Copper in DT

[BST310]

Well I was totally not paying attention earlier and grabbed the copper checker and not the PH. My testing steps (for Alk, Cal, Mag) have always involved rinsing the cuvette and 10ml syringe 2-3 times in the display water. I unknowingly did this with my copper test kit cuvette and syringe. Bonehead move.

I got a result of .14 ppm on the Hanna High range. I did another test with a brand new syringe and obviously no rinse and got .10 ppm.

Think this is a false negative? Or how likely is it I contaminated it with the rinse? By rinse I don’t dump the whole cuvette in the tank I pull up 10ml water shoot it into the cuvette swirl around and then dump back in tank 2-3 times.

Bummed hope I didn’t “nuke” the tank. Cuprisorb and a big water change tomorrow?

 

[BST310]

Also for reference this test kit has been dry for at least 3 months. No QT up and no copper around.

 

[joseserrano]

Could be leeched by something. I’d base it on how your corals look and send out an icp test

 

[BST310]

Could be leeched by something. I’d base it on how your corals look and send out an icp test

I guess what I am really getting at is could that minuscule contact with the cuvette and syringe cause a reading? In your experience.

I have ICP test on hand so I will be sending it out. And keep an eye on corals / inverts.

 

[joseserrano]

Never qt’ed fish, so never had any copper laying around. Readable copper would not be good for a reef. It is in seawater, but the amount would be undetectable with hobbyist kits

 

[BST310]

Hope for the best I guess at this point.

GSP is all out. Zoas are mainly open. Feeding tentacles out on acans, candy cane, and goniastrea.

But fox coral looks strange and OG bounce does as well. Lights are also about to go out so kind of hard to tell if I’m just flippin and things are doing their normal night stuff or if something is actually off.

 

[All Delight]

When you say you rinse cuvette in display water. Do you mean you rinse it in a container outside the display tank or you rinse it in the display tank?

 

[BST310]

When you say you rinse cuvette in display water. Do you mean you rinse it in a container outside the display tank or you rinse it in the display tank?

In the display but I don’t dunk the cuvette into the tank. I’ll drawl up 10 ml in the syringe shoot that into the cuvette, swirl around, and then dump back in the display. I guess not really much different then dunking the cuvette.

 

[Smite]

But after you test you rinse your cuvvette in tap or rodi or something?

I do the same thing with my salifert kits before I run a test. Then test, then rinse in tap and spray out with RODI since I have that near the tank for cleaning glass.

If thats the case, and we are talking about possible residue left from a previous test I dont think you've got an issue. I'd just run some carbon for piece of mind.

What type of copper did you run in QT last?

 

[mattyzang]

have u tested your fresh saltwater?

i did it with new water made without any pumps and it still registered at like 0.20 copper. i emailed IO and they basically just said it's a minor trace element

probably best to send off an icp test just in case, but i don't think simply swirling it in the tank should add much copper, just a bit of residue.

do you use chelated or ionic copper for qt? ionic is more potent i think

 

[BST310]

But after you test you rinse your cuvvette in tap or rodi or something?

I do the same thing with my salifert kits before I run a test. Then test, then rinse in tap and spray out with RODI since I have that near the tank for cleaning glass.

If thats the case, and we are talking about possible residue left from a previous test I dont think you've got an issue. I'd just run some carbon for piece of mind.

What type of copper did you run in QT last?

Correct I always clean the test kits immediately after use and let air dry. I don’t rinse in RO because it’s not super easy access. Figured a rinse in hot tap water and air dry would suffice for the cuvettes.

Coming home today things look normal so I probably overreacted a bit. But I’m going to throw a bag of cuprisorb in there and send off an ICP just the be sure. Could be why my corals look like crap lol I was pinning it on low nutrients.

Also I lost a few snails like totally out of the blue, again blaming it on low nutrients / not enough film algae but maybe there is a bit of residual copper.

 

[BST310]

have u tested your fresh saltwater?

i did it with new water made without any pumps and it still registered at like 0.20 copper. i emailed IO and they basically just said it's a minor trace element

probably best to send off an icp test just in case, but i don't think simply swirling it in the tank should add much copper, just a bit of residue.

do you use chelated or ionic copper for qt? ionic is more potent i think

Yeah I am checking fresh mixed saltwater and my RODI water today to cross those off the list. And the ICP should clear it up.

Chelated I use copper power. So not as potent.

 

[BST310]

No copper but tin is up. This is new compared to my last ICP sent out in Sept. '21. Corals seem to be fine but I lost one acro and a the stylo totally out of the blue and inline with when I thought I contaminated the tank with copper. Very strange.

Not sure where the tin could be coming from, something rusting? I removed my only frag rack and will check everything again for any loose screws, rusting parts, etc.