125 gallon treated with copper - Aquarium Advice

land locked · 04-20-2008, 03:22 PM

I have the opportunity to purchase a 125 gallon tank. I currently have a peaceful reef tank and I know that copper treatment is a huge NO NO for my type of tank. However, Now that we are addicted to this hobby, my husband wants an aggressive tank.
This tank has an eel and two puffers(box and dog face) and one huge hermit crab, that is it. I knew to ask about the tank being treated from AA. She said yes, about a year ago. Nothing on the rock is growing, I am not sure if this is normal for rock in a FO tank, so I don't know if I would call it LR. It has a nice filtration, pump system and deep sand bed that the eel moves around. Admittedly I have not done research on this type of tank but she is moving soon and is desperate to sell. The only thing we might add would be a large trigger fish (something big enough the eel would not eat).
Does the copper treatment make this tank a no purchase if it will only be for fish?
Are there other questions I should ask her?
What are your thoughts?

cmor1701d · 04-20-2008, 04:34 PM

You should be ok for a fish only tank. I wonder about the eel.

"Copper is NOT invert, coral, live rock or reef safe, and some fish are copper sensitive, such as scaleless species, and they should not be exposed to it either. Copper should not be used in a saltwater aquarium unless it is a fish-only tank, and intended to stay that way."

land locked · 04-20-2008, 04:58 PM

Thank you for the quick response! The eel looks very healthy. She feeds him uncooked shrimp (the kind we eat) chopped up with the shell on. I am scared of him he is VERY aggressive, my husband thinks he is great. The poor box puffer stays on his side of the tank only. I think out of fear. The eel is about 3 years old as is the tank. He is about 3 foot long. He is a Honeycomb Moray, she said that is a more rare kind, I don't know a thing about them.

**melosu58** · 04-20-2008, 09:33 PM

IMO you should be OK as long as you dont have any inverts or corals. Have you tested for copper?

**roka64** · 04-21-2008, 12:31 PM

I think puffers are scaleless aren't they?
You can look into:
Aquarium Chemical Filter Media: Bio Chem Zorb
or:
Aquarium Water Quality: Poly Filters Filter Media
this one tells you what is being removed, by the change in color.
I would also keep purigen in there after you get the copper levels down.

land locked · 04-21-2008, 02:22 PM

These look great and if we get the tank, I will be getting those. Now, if you use those products will I be able to introduce a few pieces of live rock? To, overtime, make it all live rock? Or will that new LR I put in die? I guess I just don't like the barren look of the tank. I am used to my reef tank, even new it has more growth.

**roka64** · 04-21-2008, 04:25 PM

I guess it really depends on how much of the copper you can get out of the tank. Inverts might not do so well. I would get a copper test and see what the reading is.

land locked · 04-21-2008, 07:33 PM

I will ask her if she can test it for me? I know she has one invert in there now. It is the biggest hermit crab I have ever seen, about a small fist size, and he is doing fine. The only thing that has survived the eel, I am sure.

cmor1701d · 04-22-2008, 10:56 AM

Do the test for copper. Copper can leach from the rock that is in there now back into the water column. Add a poly filter to the sump. I use one 24/7 replacing it monthly.

land locked · 04-24-2008, 11:29 PM

Does anyone know where I could sell this Honeyconmb Eel? I don't think I want it, because he scares me. He ate the Box puffer this week.

04-20-2008, 03:22 PM	#1 (permalink)
land locked Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 174	125 gallon treated with copper I have the opportunity to purchase a 125 gallon tank. I currently have a peaceful reef tank and I know that copper treatment is a huge NO NO for my type of tank. However, Now that we are addicted to this hobby, my husband wants an aggressive tank. This tank has an eel and two puffers(box and dog face) and one huge hermit crab, that is it. I knew to ask about the tank being treated from AA. She said yes, about a year ago. Nothing on the rock is growing, I am not sure if this is normal for rock in a FO tank, so I don't know if I would call it LR. It has a nice filtration, pump system and deep sand bed that the eel moves around. Admittedly I have not done research on this type of tank but she is moving soon and is desperate to sell. The only thing we might add would be a large trigger fish (something big enough the eel would not eat). Does the copper treatment make this tank a no purchase if it will only be for fish? Are there other questions I should ask her? What are your thoughts? __________________ 72 gallon bow front, koralia 1 powerhead, approx 30 gallon sump and separate 20 gallon display refugium, Aqua C protein skimmer, Live rubble filteration, 80 # of LR, and a 4 inch sand bed.

