Water Conditioners: Heavy Metal Removal?

cluedin

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Hi All,

(I did search the archives - apologies in advance if I missed the thread).

I am tracking down some mystery deaths in a 45L freshwater tank.

My investigation is leading to copper poisoning - my pipes are old - they are copper, and have never had a tank in the place I live before now, and all other water parameters are perfect (ph, kh, gh, nitates/nitrates,amonia etc). I do use a popular commercial aquarium water conditioning product.

I investigated a popular over the counter water filter and I am not convinced it does too much after filtering about 10 liters of water.

My question - does anyone know the chemical or processes is involved removing heavy metals from tap water in the popular brands of water conditioners.

My investigation finds that removing heavy metals is not an easy process - I am suspicious about claims that a few dollars renders heavy metals in tap water inert - this would be a miracle product for 3rd world countries where heavy metals make water undrinkable....they big boys in water conditioners are also not offering up any hard facts of how much is removed (absorbed).

Anyway - thanks in advance -
 
thanks rhostog - will investigate - I tested my tap water over the weekend and it measured .25ppm - results are suspect as the test kit readings are not crystal clear....
 
hobby test kits for metals like iron and copper are very innacurate and cant really be trusted unless you have calibrated them against a sample with a known PPM.
 
Thanks fozzziebear - too right on the test kits - I after spending 25bux each for them I can't find an expiry date on them either - in any case I have switched conditioners - doubled the amount of conditioner I am using - and letting the conditioned water stand for 2 weeks before using it in my water changes. Probably unnecessary but I simply have never expeienced the kind of losses I am having before ...but then there are a lot of variables - new fish, new tank, different house etc.
 
I seriously doubt that the age of your copper pipes has anything to do with it.

Metal toxicity is closely connected to pH because at high pH (7+) they are not bio available and so simply are not a cause for concern.

The previous poster is right EDTA is the primary (if not sole) agent for removing metals in most tap water conditioners.

It is possible to use activated carbon to remove metals by 'sorption though you need to replace carbon regularly.

High levels of DOC (Disolved Organic Carbon) will also help remove metals by 'sorption ... growing plants will help this.
 

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