# Fastest way to remove copper from your tank?



## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

Ok, I dosed the tank with a multi-solution product which contained copper. This product said it had some coppersafe something on it that they water changes will remove the cooper from it.

Now I've also heard that carbon removes meds/copper but now fast does it do this?

I'm planning on dropping some red cherry shrimp that a member here is giving me into the tank but I've heard copper causes problems for the shrimp. I'm thinking of putting carbon into my filter to take out any left over copper. I plan on doing 20-25% water changes daily to remove the meds from the water.


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## KnaveTO (May 13, 2007)

Shrimp are hightly sensitive to copper, even some trace elements ferts with miniscule amounts of copper can be deadly for them. The only way to be sure that the tank is fine for them is to empty it, clean it with a solution of bleach and water and then give it a good rinsing.

Carbon will remove copper from the water, however I have no idea as to how long. You may want to buy a copper test from your LFS to check your water when using copper to remove the copper based meds


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

You can precipitate copper from a solution (or attempt to draw it out of something) using a concentrated calcium carbonate solution. It'll be more effective than waiting for it to leach back into the water and try to absorb it with carbon.

Mind you, I've housed shrimp in tanks that previously were treated with copper based meds - it's not impossible, but you have to be sure that you're removed almost all of the copper.

Then again, everyone seems to forget (or not know) that almost all mollusks, and some arthropods (crustaceans) have copper coursing through their veins - they have hemocyanin not hemoglobin (they have blue blood), so trace (ppb/ppt) amounts of copper might actually be required for them - but don't go adding copper on that :


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

KnaveTO said:


> Carbon will remove copper from the water, however I have no idea as to how long. You may want to buy a copper test from your LFS to check your water when using copper to remove the copper based meds


The copper test kits unfortunately won't give you the sensitivity you need to detect levels of Copper that could kill inverts.


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## AquaNeko (Jul 26, 2009)

How much do those copper test kits go for anyways?

If it's too much for one small test I may have to look into another option or borrowing one from a local GTAA'er.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

http://oceanaquatics.com/store/product/461/Salifert-Copper-Test-Kit/

Expect to pay a similar or more in ton at an LFS - Big Al's won't have one (or a good one). Go to Sea U Marine (Richmond Hill), Ken should have it.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Will copper tests meant for salt water tanks work in fresh water setups though?


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

ooh, good call. Probably not, but I'm not sure what kind of reaction they use.


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2009)

The API copper kit works in both fresh and salt.

Best products to remove copper is cuprisorb from Seachem and Toxic Metal Sponge form Kent

Carbon is only partially successful in removing it from the water.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

how effective are they from precipitating it or removing it from say a silicone sealant? They still require it to be in solution right?

I'd imagine you'd have to effectively get it into solution again first for any of those products to work effectively. I myself haven't used them so I don't know, but the CaCO3 method does work.


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## Guest (Aug 22, 2009)

ameekplec. said:


> how effective are they from precipitating it or removing it from say a silicone sealant? They still require it to be in solution right?
> 
> I'd imagine you'd have to effectively get it into solution again first for any of those products to work effectively. I myself haven't used them so I don't know, but the CaCO3 method does work.


From the Seachem website


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Cool. thanks.


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