04-20-2008, 04:34 PM	#2 (permalink)
cmor1701d Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 3,562 Images: 43	You should be ok for a fish only tank. I wonder about the eel. "Copper is NOT invert, coral, live rock or reef safe, and some fish are copper sensitive, such as scaleless species, and they should not be exposed to it either. Copper should not be used in a saltwater aquarium unless it is a fish-only tank, and intended to stay that way." __________________ Click here to Vote for Aquarium Advice on AquaRank . Vote EVERY day! Click Here for a list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations. ____ Cmor

04-20-2008, 04:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
land locked Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 174	Thank you for the quick response! The eel looks very healthy. She feeds him uncooked shrimp (the kind we eat) chopped up with the shell on. I am scared of him he is VERY aggressive, my husband thinks he is great. The poor box puffer stays on his side of the tank only. I think out of fear. The eel is about 3 years old as is the tank. He is about 3 foot long. He is a Honeycomb Moray, she said that is a more rare kind, I don't know a thing about them. __________________ 72 gallon bow front, koralia 1 powerhead, approx 30 gallon sump and separate 20 gallon display refugium, Aqua C protein skimmer, Live rubble filteration, 80 # of LR, and a 4 inch sand bed.

04-20-2008, 09:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
melosu58 SW 10 yrs and over Community Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Richmond Va Posts: 11,468 Images: 73	IMO you should be OK as long as you dont have any inverts or corals. Have you tested for copper? __________________ View My Tanks Click here to Visit FantasyReef

04-21-2008, 12:31 PM	#5 (permalink)
roka64 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,628 Images: 12	I think puffers are scaleless aren't they? You can look into: Aquarium Chemical Filter Media: Bio Chem Zorb or: Aquarium Water Quality: Poly Filters Filter Media this one tells you what is being removed, by the change in color. I would also keep purigen in there after you get the copper levels down. __________________ Uh-oh, I just overloaded my Bioload! Vote for AA Good reading about: Nitrogen Cycle Fishless Cycling Need more help? Articles Acronym List --Scott

04-21-2008, 02:22 PM	#6 (permalink)
land locked Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 174	These look great and if we get the tank, I will be getting those. Now, if you use those products will I be able to introduce a few pieces of live rock? To, overtime, make it all live rock? Or will that new LR I put in die? I guess I just don't like the barren look of the tank. I am used to my reef tank, even new it has more growth. __________________ 72 gallon bow front, koralia 1 powerhead, approx 30 gallon sump and separate 20 gallon display refugium, Aqua C protein skimmer, Live rubble filteration, 80 # of LR, and a 4 inch sand bed.

04-21-2008, 04:25 PM	#7 (permalink)
roka64 Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 9,628 Images: 12	I guess it really depends on how much of the copper you can get out of the tank. Inverts might not do so well. I would get a copper test and see what the reading is. __________________ Uh-oh, I just overloaded my Bioload! Vote for AA Good reading about: Nitrogen Cycle Fishless Cycling Need more help? Articles Acronym List --Scott

04-21-2008, 07:33 PM	#8 (permalink)
land locked Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 174	I will ask her if she can test it for me? I know she has one invert in there now. It is the biggest hermit crab I have ever seen, about a small fist size, and he is doing fine. The only thing that has survived the eel, I am sure. __________________ 72 gallon bow front, koralia 1 powerhead, approx 30 gallon sump and separate 20 gallon display refugium, Aqua C protein skimmer, Live rubble filteration, 80 # of LR, and a 4 inch sand bed.

04-22-2008, 10:56 AM	#9 (permalink)
cmor1701d Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 3,562 Images: 43	Do the test for copper. Copper can leach from the rock that is in there now back into the water column. Add a poly filter to the sump. I use one 24/7 replacing it monthly. __________________ Click here to Vote for Aquarium Advice on AquaRank . Vote EVERY day! Click Here for a list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations. ____ Cmor

04-24-2008, 11:29 PM	#10 (permalink)
land locked Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Wyoming Posts: 174	Does anyone know where I could sell this Honeyconmb Eel? I don't think I want it, because he scares me. He ate the Box puffer this week. __________________ 72 gallon bow front, koralia 1 powerhead, approx 30 gallon sump and separate 20 gallon display refugium, Aqua C protein skimmer, Live rubble filteration, 80 # of LR, and a 4 inch sand bed.

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