My tank kills snails and crabs. HELP!!

[BandJ]

Got the water text kit yesterday. Mailing it in today so hopefully get results soon. Still waiting on arrival of copper test

 

[BandJ]

Ok we got the copper test today and it is showing .2 ppm.... Is that really enough to kill things?

 

[bct15]

Never boil rock from a reef aquarium, highly deadly for you, your family, and your neighbors.

What is your magnesium levels?

 

[melypr1985]

Ok we got the copper test today and it is showing .2 ppm.... Is that really enough to kill things?

.35 - .5 is therapeutic levels of copper for a QT, my guess is yes that could kill your inverts.

 

[BandJ]

Ok so I guess now we need to find our copper source

 

[BandJ]

I dont think we have a magnesium test

 

[BandJ]

Never boil rock from a reef aquarium, highly deadly for you, your family, and your neighbors.

What is your magnesium levels?

I thought boiling was how you prepared rocks for tank??

 

[Naiad]

We're did you get your rock? That would be my first guess. I would use a poly filter to remove as much as you can in the meantime.

 

[BandJ]

It all came from a marine aquarium specialty store. The whole setup came from same place and they got over 30 yrs experience so I trust its quality stuff

 

[Naiad]

Some people will mistakenly treat fowlers with copper. If the rock was from an old system and the previous owner failed to tell the store that the live rock came from such a tank it can be passed along. I do not know if the store deals in used rock or not just something to check. Also check that no plumbing has brass parts.

 

[BandJ]

I do have one brass fitting that i added to replace a broke plastic fitting but already had this problem prior to that. Guess I will replace it

 

[Naiad]

It may also sound strange but just to be extra sure test your ro water for copper to make sure the system didn't malfunction. Other than leaching from substrate or failed mechanical parts the only other way is to be added in the source water. The poly pads are great at pulling out copper so you may not need to break the whole system down.

 

[bct15]

I thought boiling was how you prepared rocks for tank??

No way, boiling rock is one of the most dangerous things you can do in this hobby.

Also, get the brass fitting out of your system.

 

[BandJ]

Ok thanks for the info. Will be adding poly pads, removing the brass fitting and see what happens.

As for water we are running 2 other marine tanks successfully off same water source so I fell confident ruling water out as culprit.

 

[BandJ]

And we will never boil rocks

 

[BandJ]

Finally got our water test back and it don't look good..,. Seems got a lot of metal

 

[DinahM]

I've been having the same problem! Thank you to everyone who has offered suggestions. I just ordered both tests as well, and I'll also post the results!

 

[DinahM]

Finally got our water test back and it don't look good..,. Seems got a lot of metal

oh... sorry to hear that!