Repurposing QT tank

C4ctus99 · Mar 30, 2023

I couldn’t find any threads on this so figured I would ask the question for myself and future reefers.

I have a 20 long I am currently using for quarantine that I want to turn into a sump down the road. My only real concern is copper being leeched into the new tank from it.

Can you repurpose an old quarantine tank?
What is the best way to very all the copper/other chemicals have been properly removed?
Glass should not absorb copper or anything, but I know silicone can absorb chemicals over time, is there concern about it leaching back out?
What is, in your opinion, the best way to remove chemicals? (Run carbon for a couple weeks, cuprisorb, etc?)

Thanks for the input!

Tagging #fishmedic since they have a lot of experience with copper and quarantine tanks

C4ctus99 · Mar 30, 2023

Also @lion king because you deal with predators and fish sensitive to copper iirc

lion king · Mar 30, 2023

You could use the same method used for removing copper from a dt. Cuprzorb is more effective than carbon, but carbon does work, may just take longer. You could run clean water through the tank for a while to give the silicone time to leach, then test for copper. You could also run a poly filter to see it turns blue, indicating copper.

My method is to run cuprizorb through a reactor, continue running 2 weeks after testing zero copper, then a poly filter as a final test. I have used that method and seen full long term reefs with every invert or sensitive life form you could think of. I kept a rehomed volitan in a display that had been previously treated with copper, he lived several years and collectively lived about 12 years. So I say it is a safe bet you can use that tank with no issue. You may find that silicone really isn't leaching enough copper to be concerned with.

Jay Hemdal · Mar 30, 2023

C4ctus99 said:
I couldn’t find any threads on this so figured I would ask the question for myself and future reefers.

I have a 20 long I am currently using for quarantine that I want to turn into a sump down the road. My only real concern is copper being leeched into the new tank from it.

Can you repurpose an old quarantine tank?
What is the best way to very all the copper/other chemicals have been properly removed?
Glass should not absorb copper or anything, but I know silicone can absorb chemicals over time, is there concern about it leaching back out?
What is, in your opinion, the best way to remove chemicals? (Run carbon for a couple weeks, cuprisorb, etc?)

Thanks for the input!

Tagging #fishmedic since they have a lot of experience with copper and quarantine tanks

I’ve never seen appreciable amounts of copper bind to anything other than calcareous substrates - so glass, plastic, silicone and non-calcareous rocks are all fine. However, there is some discussion around if copper can plate out on surfaces, not just bind to them. For this, the simple thing to do is rinse the surfaces with white vinegar, then soak in freshwater and test that water for copper after a day or so of soaking.
Jay