Chelated Copper

[pandagobyguy]

If i use miracle gro to culture phyto, should i be concerned about chelated Cu? is there a possibility of it building up? Does it natural get removed or made inert by the reef? Does it just not matter if it builds up?

Thanks for any advice!
-Oliver

 

[pandagobyguy]

If i use miracle gro to culture phyto, should i be concerned about chelated Cu? is there a possibility of it building up? Does it natural get removed or made inert by the reef? Does it just not matter if it builds up?

Thanks for any advice!
-Oliver

naturally*

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It certainly can be a source of copper to the tank, although that isn't necessarily bad.

Do you know how much is in the media you use?

 

[pandagobyguy]

It certainly can be a source of copper to the tank, although that isn't necessarily bad.

Do you know how much is in the media you use?

.05% including photo in case i missed anything

 

[pandagobyguy]

Ill be using pretty small amounts (5 ml in 2 L)

Thanks for response!

 

[litenyaup]

I used it to culture phyto for years with no ill effects.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

0.05% is 500 ppm.

5 mL of that contains 2.5 mg of copper.

If you put that into 100 gallons (378 L) of tank water, you have boosted copper by 6.6 ug/L (although some is in the phyto)

Once and that is not a problem. Several times or more and it may become an issue if you add all the liquid.

 

[pandagobyguy]

0.05% is 500 ppm.

5 mL of that contains 2.5 mg of copper.

If you put that into 100 gallons (378 L) of tank water, you have boosted copper by 6.6 ug/L (although some is in the phyto)

Once and that is not a problem. Several times or more and it may become an issue if you add all the liquid.

thank you! Sorry to keep asking questions....

Is there a known level of chelated Cu at which it becomes a problem?

I have a 29 biocube so i assume i can multiply that concentration by 3.333 to get a rough idea?

I likely will not add all of the phyto at one time. If the Cu is organism bound does it become non-toxic?

And final question is i assume water changes remove it? (So i can manage levels this way?)

 

[pandagobyguy]

I used it to culture phyto for years with no ill effects.

If you dont mind me asking,

What size tank do you run and how often do you WC?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I doubt the exact safe level is known, and you can’t be sure it remains chelated in any particular way.

Water changes do remove it, and when inside of phyto it is nontoxic.

 

[pandagobyguy]

I doubt the exact safe level is known, and you can’t be sure it remains chelated in any particular way.

Water changes do remove it, and when inside of phyto it is nontoxic.

Thanks so much. You are awesome.

 

[litenyaup]

If you dont mind me asking,

What size tank do you run and how often do you WC?

My display tank is 189 gal with a 40 gal Sump. I did 20 gal wc/ week. Used Kalk on ATO, UV sterilizer, hurricone cat1 skimmer, and ran carbon/ GFO 24/7 was my filtration. I made and sold phyto for a long time and never had anyone say there was an issue nor did I.