Permanent effect of copper and formalin on a glass aquarium

[naterealbig]

Morning everyone,

I have posted a similar thread to this in 2 other forums, however did not receive an adequate response. I thought my question may be answered in the "advanced topics" forum. I have a 10 QT that I have used copper and formalin in several times. I am soon to be purchasing several invertibrates and corals. I am curious as to the long-term effects that the above medications have had on my small QT. I suppose, in short: Can I use this tank (which has been dosed with copper and formalin several times) to safely quarantine sensitive invertibrates? If so, is there any special precautions that I can take? Thanks.

 

[massman]

As long as the tank has been cleaned and sanitised, there will be no problem in reusing it with inverts.
I have seen tanks where the silicone has turned blue due to use of copper/malachite and has subsequently housed inverts.

 

[massman]

As long as the tank has been cleaned and sanitised, there will be no problem in reusing it with inverts.
I have seen tanks where the silicone has turned blue due to use of copper/malachite and has subsequently housed inverts.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

You will need to use muratic acid or a similar compound in order to get the copper out of the silicon. You could also take out all the silicon and reseal the whole aquarium, but that's difficult and time consuming. Without properly cleaning the aquarium, the copper will have a lasting effect in the silicon and harm or kill any invertebrate that is being held in the tank.

Or, you can set up a better QT system. Get a new 10g tank from a place like WalMart that sells them for $10 and use it strictly for QT. If you have an animal that needs treatment, use the old copper-used tank as your hospital tank to treat anything. Of course, if there is still copper in it, then you won't want to treat any invertebrates in it.

 

[massman]

In over 10 years of using copper sulphate.
I always sanitised using bleach, and have never had a subsequent issue.

 

[ReefRascals]

Travis - Do you have a reference substantiating your post? I have never heard this in all my days in this business, and your statement raises an eyebrow. What is the reaction between the copper and the muriatic acid?

 

[RobsReefs]

muriatic acid is serious stuff not to say any thing bad about the other guy, I have used bleach on my qt to clean it.

 

[Paul B]

OK here it is, Rinse the think out with fresh water and put in anything you want. That is my opinion. I ran copper in my FO for years then switched it to a reef with no cleaning or even emptying the tank what so ever. Any trace of copper that may be left will get sucked up by the rocks and not harm anything. This is not nuclear waste, it is copper and there are traces of copper in seawater and plenty of it in tap water which I used for many years. I wouldn't worry about it.
Paul

 

[Seasapience]

Doesn't copper also bind to the porous structure of glass?

 

[Paul B]

It probably does but in such minute quantities that it is of no concern.

 

[RichardS]

Fish foods contain copper, especially shellfish. So does every salt mix. So everytime you feed your fish or do a water change you are adding copper to your tank. It's free copper that that is the problem and copper doesn't want to stay "free" in a sw tank. That's why you have to keep adding it to treat fish parasites (inverts).

I don't know how the rumour got started that you can never use a tank for inverts after using copper but it is not true.

Why would you have copper in the silicone? And why would you have to remove it even it it was there?

 

[Paul B]

That rumor has been circulating since reefs started.
Paul

 

[Conceyted]

this is making me feel better. but i started a new thread on equipment use after to be sure

 

[castorpollux]

tropic marin salt contains minimal amounts of copper, same as natural sea water... its natural and good in the right amounts... it kind of like carcinogens in pepperoni... versus carcinogens in tobacco...

 

[T Man]

Re: Permanent effect of copper and formalin on a glass aquarium

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8266830#post8266830 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by naterealbig .......I have posted a similar thread to this in 2 other forums, however did not receive an adequate response.

Reef Central rules! Another one of my questions answered too. Nice thread naterealbig. Tin:bum:Man

 

[UprightJoe]

I also think that a thorough rinsing should do the trick.

That being said, if you're really concerned about it, it might be worth picking up a new tank for the peace of mind. You should be able to find a 10 gallon for around $10. There's a pet store in my neighborhood that has had them on sale for $8.99 for the last month. I think they're $9.99 at walmart.