freshly made saltwater shows 0 then there is something in the tank thats adding on the copper or somehow the unit itself could be bad/off on calibration.

 

[jjencek]

LR is in PPB so 400 ppb is 0.4 ppm which may not be lethal to fish but surely will have fatalities on inverts. if freshly made saltwater shows 0 then there is something in the tank thats adding on the copper or somehow the unit itself could be bad/off on calibration.

Thank you for correcting me. Yes, I meant to say PPB not PPM. So to correct my numbers ... the tank ranges from 0.1 to 0.4 ppm.

 

[bertoni]

Right, I should have notice the ppm-ppb issue, but I was assuming ppb. 400 ppm would kill everything, I think.

 

[jjencek]

I got my results back from Triton ICP ... 0.0001 ppm of copper.

So it seems that Hanna Check Copper LR is FALSE POSITIVE. I know there is something in the DT that causes it, because a new RODI with RedSea salt does not show any copper.

I am opened to suggestions.

What is the best way to contact Hanna and ask?

 

[bertoni]

I have no idea what might be causing the testing problem. I'd try new reagents. Hanna probably has a customer service line, but I doubt that they'd know what might cause interference. I'd give them a call, anyway, to ask about a refund on the reagents.