copper aid v copper safe

[chicago]

quick question.. I have a 55 QT that I am adding Copper Aid by Kordan. I have now added a full bottle plus that according to the bottle should be good for 55 gallons.. two of these and we are over 100 gallons.. now I get it.. I have a plastic tub of gravel in there for the wrasses., I have a marine pure bio block ect.. that all absorbs the copper..

Is copper aid and and copper safe the same product basically .. Chelated Copper.? using API test kit and barely reading a level just above zero. am I correct we want it between... 2 and 3. meaning

NOT .2 but.... 2.0 and 2.5 thanks

 

[Maritimer]

I've used Kordon's product in the past, but will no longer purchase it ... and will happily / angrily warn others at every opportunity. The stuff is hopelessly diluted, and you'll need _much_ more than what the bottle suggests to reach therapeutic levels of copper. The labels of the two bottles read as though they should be the same .... but they _are_not_even_close_.

The best thing about Kordon's "Safe Copper Aid" is that you'll ramp your copper levels up very slowly, because you'll be so puzzled at why they haven't reached therapeutic levels a bottle and a half ago, and you're delicately feeling your way along in the dark. (Annoying if you're treating prophylactically for ich - blinkin' dangerous if you're dealing with an outbreak of velvet.)

It is chelated copper, so you're looking for levels between 1.5 and 2.0. Some go to 2.5 for a bit of insurance.

~Bruce

 

[chicago]

I see what you're saying. Have pumped in per the bottles. 155 treated. But no signs really of copper o the test kit. One week later

 

[Maritimer]

Yep.

If you can't get Coppersafe, you can use the stuff ... just be prepared to use much more than you would have thought you need. Keep testing the water, because the bottle's direction ... is a little off.

~Bruce

 

[chicago]

Man oh man. Taking a long time. Three bottles and barley a mark.

 

[Maritimer]

I found that three and a half 4oz. bottles treated a 75 - yours may be even more diluted than mine was, or your test kit may be somewhat suspect.

~Bruce

 

[chicago]

ok... thought is would add to this for others in the future.. so the API kits I noticed on the shelfs at our larger pet stores are out dated and expired. I confirmed my API kit is current but it does not show a reading of copper .. or should say almost zero.. however, using the seachem kit and waiting 20 min shows .25

I can also confirm I had to use like three bottles to get just this reading and level in a 55 gallon QT .... like according to the bottles was enough for almost 1000 gallons.. one thousand gallons.. that is nuts..

any ways.. I hit .25 per seachem.. but the wrasses and angel are still doing the scratch moves. good news is they are still eating like pigs.

 

[Maritimer]

I'm on my way out of the house, but just a quick note that the Seachem measures copper differently from API, and may not be the most appropriate kit for chelated copper formulations.

~Bruce

 

[chicago]

Hmm... I did read the instructions with the seachem.. it seems it is for cuprime but it does say.. will test Chelated Copper. just need to wait longer.. I am noticing more scratching in the past two days.. so ick is on the rise in the QT after three weeks... so glad did not go in on day 14 when they all looked so good. don't break the golden rule.. QT for proper amount of time..