Copper in New Salt Mix Tropic Marin

[Tanggy]

I am also having issue with copper in my tank. A few weeks ago I started to notice my corals are dying and did an ICP test. The test came back with elevated level of copper and tin. The only new thing I added was macro dry rock from BRS. Right after is when I started noticing the corals not being too happy. I have cleaned out my sump in it's entirety and found nothing that could cause copper/tin. Last time i used copper power to quarantine was greater than 1 year ago and it was done in a different room with different equipments. I've been trying to figure out the cause of the copper. Could it be from the Marco dry rock? I've placed 2 cuprisorb and 1 metasorb in my sump for the last 10 days. I've also did a few 5 gallon water changes. Copper still at elevated level 0.05ppm.

 

[Tanggy]

What I did next was tests to see if there are copper in my new salt water mix (salinity @ 1.025) the results were 0.04 ppm and 0.08 ppm.

 

[Tanggy]

I also did test for copper in my RODI (i just change out the carbon and DI resin last week) and it showed 0.02ppm.

 

[Tanggy]

Last test I did was for copper in my RO water (witch I use for drinking) and it showed 0.01 ppm.

 

[Tanggy]

I have cleaned out my sump in it's entirety and found no trace of rust. I've checked my heater and pumps and all is fine. I changed out the wet side on my MP40 a month ago. No obvious reason why I have copper in my tank.
I thought it would be new macro dry live rock that I introduced in there a few weeks ago that leached copper. But since my test showed the newly salt mix showed elevated level of copper. Could the salt mix be the culprit?
Any recommendations and help is much appreciated .

Thanks

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Interesting, you mentioned it started a few weeks ago.

wondering how long have you been using the TM and last time you changed your filters

 

[KrisReef]

If your RODI water has copper higher than the RO water then I suspect either the meter or the RO/DI filter are not working properly?

Do you have a TDS reading for the water(s)?

 

[MikeyA]

This is very interesting. Which tropic marin salt mix did you use and where did you get it from if you don't mind me asking?

 

[MikeyA]

If your RODI water has copper higher than the RO water then I suspect either the meter or the RO/DI filter are not working properly?

Do you have a TDS reading for the water(s)?

Good point, or copper is leaching from the containers he's using to store his rodi water.

 

[YankeeTankee]

+1 it's coming from copper pipes/RODI, TDS can be 0 but if you send off ICP they may be able to detect the copper in the RODI. I am not sure how accurate the hannah is, but I'm skeptical of some of those results.

 

[Tanggy]

Interesting, you mentioned it started a few weeks ago.

wondering how long have you been using the TM and last time you changed your filters

I've been using TM for about 1.5 years now. I recently change my carbon blocks and DI resin (1 wk ago).

 

[Tanggy]

If your RODI water has copper higher than the RO water then I suspect either the meter or the RO/DI filter are not working properly?

Do you have a TDS reading for the water(s)?

TDS has it at 0. The filters I changed out last week (carbon block and DI resin).

 

[KrisReef]

Looking at the meter range all these measurements are inside the instrument error:

SKU	HI702
Range	0.00 to 5.00 ppm
Resolution	0.01 ppm
Accuracy @ 25°C/77°F	± 0.05 ppm ±5% of reading

edit: Except for the salt mix perhaps?

 

[Tanggy]

I mixed up another batch a few hours ago and in a different container. I'll post what i'll get with it.

 

[Tanggy]

Looking at the meter range all these measurements are inside the instrument error:

SKU	HI702
Range	0.00 to 5.00 ppm
Resolution	0.01 ppm
Accuracy @ 25°C/77°F	± 0.05 ppm ±5% of reading

edit: Except for the salt mix perhaps?

I had an ATI ICP test 2 wks ago and the RODI came back with 0 copper. That is why I am hesitant it's the RODI causing the elevated copper but the saltwater mix.

 

[Tanggy]

This is very interesting. Which tropic marin salt mix did you use and where did you get it from if you don't mind me asking?

I got this from my LFS

 

[MikeyA]

I think you're doing it the correct way by testing an eliminating probable sources, using different controls and seeing if you can duplicate the results. But I also would trust the icp test more than I would the hanna checker.

Copper contamination in your salt is possible. How old is the house? Did the builder run copper water lines or pex?

 

[MikeyA]

Here's my thoughts. I would use your rodi as my control (except icp and hanna are in conflict so the data won't be that valid), but I would test rodi water twice and see if my results are duplicated. Then test rodi in my mixing container and see if I can duplicate those results, then add the salt mix to the container and test for duplicate results. See where the big gain in numbers are at.

I would also test my tap water to see how much copper is in my tap water.

Lastly, you said you changed filters... you didn't mess with your sediment filter at all? I'm wondering if maybe some raw water got past your sediment filter as you were changing filters.

 

[MikeyA]

Ok I know I said lastly... but another thought crossed my mind, and at my age that's rare so I want to tell the world all about it lol.

Just to be certain no items, equipment, rocks, etc from your qt system is used or placed in the dr? Also are you using any old jebao pumps, first gen DC pumps as return or wave maker?

 

[Rick.45cal]

I think I would get a different copper test