Testing For Copper?

[Schmill]

Is it possible to test for copper in the water?

I have the API Freshwater Master Test Kit, and I know this doesn't do it, but I was wondering if there was something that did?

I ask because I'd like to use 'warm' water to top up my tank during a water change, rather than the freezing cold water striaght from the mains, but I understand one of the biggest risks of this is the possibility of copper from the hot water storage tank.

So firstly, is copper classed as one of the 'heavy metals' that my API Stress Coat water conditioner will remove, or not?
Secondly is there a test kit to test for the copper content and is it reasonably 'available' (in UK) ?

Thanks

 

[Colin_T]

Yes Sera does copper test kits and copper is a heavy metal.

Rather than using hot water from the hot water system, use some cold water that has been boiled and add it to a bucket of cold water. Aerate it for a few minutes and use that to do the water change. Alternatively fill up a bucket with cold water and add a spare aquarium heater and air stone. Leave it to aerate and warm and when the temperature is correct, do the water change.

 

[Schmill]

Thanks Colin, but the reason that I wanted to check the hot water from my tap is that I've recently purchased a 300L tank, and I don't really want to be carrying buckets of water all through the house, so figured I'd do it Python stylee and use a hosepipe. If the hot water is ok then I can put it on the kitchen mixer tap, but if it's not then it means it would have to be a very slow feed from the mains cold water.
I'll have a look out for a copper test kit then

 

[Colin_T]

check the online shops for copper test kits or ask your LFS to order one in, (assuming they don't have one in stock). They aren't commonly sold so most shops don't carry them.

 

[minxfishy]

Found these on ebay, I have copper probs in my pipes too, so after reading colin-t's reply I looked around to see what I could find.

Ebay Item numbers: 370104939622 - API copper test kit

and 190221544293

Hope that helps.

 

[saz326]

Save yourself some cash

Phone a few local fish shops and see if they could do a test on a sample of your water. The test should be a one off - so why buy a kit if you can blag a single test.

Remember that the copper present in a sample of water (depending on the age of your system) will vary depending on how the system works. If you have a huge hot tank that sits full maintaining temperature for a long time then the amount of copper would be larger than if you have a small hot tank that empties regularly.

If you did get a high reading on a test result then you could try testing again afer flushing the system out and refilling/reheating. Might mean you have take a bath/shower before you fill the aquarium. Make the most of throwing away old water.

P.S. Copper would class as a heavy metal. but i dont know if "heavy metal binders" such as in stress zyme would work on the free metals or metal salts that occur in nature ...anyone know?

 

[Schmill]

Thanks for the links Minx. I think I will ring my LFS's and see if I can blag a freebie test, and if that doesn't work then I will jump onto those e-bay links

Of course I will be interested to know as well whether the water treatment dechlor's etc, that say they treat and remove 'heavy metals' do actually remove copper traces...

I wonder if an e-mail to API would be worthwhile. I'll give it a try, nothing to lose

 

[saz326]

Schmill- please let us know the outcome of the e-mail.

 

[andywg]

Thanks Colin, but the reason that I wanted to check the hot water from my tap is that I've recently purchased a 300L tank, and I don't really want to be carrying buckets of water all through the house, so figured I'd do it Python stylee and use a hosepipe. If the hot water is ok then I can put it on the kitchen mixer tap, but if it's not then it means it would have to be a very slow feed from the mains cold water.
I'll have a look out for a copper test kit then

It doesn't have to be that slow at all. Almost all people with large tanks do their water changes from the cold tap. CFC must put about 100 to 200 gallons of water straight from the mains into his large tank at each change. I know I do 20-40% water changes filling from the cold mains with no issue seen in over 3 years.

Somehow a myth that fish cannot stand changes of more than about a degree C has arisen and it just doesn't match up with reality.

 

[paulypaul182]

Is there a way to remove heavy metals from your water?

 

[Schmill]

API's Stress Coat and "Tap Water Conditioner" claim to do so, but I currently have a question in with them what they class as "heavy metals" (as from what I have searched it seems a bit of an unambiguous term), and whether their products can remove any copper from the water.
I will still try to take 1 vial of 'untreated' and 1 vial of 'treated' water to a LFS thought for testing when I get a chance, although that won't be until at least the weekend as none of my 'LFS's are particularly 'L' - lol

 

[Colin_T]

Is there a way to remove heavy metals from your water?

carbon, reverse osmosis (R/O) and distillation will get rid of heavy metals.

 

[andywg]

Is there a way to remove heavy metals from your water?

carbon, reverse osmosis (R/O) and distillation will get rid of heavy metals.

I'm not so sure on the carbon. Carbon tends to prefer to adsorb dissolved organic compounds. These DOCs bind to heavy metals so carbon, on the face of it, appears somewhat detrimental when it comes to binding up heavy metals.