*COPPERSAFE WARNING* along with Research on Hanna Instruments High Range Copper Checker

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

Looks good to me.

I would split your daily amounts and do half in am other half in pm.

Test daily until you get to the therapuetic level. Then I test every 2 or three days now that I have repeated it more than once with same result.

Cool, thanks for your help!

 

[LovesDogs_CatsRokay]

When I measure 10mL of water with my syringe, it is higher than the line on the hanna test vial. Which should I go by when testing?

 

[HotRocks]

When I measure 10mL of water with my syringe, it is higher than the line on the hanna test vial. Which should I go by when testing?

I would fill to the line on the cuvette. My syringes match the line on all the Hanna cuvettes. The reagents they make are made to be used with the line on the cuvette.

 

[Reef Box]

Has anyone else experienced cloudy test water resulting in unusually high numbers while using the HI702 colorimeter ?

I do a regular test every morning and add copper as needed. Using the Brightwell Cuprion (target of .20) so I tested the other day and it was .17. I added 3 drops which in my 25ish (total water volume) qt raises the cu about .03-.04 I did a second test about 30min later noticing the water was slightly cloudy and the reading was .67. There is literally no way 3 drops raised my cu that much.

 

[HotRocks]

I would venture to guess the cloudy water doesn't allow the light to pass through the sample properly hence your higher reading.

 

[Reef Box]

I would venture to guess the cloudy water doesn't allow the light to pass through the sample properly hence your higher reading.

I would agree with that completely. However, I can’t quite pinpoint why 1 test would be clear and a test sample of the same water 30 min later would be cloudy. I ran a few other tests throughout the day and had the same issue but only on a couple other ones. Regents are all of the same batch number and stored similarly. @Hanna Instruments, any ideas?

 

[pdiehm]

i just ordered the HI702 from BRS. I got a set of barrier reef chromis coming tomorrow, and while I know everyone says use Copper Power, I have a full bottle of Coppersafe. What I did was take the 5ml/4 gallons and cut it in half. I dosed 1.25ml/4 gallons. Using the API, i'm guessing that I'm in the 1.0 range, which I know isn't therapeutic, however, I can use that as a baseline and go from there once I get the tester on Wednesday.

The one thing I'm positive of, my dose of coppersafe at the level I did isn't toxic. I'm comfortable with that.

One thing that I didn't see is the read out on the hanna...will it read say 1.78 or is there a conversion?

 

[HotRocks]

i just ordered the HI702 from BRS. I got a set of barrier reef chromis coming tomorrow, and while I know everyone says use Copper Power, I have a full bottle of Coppersafe. What I did was take the 5ml/4 gallons and cut it in half. I dosed 1.25ml/4 gallons. Using the API, i'm guessing that I'm in the 1.0 range, which I know isn't therapeutic, however, I can use that as a baseline and go from there once I get the tester on Wednesday.

The one thing I'm positive of, my dose of coppersafe at the level I did isn't toxic. I'm comfortable with that.

One thing that I didn't see is the read out on the hanna...will it read say 1.78 or is there a conversion?

You should be fine doing what you are describing. Yes, the tester will provide you with exact digital result in ppm so no conversion needed.

 

[Kyl]

@pdiehm You are going to become addicted to the Hanna copper checker

 

[pdiehm]

Considering I get fish about once a year...we will see.

 

[Japtastic]

@HotRocks Sorry if this has been asked before. I’m using the old school recipe of Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate.

I should have gone with the low range ppb Copper tester, shouldn’t I?

The high range tester has a 0.05+ tolerance, so when I get to 0.20ppm it could be as low as 0.15 or as high as 0.25. Putting in a little bit of safety to not drop below 0.15 for 30 days means that I need to bring copper up to 0.22 on the tester, doesn’t it?

Which means a possible high of 0.27ppm for the fish?

The low range tester has a 5% tolerance which means I could bring it up to 0.20 and know I’m between 0.19-0.21.

Let me know if this makes sense...

 

[HotRocks]

@HotRocks Sorry if this has been asked before. I’m using the old school recipe of Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate.

I should have gone with the low range ppb Copper tester, shouldn’t I?

