Need advice

[Patrick]

I put a little copper to treat fishes in display tank but none made it. Put in carbon and left tank running fallow no fish no coral. Then tiny feather duster corals started to appear on sand bed and rocks. Does it mean it’s ok now to put in corals? Thanks in advance for your reply.

 

 

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[R0B]

Copper in DT is traditionally regarded as a complete No No. Copper will kill invertebrates, beneficial bacteria, live corals etc etc... Copper likes to bind with calcium carbonate so all your rock and sand will continue to be toxic for a long time. Copper is absorbed by silicone so this also will continue to release toxins over time. BUT THERE IS HOPE!

Despite it traditionally been seen as a no no, there is more evidence that it is indeed possible to keep a tank post copper exposure. (Even Mr Saltwater Tank confirmed this in his Q&A the other week). But it depends on how much copper you dosed and how long you dosed for (copper has a half life of around three days so overtime it will dissipate. But never go away completely) It also depends on what you did/do to flush the system if at all (carbon doesn't absorb copper directly, but may absorb organic compounds to which copper has bonded to).

So can you keep coral?? Eventually YES you can, but that also depends on what your aims are for the tank going forward. Are you going to be able to have a show piece SPS tank with full ecosystem, super very unlikely. But you may get away with some hardy fish* and some zoas. The fact you are seeing some life is a good sign, but I wouldn't go crazy and pick up the latest jason fox coral just yet.

This is what you can do... Run curpisorb and do a large water change, followed by regular large water changes to flush the system. Keep the curpisorb in place for a while, refreshing as needed. Going forward your bacteria may recover but in the mean time water changes are going to be your best friend. Up your mechanical filtration and gravel vac-ing. Keep your tank clean.

*Also we are assuming that whatever killed the fish has been destroyed and isn't a factor going forward.

I personally would start over get rid of all substrate and rocks, beneficial bio media, soak and wash all surfaces etc run cuprisorb on an empty tank, and do loads of water changes throwing in bacteria. But sometimes that isn't an option. Do way up the costs on both sides, you may find it cheaper to start over then to resurrect, but only you know your tank and can make that choice.

Goodluck hope it works out for you.

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[Harlequinmania]

Personal experience with some copper brand seem to be safe to introduce coral after some time without changing bio media and doing a complete restart.



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[SunkistC]

I did not do a complete restart after keeping a FOWLR coppered (Cupramine) tank for the past 6 years.

What I did was used plenty of Cuprisorb and Polyfilters for around 5 months before I got some soft corals to try out.

It has been about 5 months since then (Nov 2019), GSP, Zoas, Xenia and Clove corals are growing. 

Elegance, Bubble, Frogspawn, Torch and Blasto LPS are doing well.

Added 1 clam 1 month ago  and it's also doing well, so i guess it is possible.

 

[Patrick]

Thanks for sharing and very encouraging thanks again bros


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[SunkistC]

Just some updates... tried some SPS frags and I am seeing growth for the Forest Fire Digi 

 

[ReefConquerer]

SunkistC did you overdose cuprisorb or just follow the dosage recommendation ?

And do you use cuprisorb with fish in it?