Copper and coral or algae

[707Nick]

Hello all,
I’m currently running copper in our Fowler systems they are stacked 3 high 60g each and all run on a sump with a protein skimmer, live rock and the plastic bio balls. There is also about 1” of 1mm sand in each of the tanks with a bit of live rock for the fish to hide I would like to make the tanks look a little bit more natural by adding mushrooms or leathers. I’m under the impression that the copper approximately 1.5-1ppm will kill all coral. Can I add some kind of algae like dragons breath and have it still survive? If it would survive would it hold onto the copper like the rock? Thank you to anyone who took the time to read and respond.

Cheers
Nick

 

[Spare time]

I haven't had luck putting macroalgaes into copper systems when I worked at lfs'. Coral would definitely die.


PS if you are running copper power/coppersafe, you should run it at least at 2ppm while keeping in mind the error margin on your test kit.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I’m under the impression that the copper approximately 1.5-1ppm will kill all coral. Can I add some kind of algae like dragons breath and have it still survive? If it would survive would it hold onto the copper like the rock?

Yeah, that high of copper would most likely kill any corals and inverts added very quickly.

No, adding the macroalgae wouldn't help the corals survive unless the macro was growing in the tank long enough to take up pretty much all of the copper in the system (and that would assume the macro would grow in copper-heavy water) - I don't even have a guess for how long that could take, but it would likely be months at the absolute fastest.

The coral skeletons would hold the copper like the rocks do.

 

[707Nick]

Yeah, that high of copper would most likely kill any corals and inverts added very quickly.

No, adding the macroalgae wouldn't help the corals survive unless the macro was growing in the tank long enough to take up pretty much all of the copper in the system (and that would assume the macro would grow in copper-heavy water) - I don't even have a guess for how long that could take, but it would likely be months at the absolute fastest.

The coral skeletons would hold the copper like the rocks do.

Thank you for the insite. I more want the algae in the tanks as a way to make them look more natural is all. The struggle is real. Thanks afain

 

[707Nick]

I haven't had luck putting macroalgaes into copper systems when I worked at lfs'. Coral would definitely die.


PS if you are running copper power/coppersafe, you should run it at least at 2ppm while keeping in mind the error margin on your test kit.

I will lean a little closer to the 2 than the 1 thank you.