The high range tester has a 0.05+ tolerance, so when I get to 0.20ppm it could be as low as 0.15 or as high as 0.25. Putting in a little bit of safety to not drop below 0.15 for 30 days means that I need to bring copper up to 0.22 on the tester, doesn’t it?

Which means a possible high of 0.27ppm for the fish?

The low range tester has a 5% tolerance which means I could bring it up to 0.20 and know I’m between 0.19-0.21.

Let me know if this makes sense...

We don't know how accurate the low range is.

I was getting copper readings with the low range after reagent was added to newly mixed SW with no copper dosed.

 

[Japtastic]

Ok, that’s a pain. What do you dose to yourself when treating with Copper Sulfate? It’s for 9 tangs (including 3 regals) and a goby. Is 0.22 going to be ok considering the tolerance?

 

[HotRocks]

@Japtastic
The tolerance range for the HI702 high range model that measures in PPM is +/-.05ppm. That being said, I would think you would want to target exactly .20ppm. knowing you could be within the range of .15-.25ppm.

@Humblefish can probably elaborate more. I have all the supplies to make the copper sulfate pentahydrate solution. I have made it with ease and tested it accurately.

I have never actually used it on live fish and I can't say if .15ppm is high enough and that .25ppm is too high.

I know it has a very narrow range for therapuetic treatment. I just don't know where it becomes toxic.

Know this, the Hanna checker IMO reads closer than +/-.05ppm based on all my testing. So shooting for .20ppm with the digital reading is probably far more accurate than using a visual test.

 

[Humblefish]

If using the Hanna checker, I would target 0.20ppm with copper sulfate pentahydrate.

Supposedly the iDip Photometer uses a copper reagent that is pretty accurate with low range copper, but I have no experience using it yet. @eXact iDip® For more info.

 

[Japtastic]

Thank you chaps. Good to hear it’s probably more accurate in general than the 0.05. My main concern was that if Sod’s law came in to play and I got a reading of 0.19 on day 29. This could mean 0.14, outside of therapeutic and reset the clock.

I will check out iDip.

@Hanna Instruments Any word on your low range meter and salt water?

 

[Japtastic]

Some more info:

I'm using a 64 litre QT. Now, either my maths was wrong, the Copper wasn't as pure as listed or something has been absorbing the Copper.

I worked out that I would need 10.54ml to bring it up to 0.17ppm. This was before I took in to account that the HR checker has a 0.05 tolerance. Either way, I'm on the end of day 5 and have now had to dose 19.5ml to get to a tested 0.12ppm on the checker. This could, of course, be 0.17ppm with the tolerance.

I did have some fake plants in the tank with the weighted part at the bottom that is made of clay? Maybe they had an effect? Now removed them.

@HotRocks How much testing did you do with the low range checker and what values were you getting with newly made salt water? Doesn't the LR and HR use the same basic method?

This from the Hanna website for both HR and LR:

"Adaptation of the EPA method. The reaction between copper and the bicinchoninate reagent causes a purple tint in the sample"

 

[Hanna Instruments]

@HotRocks Sorry if this has been asked before. I’m using the old school recipe of Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate.

I should have gone with the low range ppb Copper tester, shouldn’t I?

The high range tester has a 0.05+ tolerance, so when I get to 0.20ppm it could be as low as 0.15 or as high as 0.25. Putting in a little bit of safety to not drop below 0.15 for 30 days means that I need to bring copper up to 0.22 on the tester, doesn’t it?

Which means a possible high of 0.27ppm for the fish?

The low range tester has a 5% tolerance which means I could bring it up to 0.20 and know I’m between 0.19-0.21.

Let me know if this makes sense...

The HI747 Low Range Copper Checker is not suitable for saltwater, only the HI702 High Range Copper Checker model can be used in a saltwater aquarium.

 

[Japtastic]

Thanks for the reply @Hanna Instruments is this the advice because you haven't fully tested it or you have found a reason that is doesn't work with saltwater?

 

[Hanna Instruments]

Thanks for the reply @Hanna Instruments is this the advice because you haven't fully tested it or you have found a reason that is doesn't work with saltwater?

We have tested it and got inconsistent results using a saltwater sample.