How to Remove Copper From a Saltwater Aquarium

Healthy fish live best in an aquarium without copper.

Copper enters your saltwater aquarium either because you have filled the tank with tap water from copper pipes or because you have given your fish medications that contain copper. Copper is a popular treatment for a common illness often called Ich and caused by a parasite, Cryptocaryon irritans. Despite its medicinal use, high amounts of copper can damage fishes' gills and immune systems. Copper is deadly for the invertebrates you might want to keep in your tank, such as anemones, crabs, shrimp, live corals and live rock. You can remove copper from your tank by following a series of simple steps.

Things You'll Need

• Small, fully assembled, temporary saltwater tank
• Aquarium net
• Sink drain
• Filter
• Rocks and sand (optional)
• Hot water
• Bucket
• Vinegar
• pH test kit for saltwater
• Copper test kit for saltwater

Instructions

1. Transfer all fish from your original aquarium to the temporary aquarium with the aquarium net.

2. Drain the original aquarium of all water.

3. Remove the aquarium's filter and any decorative rocks or sand.

4. Scrub the inside of the tank thoroughly with hot water. Pay particular attention to the cracks and corners.

5. In the bucket, mix a solution that is 10 percent vinegar and 90 percent hot water. Scrub the inside of the tank again with this solution.

6. Rinse the inside of the tank with hot water. If possible, leave hot water in the tank to soak overnight.

7. Insert the new filter and replace the rocks and sand with new ones, if desired.

8. Refill the tank with saltwater. Check the pH with the pH test kit and adjust accordingly. Test the carbon level with the carbon test kit to verify that it is reduced.

9. Use the aquarium net to transfer the fish back to the original aquarium.

Tips & Warnings

• If the copper entered your tank because of its being contained in your tap water, try running the tap for a few minutes before filling your tank.

• Depending on the type of fish in your tank, it may be possible to change the copper level in your tank without transferring them to a temporary aquarium by using a reverse osmosis filter. Reverse osmosis filters change the chemistry of the water rapidly, which some but not all varieties of fish are able to handle.

• Following these steps will reduce the amount of copper in your tank, but it is nearly impossible to remove all traces of copper. Some experts recommend never returning invertebrates to a tank to which copper medications have been added and instead keeping the tank as a fish-only habitat.

References

• Reefland: Help Getting Rid of Copper, Ich Is Gone.
• Bright Hub: Best Way to Remove Copper from a Saltwater Aquarium
• Aquatics Unlimitied: Copper
• Fish Channel: Copper in Aquarium Water

Resources

• Aquarium Copper Test Kit