starting reef tank from carbon treated fish tank

fosch · 02/20/2007, 11:54 PM

So we have had a 55 gal tank for almost one year and have treated it with copper for a couple months to get rid of ich--now we would like to switch it over to a reef tank. I know that there are poly filters that will remove carbon. Is it possible at all to start a reef tank from a copper treated fish tank?

Randy Holmes-Farley · 02/21/2007, 06:45 AM

I assume you mean remove copper?

It may be possible to do so, but depending on the extent of copper bound to live rock and sand, it may be very hard to keep copper from killing organisms like snails, etc. A couple of month treatment sounds severe to me, and I wouldn't count on being able to use the rock and sand.

02/20/2007, 11:54 PM	#1
fosch Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Waupaca Posts: 20	starting reef tank from carbon treated fish tank So we have had a 55 gal tank for almost one year and have treated it with copper for a couple months to get rid of ich--now we would like to switch it over to a reef tank. I know that there are poly filters that will remove carbon. Is it possible at all to start a reef tank from a copper treated fish tank?

02/21/2007, 06:45 AM	#2
Randy Holmes-Farley Reef Chemist Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Arlington, Massachusetts Posts: 86,233	I assume you mean remove copper? It may be possible to do so, but depending on the extent of copper bound to live rock and sand, it may be very hard to keep copper from killing organisms like snails, etc. A couple of month treatment sounds severe to me, and I wouldn't count on being able to use the rock and sand. __________________ Randy Holmes-Farley Current Tank Info: 120 mixed reef