Maintaining Copper Levels

[PSU4ME]

So my QT is up and running. Got fish on Wednesday, last night I got to 2.03 on the Hanna.

If I just replace evap, will the level drop? I saw some absorption happening in the beginning but it seems to have stopped/slowed. Will there be other reasons it falls or should it be relatively constant assuming I’m not removing water?

Thanks!

 

[Dierks]

Mine is absorbed about .02 every 3 days... I am sure every tank is a bit different when it comes to this in regards to what you all have in the tank. If you added sand/rocks then you can expect it to drop a lot more... (Mine drops .18 in 4 days) Hope this helps.

 

[PSU4ME]

Interesting. I just have the standard pvc, ph, job filter.

I hate to be burning through reagent every 2 days or so!

 

[Dierks]

I hear ya, I have to test on 3 tanks at a time so I go through a packet of reagent every round these guys come through. But its one of those things... You have to test and there isnt much you can do to get around knowing your numbers.

 

[JumboShrimp]

I use CopperSafe, and the therapeutic level is 1.5... I go 1.75-1.95 so I’m not caught off guard by some absorption (I do use rock and sand). What type of copper are you running?

But to answer your question, with what you are doing I think that once you see any absorption slow you can also slow down your Hanna-checks to every 3-5 days. (Top off is RODI— “no” copper— but I’m sure you know that.)

 

[PSU4ME]

Using copper power here

 

[YankeeTankee]

Using copper power here

A few very experienced reefers have suggested copper power is superior. Replacing the evap wont do much. Test often!

 

[Greg P]

Apparently filter sponges absorb copper.
What's in your HOB?

 

[PSU4ME]

There is a sponge in it, it’s an aquaclear

 

[HotRocks]

No need to compensate for evaporation. Copper doesn’t leave the tank with the water that evaporates. If you have slight absorption just compensate for that. As mentioned above staying .10 above your target is generally safe to allow some “wiggle room” for things like absorption etc. I shoot for 2.0-2.25ppm.

 

[PSU4ME]

Thank you all, I'm feeling better now.

Thanks!

 

[Bama41Georgia24]

I use CopperSafe, and the therapeutic level is 1.5... I go 1.75-1.95 so I’m not caught off guard by some absorption (I do use rock and sand). What type of copper are you running?

But to answer your question, with what you are doing I think that once you see any absorption slow you can also slow down your Hanna-checks to every 3-5 days. (Top off is RODI— “no” copper— but I’m sure you know that.)

So you do not put copper in the RODI top off water?

 

[JumboShrimp]

Correct. Top off water is just straight RODI— since that is the only thing that has evaporated. (The only reason to add additional Copper is if you have had something like rock or sand in there, and your TESTING shows Copper levels are falling through absorption, and you are getting close to falling below your target therapeutic level.)

 

[Bama41Georgia24]

Correct. Top off water is just straight RODI— since that is the only thing that has evaporated. (The only reason to add additional Copper is if you have had something like rock or sand in there, and your TESTING shows Copper levels are falling through absorption, and you are getting close to falling below your target therapeutic level.)

Thank you so much and when I do a water change the new water needs to be 2.5ppm to math the tank correct

 

[Bama41Georgia24]

Thank you so much and when I do a water change the new water needs to be 2.5ppm to math the tank correct

*match

 

[JumboShrimp]

Correct-- water "change" water should come in at a matching Copper level.

 

[Bama41Georgia24]

Correct-- water "change" water should come in at a matching Copper level.

Thank you!

 

[Greg P]

Good luck