LFS uses copper in their FO tanks...bagged a fish and putting in my reef tank...

samstersam · 03/27/2006, 06:22 PM

My lfs started using copper in their fish only tanks (not too high, 15...)

I saw a beautiful juvenile copperband butterfly thats been there for a few weeks and eats frozen/cyclopeeze/flake/freeze dried...

Rare...so I decided to get it.
I brought it home and dripped acclimated him in a separate 1 gallon container for 30 minutes, then netted him (tried to avoid drops of water), into ANOTHER 1 gallon container full of my tank water for 10 minutes, then netted him into one more 1 gallon container for 10 minutes before I finally plunged him in my tank...

(all times when netted , i tried to drip water drops away from the new container...

I know I must have stressed the hell out of the little guy, but I did not want to risk my corals and inverts.. He seems fine now though...

my question is...was my procedure enough to get lower the copper concentration to be reef safe?

I know my procedure seemed painfully amateurish, but that was all I could think of at that time... any suggestions in the future when I buy more fish from this lfs that uses copper in their FO tanks?

skeeter_ca · 03/27/2006, 06:26 PM

Maybe use a qt tank and carbon?

03/27/2006, 06:22 PM	#1
samstersam Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: NYC Posts: 389	LFS uses copper in their FO tanks...bagged a fish and putting in my reef tank... My lfs started using copper in their fish only tanks (not too high, 15...) I saw a beautiful juvenile copperband butterfly thats been there for a few weeks and eats frozen/cyclopeeze/flake/freeze dried... Rare...so I decided to get it. I brought it home and dripped acclimated him in a separate 1 gallon container for 30 minutes, then netted him (tried to avoid drops of water), into ANOTHER 1 gallon container full of my tank water for 10 minutes, then netted him into one more 1 gallon container for 10 minutes before I finally plunged him in my tank... (all times when netted , i tried to drip water drops away from the new container... I know I must have stressed the hell out of the little guy, but I did not want to risk my corals and inverts.. He seems fine now though... my question is...was my procedure enough to get lower the copper concentration to be reef safe? I know my procedure seemed painfully amateurish, but that was all I could think of at that time... any suggestions in the future when I buy more fish from this lfs that uses copper in their FO tanks?

03/27/2006, 06:26 PM	#2
skeeter_ca Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Yucaipa, CA Posts: 1,007	Maybe use a qt tank and carbon? __________________ skeeter - It is easier to ask for forgiveness than premission. My motto to my wife. Current Tank Info: 75rr,6"dsb,refugium,auto top-off & semi-auto water changer, OM squirt. 4 MJs 1200, Started on 03/03/06