Tank treated with copper?
- Thread starter cjtabares
- Start date
I was looking to see what other people thought. I was seeing if anyone has used a tank they treated with copper and what happened. I was talking to someone i know on another form and he set up a tank with water dosed it with 2x the copper for treatment for a month or so. He then removed all the water and filled it with clean water and tested the tank for water for the next month, his test showed no copper. So yes i was leaning towards using it but if someone can out right and said they tried to use a tank with copper and nothing survived then i would think again. But to date i have not fond one person tell me they found any ill effects from using a tank they treated with copper.
ReefNutPA
New member
Unfortunately the majority of test kits on the market are not as sensitive as are needed to determine how much, if any, copper leaches back into the tank.
Most test kit manufacturers don't market a kit that measures trace amounts of copper as dosing at that is useless - so why make a test kit to test that low? Labs and such can test that low, but over-the-counter run-of-the-mill $20 test kits just aren't that sophisticated.
If you are willing to take the chance that if traces of copper are present over time and irritate the seahorses gill membrane and causes excess mucous within their sealed gills and makes it difficult for them to breathe, then by all means use the tank.
Tom
Most test kit manufacturers don't market a kit that measures trace amounts of copper as dosing at that is useless - so why make a test kit to test that low? Labs and such can test that low, but over-the-counter run-of-the-mill $20 test kits just aren't that sophisticated.
If you are willing to take the chance that if traces of copper are present over time and irritate the seahorses gill membrane and causes excess mucous within their sealed gills and makes it difficult for them to breathe, then by all means use the tank.
Tom
ann83
New member
There's no need to get harsh and inflammatory with posts...
To the OP: obviously this is a subject with a lot of different opinions. Personally, I know reefnutpa from the forums and I trust his opinion on things, but you're going to have to find a source that you trust enough to follow.
To the OP: obviously this is a subject with a lot of different opinions. Personally, I know reefnutpa from the forums and I trust his opinion on things, but you're going to have to find a source that you trust enough to follow.
Yeah i am not trying to hurt anything i am taking a living things life into my hand i want to try and give it a good and healthy life. reefmutpa do u know any labs that i could send the water to to get a good test? Maybe i will put water in the tank let it sit and send a sample of the original water and the water after it sits n the tank and see what the copper levels are at. This tank will not get set up for a while because i want to get my reef tank to where i want it, but it is a free tank so i am taking it.
This is what wetwebmedia had to say:
Hello
<Hiya Darrel here>
I am getting a 45 gal hex tank that was treated with copper and was wondering if the copper will affect the live stock.
<Yes, and No. _How's that for an answer?>
I wanted to set it up as a seahorse tank and wanted to know if that would be safe? _I am not using anything but the tank. _I have heard both that the silicone will absorb the copper and leach it back into the tank and that this is just a myth and as long as you wash the tank there should be no left over copper. _I just don't want to harm anything.
<If you look at the first two links below, articles compiled specifically about Copper Removal, you'll see that it is our opinion that with proper high quality carbon filtration, what copper that did leech into and now coming back out of the silicone can be removed until only undetectable amounts remain. _So in this instance it's not a myth: _In fact, the tank may very well contain trace amounts of anything and everything that it has ever contained ... and the only question for us is "is what's left enough to make a difference?" and again, the answer is "Yes and No." _Two weeks of high quality carbon (like HydroCarbon 2) will remove all measurable amounts of copper. __Is that enough? _Probably, yes. _Truth be told -- more attention to water quality, changes, filtration and other aspects of husbandry is probably a better use of your time and effort that worrying about all the trace remains in world.>
<So ... _you're not taking MUCH of a chance, but only you can balance the risk versus the cost savings>
Thanks for any help
<It wasn't much, was it?>
Chris
Hello
<Hiya Darrel here>
I am getting a 45 gal hex tank that was treated with copper and was wondering if the copper will affect the live stock.
<Yes, and No. _How's that for an answer?>
I wanted to set it up as a seahorse tank and wanted to know if that would be safe? _I am not using anything but the tank. _I have heard both that the silicone will absorb the copper and leach it back into the tank and that this is just a myth and as long as you wash the tank there should be no left over copper. _I just don't want to harm anything.
