copper and live rock

Kev Reefer · 05/23/2010, 01:06 AM

my 3 yr old son accidently dumped a 8oz bottle of coper in my sump. To get a better picture, the total system volume is only 50 gallons. Since have been able to get the copper down to undetectable on an API copper test kit. I have also been told that some undetectable amounts will have pryed there way deep into the crevices of my rock. NOW, my question is....is the rock worth saving. i have had some ups and some downs since this incident. instantly after this happened all SPS died, along with the LPS and some better softies

within another wek or two of mass carbon treatment and water changes, the encrusted corals reopened...all this time the fish are A ok. THEN ammonia and nitrate spike killed them off and all the same corals closed again and the corraline started to white out. so then i ditched 2/3 of the water and added a new peice of rock approximatly 8-10 lbs. and set it up in a spare tank without a sump for around a month. This seemed to be a great thing, all the corals were doing great,started rebuying some frags of my favorite peices i had had before...Then i said ok it was time to re set up the main tank and sump and start getting some flow on these corals. well the switch came with a change froma 2 bulb 108 watt t5 fixture, back to my 250 14 k Halide....again, all the corals shriveled and corraline bleached out again,also at this time noticed some po4 so threw some po4 sponge in the reactor and it was gone at an instant, also had changed the carbon the day before adding the po4 sponge....have heard too much carbon and/or high alkalinity...and in my case! can bleach things...Throw some comments at me and let me know what you all think???????????

shifty51008 · 05/23/2010, 01:59 AM

taken from wetweb The rock may leach copper for weeks or months. Do you have invertebrates? Consider your biofilter as well. As expensive as it is, if I were in your place, I would throw away the rock and sand that was exposed to copper. Is it really worth the risk?>

bglegs · 05/23/2010, 06:17 AM

shifty...is right the cooper will leach from the live rock....I would start over...

Kev Reefer · 05/23/2010, 07:19 AM

got hermits only and they are doin fine...going to see if a new peice of seed rock will replenish the rest...if not, that is my last attempt with this batch of LR. thanks guys for your timely response!!!!!!

05/23/2010, 01:06 AM	#1
Kev Reefer Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 14	copper and live rock my 3 yr old son accidently dumped a 8oz bottle of coper in my sump. To get a better picture, the total system volume is only 50 gallons. Since have been able to get the copper down to undetectable on an API copper test kit. I have also been told that some undetectable amounts will have pryed there way deep into the crevices of my rock. NOW, my question is....is the rock worth saving. i have had some ups and some downs since this incident. instantly after this happened all SPS died, along with the LPS and some better softies within another wek or two of mass carbon treatment and water changes, the encrusted corals reopened...all this time the fish are A ok. THEN ammonia and nitrate spike killed them off and all the same corals closed again and the corraline started to white out. so then i ditched 2/3 of the water and added a new peice of rock approximatly 8-10 lbs. and set it up in a spare tank without a sump for around a month. This seemed to be a great thing, all the corals were doing great,started rebuying some frags of my favorite peices i had had before...Then i said ok it was time to re set up the main tank and sump and start getting some flow on these corals. well the switch came with a change froma 2 bulb 108 watt t5 fixture, back to my 250 14 k Halide....again, all the corals shriveled and corraline bleached out again,also at this time noticed some po4 so threw some po4 sponge in the reactor and it was gone at an instant, also had changed the carbon the day before adding the po4 sponge....have heard too much carbon and/or high alkalinity...and in my case! can bleach things...Throw some comments at me and let me know what you all think???????????

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05/23/2010, 01:59 AM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	taken from wetweb The rock may leach copper for weeks or months. Do you have invertebrates? Consider your biofilter as well. As expensive as it is, if I were in your place, I would throw away the rock and sand that was exposed to copper. Is it really worth the risk?>

05/23/2010, 06:17 AM	#3
bglegs Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Illinois Posts: 267	shifty...is right the cooper will leach from the live rock....I would start over...

05/23/2010, 07:19 AM	#4
Kev Reefer Registered Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Chicago, Illinois Posts: 14	got hermits only and they are doin fine...going to see if a new peice of seed rock will replenish the rest...if not, that is my last attempt with this batch of LR. thanks guys for your timely response!!!!!!