Seachem Cuprumine Copper Help

[Bofa]

I am dosing my main fish only tank with Seachem cuprumine copper and every day when I test it I have 0 copper in my tank. The only think I have running is a protein skimmer. I do have a lot of live rock and sand in my tank. I also got 2 test kits and both of them are working fine. What do you think the problem is? Tonight I turned off the skimmer and redoesed the tank...going to see if that does anything....Have any ideas.???


140 gallon tank

 

[MedicalZoa]

im doing the same thing but i only left the sand in. take the rock and sand out cause they will absorb the copper. the rock will obsorb it more than the sand will, and the absorbed copper can be released later on. also test ammonia cause it wil cause a spike as t did for me. trying to rid the ammonia first. also get some cuprisorb to removed the copper when your done

 

[LargeAngels]

How did you verify that the test kits are working? Do a trial test with new salt water in a 5 gallon bucket and add 1ml of Cupramine. Then test it to see what you get.

 

[jnc914]

First off, the live rock and sand can and will absorb the Cupramine IME. Second you really need to use the newer Seachem Copper kits that are made specifically for their products. I tried to dose the display when I had velvet several months ago and it failed miserably. I was never able to get a reading above .2 because of the live rock. If you want to keep the fish in the display, you need to remove the live rock and sand, which really is not a feasible option for most hobbiests. It is best done in QT tanks with no live rock or sand.

 

[Bofa]

So what should I do. Has anyone every treated there display tank with copper and had success? Will the skimmer take out Copper? Yeah I really don't want to take out the rocks and sand...that would take forever....what about getting the salinity to .010 is that safe? has anyone tried that?

 

[gorey]

It may be easier just to get a 20g long for $25.00. And let the display go fallow for 6 weeks. And then you will have a QT yanl for later down the road

 

[Bofa]

Fish died but at least my copper levels are at .3

 

[byrdman81]

.3 shouldnt have killed the fish when you dose with cupramine you try to maintain the levels at .5. I believe that anything over .8 is when it starts to become lethal for most fish

 

[Bofa]

when using copper does your water get cloudy? or should it still be clear? My water seems a lot more cloudy then normal

 

[baobao]

why are you dosing copper if you have a rock there?? u r killing your rock, and if you ever experience a ph drop, the rock will leach the copper, causing a catastrophic spike in copper - not a good idea.

 

[jnc914]

Sounds like a possible ammonia spike. If you used it in your display there is likely die off from your rock and sand. Most will say that won't happen with Cupramine, and it will likely not if done in a bare QT system. In a display with live rock and sand, you are not only killing parasites but also anything else living in the sand and rock. I have even experienced an ammonia reading in my bare QT tank. I always dose cupramine and Seachem Stability at the same time to ensure the biological filter is not effected.

 

[Bofa]

Just tested ammonia and it's at 0.... nitrates are at 30.