Copper / Live Rock ...

Discussion in 'Live Rock' started by bernokarl, Jan 25, 2011.

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  1. bernokarl

    bernokarl Astrea Snail

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    Ok : I KNOW if you copper live rock it will be destroid/dead . I am not a scientist and I suspect no one else here is either . SO : If I weed the copper 100% out my water ~~

    ( I understand it will never come off the rock that was present at the time of copper in water because it attaches it's self )

    ~~ And add A new piece of live rock , will it sustain the benificial bacteria or will it die just because at one time there was copper in the water ?

    I would bet the new live rock will live and the copperd old rock will never turn live again (but I do not know) I dont have a microscope or the patience to test , Lets talk ...
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2011
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  3. bvb-etf-luva

    bvb-etf-luva Banned

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    dont use copper in the tank, in the future you are going to want to buy corals and you wont be able to because copper will stay in the tank forever, ow good its cleaned
     
  4. SushiGirl

    SushiGirl Barracuda

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    You're half right. The old rock will never be live again. But the new live rock won't stay live with anything still in the tank that will leach copper.

    And actually I'm pretty sure there's quite a few scientists here ;).
     
  5. TheSaltwaterGuy

    TheSaltwaterGuy Banned

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    Dude just don't use copper in the DT
     
  6. PetMother

    PetMother Corkscrew Tentacle Anemone

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    Don't do it. Copper stays on the old rock but if new rock is placed in, the copper will leach and have horrid effects on the new rock. If snail or other inverts are placed in the aquarium they won't last long either.
     
  7. bernokarl

    bernokarl Astrea Snail

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    So how many parts per millon can be held in a tank with out harming corl or crabs?? . I wish I had the resources to run some big bad test ...
    I would thaink that after years or meny power washings that the ppm of copper would be so minute that it would not matter :confused:
     
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  9. SushiGirl

    SushiGirl Barracuda

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    What's the point? If you're using it to get rid of parasites, then any amount too small to kill the coral or crabs would do nothing to the parasites either.

    Power washings won't get rid of copper that has leached into rock. Leaching means the rock has soaked it up. It doesn't just wash off.
     
  10. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    I once did a survey regarding use of a tank after treatment with copper. The vast majority of those that responded stated that they had gone on to use the tank for corals and inverts without incidents of copper toxicity.

    Would I risk using rock that had been used in a tank treated with copper, probably not. But I would use a tank that was used when treating with copper (not a quarantine), no problem. I believe the concept of copper leaching out of the sealant/silcone is a myth.
     
  11. broc1093

    broc1093 Astrea Snail

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    I have a FOWLR tank About 4 months ago had a bad case of ich, not knowing I added copper to my tank and it killed my live rock and urchins but my emerald crab lived.2 months ago I moved my tank and only replaced the water. It caused a cycle again but my rock if fine now. I added a few pieces of new rock and everything looks good again, coralline growth ect. So I guess you can get over the effects and rock can still be good. I havnt had problems ever since it just cycled again
     
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  12. Corailline

    Corailline Super Moderator

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    It is a dry heat, yeah right !
    Interesting and good to know.

    :)