<If you look at the first two links below, articles compiled specifically about Copper Removal, you'll see that it is our opinion that with proper high quality carbon filtration, what copper that did leech into and now coming back out of the silicone can be removed until only undetectable amounts remain. _So in this instance it's not a myth: _In fact, the tank may very well contain trace amounts of anything and everything that it has ever contained ... and the only question for us is "is what's left enough to make a difference?" and again, the answer is "Yes and No." _Two weeks of high quality carbon (like HydroCarbon 2) will remove all measurable amounts of copper. __Is that enough? _Probably, yes. _Truth be told -- more attention to water quality, changes, filtration and other aspects of husbandry is probably a better use of your time and effort that worrying about all the trace remains in world.>
<So ... _you're not taking MUCH of a chance, but only you can balance the risk versus the cost savings>
Thanks for any help
<It wasn't much, was it?>
Chris
Ok sorry that did not work the first time here is another try
Web Wet Media's answers are in red
Hello
(Hiya Darrel here)
I am getting a 45 gal hex tank that was treated with copper and was wondering if the copper will affect the live stock.
(Yes, and No. How's that for an answer?)
I wanted to set it up as a seahorse tank and wanted to know if that would be safe? I am not using anything but the tank. I have heard both that the silicone will absorb the copper and leach it back into the tank and that this is just a myth and as long as you wash the tank there should be no left over copper. I just don't want to harm anything.
(If you look at the first two links below, articles compiled specifically about Copper Removal, you'll see that it is our opinion that with proper high quality carbon filtration, what copper that did leech into and now coming back out of the silicone can be removed until only undetectable amounts remain. So in this instance it's not a myth: In fact, the tank may very well contain trace amounts of anything and everything that it has ever contained ... and the only question for us is "is what's left enough to make a difference?" and again, the answer is "Yes and No." Two weeks of high quality carbon (like HydroCarbon 2) will remove all measurable amounts of copper. Is that enough? Probably, yes. Truth be told -- more attention to water quality, changes, filtration and other aspects of husbandry is probably a better use of your time and effort that worrying about all the trace remains in world.)
(So ... you're not taking MUCH of a chance, but only you can balance the risk versus the cost savings)
Thanks for any help
(It wasn't much, was it?)
Chris
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/curemovalfaqs.htm>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/curemovalfaq2.htm>
<and>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seahorsecare.htm>
Web Wet Media's answers are in red
Hello
(Hiya Darrel here)
I am getting a 45 gal hex tank that was treated with copper and was wondering if the copper will affect the live stock.
(Yes, and No. How's that for an answer?)
I wanted to set it up as a seahorse tank and wanted to know if that would be safe? I am not using anything but the tank. I have heard both that the silicone will absorb the copper and leach it back into the tank and that this is just a myth and as long as you wash the tank there should be no left over copper. I just don't want to harm anything.
(If you look at the first two links below, articles compiled specifically about Copper Removal, you'll see that it is our opinion that with proper high quality carbon filtration, what copper that did leech into and now coming back out of the silicone can be removed until only undetectable amounts remain. So in this instance it's not a myth: In fact, the tank may very well contain trace amounts of anything and everything that it has ever contained ... and the only question for us is "is what's left enough to make a difference?" and again, the answer is "Yes and No." Two weeks of high quality carbon (like HydroCarbon 2) will remove all measurable amounts of copper. Is that enough? Probably, yes. Truth be told -- more attention to water quality, changes, filtration and other aspects of husbandry is probably a better use of your time and effort that worrying about all the trace remains in world.)
(So ... you're not taking MUCH of a chance, but only you can balance the risk versus the cost savings)
Thanks for any help
(It wasn't much, was it?)
Chris
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/curemovalfaqs.htm>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/curemovalfaq2.htm>
<and>
<http://www.wetwebmedia.com/seahorsecare.htm>
Last edited:
There is no answer i want to hear. If i can use this for seahorses it is no big deal to me, I can always buy another tank or find another deal. I am truly curiose about this now, i was looking into buying a Hanna copper photometer but $500 is to much for me right now.
Most have told me there is little or no risk using a tank that was treated with copper, and i am not saying i am going to use the tank. If i used it and i cant keep the seahorses alive i would fell horrible thinkng itcould have been the copper that caused it.
Do you think Wet Web Media is incorrect? Do you think that even after 2 weeks of carbon treatment it would still be to much of a risk? And this is a real question i am not trying to be rude.
Most have told me there is little or no risk using a tank that was treated with copper, and i am not saying i am going to use the tank. If i used it and i cant keep the seahorses alive i would fell horrible thinkng itcould have been the copper that caused it.
Do you think Wet Web Media is incorrect? Do you think that even after 2 weeks of carbon treatment it would still be to much of a risk? And this is a real question i am not trying to be rude.
