where did the copper go?

[mastershake72]

I just yesterday found that my Blue Hippo Tang had cloudy eyes and white things growing on the eyes. I immediately pulled him out diagnosed it as ich and started treatment accordingly. I purchased Cupramine and added the dosage instructions exactly. Now today, I ran a copper test and it shows nothing at all. I am not running any UV sterlization, protein skimming, or activated carbon that I would think would suck out copper like that. My QT tank does have live rock in it and I asked the LFS and they told me to leave it in the tank as a safe haven. Should I have pulled the live rock out? Could anything in a canister filter (other than carbon, which I removed) have this effect? Should I redose now and see what happens? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[shawna1972]

I would pull the live rock! Live rock absorbs the Copper this is why your test kit is not registering. Use pvc, drill some holes so it sinks for hiding spots then re-test and re-dose. You can not however put the live rock back into your display because it contains copper now!
Maybe someone else can help as far as getting the copper out of live rock? Or you can choose to leave the live rock in seeing as it already contains copper and then just re adjust the dose but the live rock will continue to absorb the copper.
What test kits are you using? Salifert makes one that is easier to read and seachem is good to
Also seachem makes a badge that sticks to the glass of your qt to tell you when the ammonia is building which you will need as cupramine will throw your regular test kits off and will look like your ammonia is off the charts.
Also seachem makes a product that will help with the ammonia called stability you may want to get some of that also
Seachem claims this product can be used safely with cupramine and no other meds should be used with cupramine.
I would just do your regular water changes and adjust copper dose accordingly and maybe buy a few sponge filters put them in your display or dp filter for a week and tansfer them back to your Qt for added bacteria then throw away.

Hope this helps! Take care

 

[LargeAngels]

Live rock and sand will absorb the copper. What test kit are you using? The reason I ask is that there was a version of kits from Seachem that did not read correctly. The one's that do read correctly from Seachem has the little stick you put in a tiny vial to get some white powder out.

 

[mastershake72]

Actually my QT tank runs 24/7 instead of just when I need it. And the live rock I have in there is specifically for my QT tank and there is no chance that I will put it back into my display. If I decide to stop doing reefing at some point this rock would simply be thrown outside somewhere in my backyard so it would never be used. Since my QT is actually more of a established tank I dont think ammonia should be much of a problem should it? I am using an API copper test kit and am not testing for ammonia right now, but if I did I would use a Red Sea kit that I got when I started reefing. Thanks for the advice I did pull the live rock but there is still live sand in the tank so I will have to continue to monitor the copper absorption rate.

 

[LargeAngels]

If testing for ammonia read Seachem's FAQ's in reguards to false ammonia readings from some test kits when treating with Cupramine.

 

[shawna1972]

cupramine is more gentle on biological but you may still see a spike I would test if it was me, but its much easier to get that stick on the glass thingffrom seachem its $7.00 and worth it it lasts for 6 weeks and its compatiable with cupramine for reading free ammonia.

 

[shawna1972]

After re-reading your post are you sure it's Ich? and not bacterial/flukes? spots on body?