I suspect my IO Reef Crystals contain something that shows up in the Hanna Copper Tester

[luu78]

Hi everyone,

I recently acquired a Hanna Copper Tester for my hospital tank. So by chance, I tested my DT recently for any residual copper from the RODI for the last 10 months of topping off. To my surprise, the tester show repeatedly the presence of copper in concentration between 0.15-0.23 measured multiple times over the last several days. I started back tracking my water source and found tiny copper concentration of 0.01 in my RODI initially with a half exhausted DI resin (mixed bed type from BRS). Being a mixed bed resin, only half of that resin can bind/reduce copper in water. So, I replaced with a full mixed bed DI resin and verifed TDS reading is now zero with 2 different TDS meters. But when I tested my new salt water mix in a 5 gal bucket, the copper concentration was 0.23. This can only mean whatever shows up on the Hanna Copper Tester has to be from IO Reef Crystals right? I did some googling and found IO uses some type of chelator to bind heavy metals. Can you guys help me out with the followings

1. What is the unsafe level of copper in a reef tank that will kill my crustaceans? All 4 of my cleaner shrimps, the tiny mysid shrimps throughout the system, emerald crab and all corals are healthy and seem unaffected while the readings consistently register between 0.15-0.23.
2. Has anyone else using Reef Crystals ever tested and found their water has copper readings on the Hanna Copper Tester? Or, if you happen to use Reef Crystals and also have the Hanna Copper Tester, can you test your RODI and your new salt mix and see if you have copper in only the salt mix and not RODI? Maybe, I have a bad batch of salt?
3. Does Hanna Copper Tester pick up anything else aside from copper?

In the meantime, I’ve been using ROX activated carbon and have ordered Cuprisorb.

 

[ChrisV]

Wow. Have you noticed any adverse effects of the copper? I don't know the answer to your specific questions. Have you thought about sending off an icp test to verify?

Seem like a good topic to cross post on the R2R reef chemistry forum.

 

[Aros]

I switched out of reef crystals a long time ago because of the inconsistency of alkalinity and that was the only parameter I was testing so no telling what else it was off on. I got a range of 8-12 dkh and my tank didn’t like it. Donated all my salt and switched to instant ocean. Never had issues since after controlling my own dosing.

 

[Chris A.]

points that I can make to this is
Copper is a trace element
A lot of foods contain copper
There’s different types of copper.
My copper tends to rise in my tank by feeding it so I use cuprisorb passively in my sump

 

[luu78]

points that I can make to this is
Copper is a trace element
A lot of foods contain copper
There’s different types of copper.
My copper tends to rise in my tank by feeding it so I use cuprisorb passively in my sump

Hi Chris, the measurement was done on a 5 gallon batch of newly mixed Reef Crystals with RODI that has been verified with zero copper. The measurement was 0.23ppm copper in this new salt mix. I have a feeling it’s something else that just happens to react with Hanna copper reagent since everything in the tank seem normal

 

[Chris A.]

Could be something like aluminum that people say leach from biomedia , it isn’t actually in a harmful state but icp can’t differentiate one from the other.

 

[Terry Martin]

have you tested the rodi by itself?

 

[PSU4ME]

Sorry to hear Ben. Calling @Humblefish to possibly chime in on copper and any reactions you might be seeing. As Chris said, it could be in a non harmful form too. This is one reason I always run carbon, you never know what’s going to happen

 

[luu78]

have you tested the rodi by itself?

RODI tested negative for copper using the same Hanna Copper Tester. Thanks

 

[luu78]

Sorry to hear Ben. Calling @Humblefish to possibly chime in on copper and any reactions you might be seeing. As Chris said, it could be in a non harmful form too. This is one reason I always run carbon, you never know what’s going to happen

I have contacted IO via their messaging system asking the question. Let’s see if they will respond. It sucks but I might have to switch over to Red Sea Pro then. I’ve been a IO Reef Crystals fan since the beginning. I do vinegar dosing and with so many fish in the tank, I like the higher Alk concentration in RC to buffer my pH a little and not have to dose as much Alk. I still have another unopened bucket of RC, let me try using it and see if anything shows up on the copper tester. Funny how I bought the copper tester for the hospital tank, but only have used 2 reagent packs for it and over 15+ reagent packs in trying to solve this puzzle. I would’ve never thought the salt is the culprit for something reactive to copper tester.

 

[Terry Martin]

Maybe try a different copper test?

 

[dz6t]

May be take a look at the pump and the heater that used for mixing saltwater?

 

[luu78]

May be take a look at the pump and the heater that used for mixing saltwater?

I actually did look at both items in my saltwater mix bucket. No sign of copper leaching or visual damage. Thanks

 

[Skeeter7424]

Not quite the same issue, but I ended up switching from IO because I found I was mixing a TON more salt every week to get to my SG. All equipment recalibrated, still using more and more every week. Switched to RSCP and my measurement has been spot on for 10+ weeks now

 

[luu78]

Not quite the same issue, but I ended up switching from IO because I found I was mixing a TON more salt every week to get to my SG. All equipment recalibrated, still using more and more every week. Switched to RSCP and my measurement has been spot on for 10+ weeks now

another good reason to do the switch. I’m heading to Jay‘s now And Mike grab a bag of the Red Sea Coral pro

 

[Skeeter7424]

another good reason to do the switch. I’m heading to Jay‘s now And Mike grab a bag of the Red Sea Coral pro

I'm lazy and don't test salt after mixing (other than SG), but my tank has never looked better. And there has def been noticeable SPS growth in the past 2 months. Coral Pro is well worth the price for what I'm seeing right now

 

[Terry Martin]

Everyone's experience differs. I had a very negative experiences with Coral Pro. It's very high ca/dkh and I had precepitation issues that jammed up all my pumps. I switched to io reef crystals and it's been great. It's true that i/you need to use considerably more 2-part and ii/you need to dose trace elements.

 

[dz6t]

Luu, do you see copper after you switch to coral pro? Also can you use a test kit like Salifert to confirm the copper reading ? Thanks

 

[dz6t]

For what it is worth, I found some cases that these copper testers reported copper levels from other brands of salts including Coral Pro at 0.05 ppm to 0.3ppm.

 

[luu78]

Luu, do you see copper after you switch to coral pro? Also can you use a test kit like Salifert to confirm the copper reading ? Thanks

I forgot to pick up RSCP at Jay’s last night. So, before leaving this morning, I confirmed zero copper in a new RO container and then added salt from an unopened bucket of RC ,using a new wavemaker to mix with no heater. I will test for copper once I’m home. If it tested negative for Copper, I will repeat the same process but with suspected salt to confirm. If that tested negative, then I repeat again with new salt and old pump and heater in new container. Need to get to the bottom of this. I have been running increased amount of carbon in two filter socks with floss on top in the sump. I’m hoping to zero out the Copper within a week. Hoping this could be just a bad batch of salt and not having to switch over to a different brand.