Copper Testing Simplified! Using Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker HI702

[Humblefish]

So is it the CopperSafe that is inconsistently made? Just received my Hanna Copper checker. Running CopperSafe in my qt. Reading was 2.34 ppm. Is this too high? What is the therapeutic range for copperSafe? And can i switch to Copper power now because they are both chelated copper? Copper power says safe at 2.5ppm

The MFG of Copper Power seems to be a lot more conscientious about ensuring the quality control of their product. And if that ever changes, we’re gonna find out about it thanks to this colorimeter. So personally, I’m done with Coppersafe because I feel they have failed us.

As noted above, 1.5-2.0 ppm is the proper therapeutic range for chelated copper. So, maintaining 1.75ppm is a happy middle point.

 

[JohnPeck]

I'm done with CopperSafe too! Except for the 3 bottles Ive got siiting here. The 2.34ppm i have is a result of following their dosing instructions even with calculating volume of water in my tank by volume formula. So that bottle is high. Unbelevable how important the Hanna checker is and the work that the R2R members put in to make it happen!

 

[Globalbutterfly]

Thanks for this great article. SUPER timely for me!!

I am also relatively new to saltwater. I started with a 13.5 gal Evo at the end of September, became completely obsessed and jumped right into the deep end with a Reefer 625 XXL at the end of February. After cycling and then moving my few existing fish into the new tank, I let it all run for 6 weeks. All great, no casualties except my tiniest chromis and smallest clown both went missing in the first week. Since I hadn’t yet moved any hermits or snails over to the algae free tank, I suspect the pistol shrimp got them.

So, last week finally bought my first new fish for the big tank - two tiny engineer gobies. Now I honestly admit: I KNEW BETTER, I KNEW BETTER, I KNEW BETTER but after drop acclimating them etc...I added them to the DT without a QT. All good for three days. Settled in, eating, scooting all over the tank happily. Sunday one of them has white spots!!! I am officially a confirmed idiot.

So after a frantic morning of setting the EVO back up as a QT tank, catching them (super fun!) and a mad dash to the LFS for something to treat them with (Cupramine). I’ve spent the week obsessively watching them, doing water changes and trying to figure out if I had the dosage right. Tested with a Seachem kit yesterday and just don’t feel confident about the results. Feel like there were just too many ways for ME to make an error in the procedure and get an off reading.

I’m off to get a Hanna tester today!!!

 

[JohnPeck]

@Globalbutterfly I ordered directly from Hanna website. Arrived in 3 days, but I paid for shipping. The other supply sites say its a "preorder" that gets sent out in the order they come in. Only comes with 6 test packets so be sure to order the 25 pack of refills. Best purchase I ever made. Good luck!

 

[Reef Box]

Thanks @HotRocks ! Great write up to share with anyone that didn’t catch the copperpower post. Also GREAT FIND! So glad to finally have a reliable ACCURATE test for copper. Like your story I have had my QT struggles. You Rock!

 

[HotRocks]

Thank you everyone for the kind words!

Thanks @HotRocks ! Great write up to share with anyone that didn’t catch the copperpower post. Also GREAT FIND! So glad to finally have a reliable ACCURATE test for copper. Like your story I have had my QT struggles. You Rock!

Yes this hobby can be absolutely brutal! Just can't give up!

My thing is, if I can help by keeping people from going through what I have, it is all worth it!

 

[JoshH]

I vote this article be stickied #mods excellent write up @HotRocks

 

[Greenstreet.1]

I vote this article be stickied #mods excellent write up @HotRocks

It’s not I think it would of been already. You can count my vote also

 

[flfireman1]

So glad I read this. I was slowly ramping up my dose of coppersafe in my 55 gallon QT. According to my calculations I still had about 20 ml left to dose of copper. I decided to check copper levels to see where I was at with my newly arrived Hanna Copper test. To my surprise I was at 1.86. I couldn’t believe this and came on here to see if others were getting higher than expected results with the Same checker. I’m glad to hear it’s poor manufacturing by the makers of coppersafe and not the checker. Thanks again for a great write up.

 

[TinyChocobo]

Awesome .

 

[TinyChocobo]

Awesome!

 

[jinbing0905]

I just got the Hanna Copper test kit HR,
what should the copper level test to be 1.5 or 1.7?
why somebody told me should be around.23

 

[HotRocks]

I just got the Hanna Copper test kit HR,
what should the copper level test to be 1.5 or 1.7?
why somebody told me should be around.23

This will depend on what type of copper you are using. What type do you plan to use?

 

[jinbing0905]

This will depend on what type of copper you are using. What type do you plan to use?

copper power or cupermine

 

[HotRocks]

copper power or cupermine

Cupramine therapuetic level is .5ppm
Copper power is minimum of 1.5ppm
I like to treat between 1.75ppm-2.0ppm. Safe enough level for the fish, but also safely above the minimum to be sure parasites are erradicated.

 

[deedubz]

copper power or cupermine

What types of fish will you be treating? Wrasses can be sensitive to ionic copper, as can some tangs, (cupramine) so I'd advise chelated copper in that instance (copper power)

Here's a great chart by Mel on treatment options
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fish-and-treatment-guidelines-with-chart.283450/

 

[wangspeed]

+1 vote on future MACNA talk by Hotrocks [emoji846]

 

[flfireman1]

Has anyone noticed how quickly cupramine precipitates from the water. I have a 40 gallon breeder running with cupramine and a 55 gallon running with copper safe. Both are set up almost entirely the same. The coppersafe has been stable levels without having to add additional copper. The cupramine QT I’ve had too add minute amount to keep the level at .45.

Anyone else notice this?

 

[HotRocks]

Has anyone noticed how quickly cupramine precipitates from the water. I have a 40 gallon breeder running with cupramine and a 55 gallon running with copper safe. Both are set up almost entirely the same. The coppersafe has been stable levels without having to add additional copper. The cupramine QT I’ve had too add minute amount to keep the level at .45.

Anyone else notice this?

Do you have different media in the QT with cupramine? I have some filter floss housing biofilter in my 40 that does absorb slightly.

 

[jinbing0905]

I have most angle and tang,
what is different between both copper