Cupramine

[jeff williams]

so this is the second time I've used cupramine and I'm using a seachem copper test kit, both the cupramine and test kit are less than 4 months old ( course I don't know how long they sat on the retailers shelf).
When I take a ready, according to seachem I should have results in 4 minutes after stirring, but if I let the sample sit 20 or so minutes it darkens up about another .1 ppm does anyone have this problem ? I'm starting to think I need to be waiting 20 min with this combo for accuracy.

 

[sc50964]

I find seachem copper test kit hard to use because it's just not very consistent in terms of how much power I actually get to use every single time. I am using Red Sea product now and it's a lot easier.

 

[jeff williams]

I find seachem copper test kit hard to use because it's just not very consistent in terms of how much power I actually get to use every single time. I am using Red Sea product now and it's a lot easier.

Do you mean how much powder/ reagent ? I can get a reading it just increases the longer I wait up to about 20 min or so

 

[sc50964]

Do you mean how much powder/ reagent ? I can get a reading it just increases the longer I wait up to about 20 min or so

Yes, I meant the powder / reagent. It's not reliable to count on actually getting the same amount by using the stick.

You should just use the reading after 4 mins since that's what it has in the instruction.

The Red Sea testing kit would darken over time too but it says to take whichever is the higher measurement between 10 and 20 mins.

 

[Maritimer]

I found the Seachem kit difficult to read, until I realized I was supposed to read it through the _side_ of the vial, not from the top . . . (>_<)

~Bruce - who uses CopperSafe now, and an API kit that reads ... from the top!

 

[jeff williams]

I found the Seachem kit difficult to read, until I realized I was supposed to read it through the _side_ of the vial, not from the top . . . (>_<)

~Bruce - who uses CopperSafe now, and an API kit that reads ... from the top!

My seachem kit dosent have a vial it's a six compartment tray that you do read from the top. However I'm not having a hard time ready the results what I'm saying is the test sample will continue to get darker blue for about 15-20 minutes after the reagents are added, when seachem says I should have a reading in 4-5 min. I'm trying to get an answer from seachem but I gotta say I've kinda lost a little trust in seachem tech support because there answers vary a lot from there techs and forum to there instruction manuals.

 

[Maritimer]

Ah ... gotcha.

A lot of chemical reactions will do that - what I've always heard is that (in this case) 4-5 minutes is when you should take the reading, and much beyond that it's unreliable, and you'd need to re-test.

~Bruce

 

[ngoodermuth]

I actually think the instructions say you should read it at "peak coloration" which is at least 3 minutes. I've noticed the same thing, it will get darker and then level out around 10 mins or so. I usually read it between 3-5 minutes.

 

[jeff williams]

I quoted all of you to get your scoop on what seachem technical told me today. This gets off track from my original question I posted but I found it interesting. My concentration levels are unstable as if I had sand or rock or some type of substrate that is pulling the cu out of solution ( which I don't I have a sponge filter and pvc elbows also a HOB filter which only has sponge in it ) seachem tells me these are porous and will absorb cu which they must be cus my cu is not coming up were it should be for the amount of mls dosed. Any thoughts on this has anyone found plastic to absorb the cu ?

 

[jeff williams]

Yes, I meant the powder / reagent. It's not reliable to count on actually getting the same amount by using the stick.

You should just use the reading after 4 mins since that's what it has in the instruction.

The Red Sea testing kit would darken over time too but it says to take whichever is the higher measurement between 10 and 20 mins.

Ah ... gotcha.

A lot of chemical reactions will do that - what I've always heard is that (in this case) 4-5 minutes is when you should take the reading, and much beyond that it's unreliable, and you'd need to re-test.

~Bruce

I actually think the instructions say you should read it at "peak coloration" which is at least 3 minutes. I've noticed the same thing, it will get darker and then level out around 10 mins or so. I usually read it between 3-5 minutes.

I quoted all of you to get your scoop on what seachem technical told me today. This gets off track from my original question I posted but I found it interesting. My concentration levels are unstable as if I had sand or rock or some type of substrate that is pulling the cu out of solution ( which I don't I have a sponge filter and pvc elbows also a HOB filter which only has sponge in it ) seachem tells me these are porous and will absorb cu which they must be cus my cu is not coming up were it should be for the amount of mls dosed. Any thoughts on this has anyone found plastic to absorb cu?

 

[Maritimer]

I have heard that some plastics can absorb copper, though not quite to the extent that they seem to be suggesting.

It's one of the reasons for continuing to test the stuff throughout treatment.

~Bruce

 

[sc50964]

I believe all materials have some porosity so it's likely that plastic would also absorb cu, but it shouldn't be substantial when compared to the sand and rock in your tank.