Penny in my water

Susan Edwards · Sep 18, 2017

Okay, this might seem very silly but I just mixed up almost 20 gal of rodi water with salt a couple hours ago. On the way of wheeling it to my office to do a water change, I see a penny in the bottom of the can. The can has had water in it for a couple weeks, holding for the next water change. Salt went in today, though there could have been some residue salt water left over.

I have no idea how it got there or for how long. Can I use this water or should I dump it.

Diesel · Sep 18, 2017

IMO you are fine as there wasn't much water in there to begin with I guess.
The mix ratio is pretty big here.

MnFish1 · Sep 18, 2017

Susan Edwards said:
Okay, this might seem very silly but I just mixed up almost 20 gal of rodi water with salt a couple hours ago. On the way of wheeling it to my office to do a water change, I see a penny in the bottom of the can. The can has had water in it for a couple weeks, holding for the next water change. Salt went in today, though there could have been some residue salt water left over.

I have no idea how0it got there or for how long. Can I use this water or should I dump it.

Why risk a problem for 20 gallons of salt water?

scurvy dawg · Sep 19, 2017

The amount of copper leaching from a penny has got to be astronomically small.

MnFish1 · Sep 19, 2017

scurvy dawg said:
The amount of copper leaching from a penny has got to be astronomically small.

Right - its probably not a problem - but for 20 gallons of water - I guess I would just make more water.

harryball69 · Sep 19, 2017

pennys are mostly zinc. dont know what zinc does.

Mark Gray · Sep 19, 2017

Years ago I had a 10 gallon tank with only a banded coral shrimp in it. one of my grandkids put a penny in the tank and it killed him. I would not risk it

Idoc · Sep 19, 2017

Sound crazy, but what year was the penny? If it was 1982 or earlier, a penny was 95% copper... after 1982, it dropped to 2.5% copper! Risk significantly drops post-1982!

Mark Gray · Sep 19, 2017

Idoc said:
Sound crazy, but what year was the penny? If it was 1982 or earlier, a penny was 95% copper... after 1982, it dropped to 2.5% copper! Risk significantly drops post-1982!

I have no Idea it was at least 10 years ago so it was an older penny

Bj’s Reef · Sep 19, 2017

It's not worth the risk and headache . Just dump the water and start over. You may lose more than a few gallons of water if you don't.

Idoc · Sep 19, 2017

Mark Gray said:
I have no Idea it was at least 10 years ago so it was an older penny

Its rough.... takes me many hours to make 20g RODI. But, I'm so paranoid that i would dump the 20g water and start over! I don't like risk... i bet I'm the only person who can (and has) gone to Las Vegas and refused to gamble...but then again, maybe I'm not so against risk as much as I'm a tight-wad. In fact, if i found a penny in my RODI water, i would still dig it out and put it in my pocket! Lol.

MnFish1 · Sep 19, 2017

harryball69 said:
pennys are mostly zinc. dont know what zinc does.

Well - now she didn't say the 'year' of the Penny. But - a new penny has 0.06 gm of copper - if it was dissolved in 40 l (10g) that would give .0015 gm/l or 1.5 mg/l or 1.5 ppm copper concentration or 1500 ppb copper. In that 10 gallons of water. Prob not all was dissolved. But again why risk it. Copper is toxic to invertebrates in the ppb range. Since there are no 'organics' in newly mixed seawater, there Could be more of an effect. Also would depend on the pH of the end water.

Mark Gray · Sep 19, 2017

Idoc said:
Its rough.... takes me many hours to make 20g RODI. But, I'm so paranoid that i would dump the 20g water and start over! I don't like risk... i bet I'm the only person who can (and has) gone to Las Vegas and refused to gamble...but then again, maybe I'm not so against risk as much as I'm a tight-wad. In fact, if i found a penny in my RODI water, i would still dig it out and put it in my pocket! Lol.

I understand and what happened to me was like I said many years ago. It really upset me I had had that shrimp for like 7 years

savetheocean · Sep 19, 2017

What does the penny look like? Is it in good condition? If I was you I wouldnt risk it

Susan Edwards · Sep 19, 2017

thanks all. I couldn't read the age of the penny so it may have been on the bottom for more than just last couple weeks. I have no idea. I think I cleaned out the can last time, but can't remember. So I dumped the water. Hated to lose the salt as I switched to red sea pro but don't want the risk. @Idoc yes, I pocketed the penny. Have a 5 gal jug nearly full of em. Just washed out can, rinsed with cleaning vinegar (stronger than regular), rinsed good outside and just started fresh water. I actually have another can of water but it is only for fresh rodi water, used to fill gal jugs for top off of qt tanks. Could transfer most of it over but will just wait and do water change tomorrow...

Fishhands · Sep 19, 2017

I would be more worried about the metal in the can of water than a penny. Unless can also means plastic bucket.

FDAWG · Sep 19, 2017

Just flip the coin, if it lands on heads use it, If it lands on tails dump it.

Susan Edwards · Sep 19, 2017

@Fishhands the can is a 20 gal plastic brute can <g>. Lol's @FDAWG Water is gone, down the drain. who knew a stupid penny could cause such problems...