kgoldy Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I got a bunch of rock and sand from a craigslist deal in this past summer... Ever since I've had it brewing in a tank with a ton of chaeto with a light over it and a small CUC to maintain the algae. It's pretty much a giant pod den, since there's nothing predatory in there and it's been mostly undisturbed for 6 months (except top-offs). I had planned on using it to seed my new setup- with pods and bacteria... But I'm concerned that the previous owner (a rich teenager who's dad bought him anything and everything he wants, on a whim) may have polluted the rock or sand with Copper treatments or anything else. The only reason I suspect this is because neither father nor son had any idea what I was talking about when I was sifting through their garage and taking all their equipment (for $150).... So they didn't seem like the type who would know not to dose copper in a reef tank, or something like that. If the CUC, chaeto, and pods seem happy, and coraline has been growing... Do you think I have anything to worry about? Link to comment
RayWhisperer Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Probably nothing to worry about. Sure, they may have dosed copper based meds. However, there obviously isn't enough (if infact any at all) in the rock and sand to affect the inverts already living in it now. Snails are, IMO, are the best canaries for a tank. If they constantly die, then you know there is a problem. Link to comment
kgoldy Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 Cool, I guess I'm good then. Link to comment
Formula462 Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 I got a bunch of rock and sand from a craigslist deal in this past summer... Ever since I've had it brewing in a tank with a ton of chaeto with a light over it and a small CUC to maintain the algae. It's pretty much a giant pod den, since there's nothing predatory in there and it's been mostly undisturbed for 6 months (except top-offs). I had planned on using it to seed my new setup- with pods and bacteria... But I'm concerned that the previous owner (a rich teenager who's dad bought him anything and everything he wants, on a whim) may have polluted the rock or sand with Copper treatments or anything else. The only reason I suspect this is because neither father nor son had any idea what I was talking about when I was sifting through their garage and taking all their equipment (for $150).... So they didn't seem like the type who would know not to dose copper in a reef tank, or something like that. If the CUC, chaeto, and pods seem happy, and coraline has been growing... Do you think I have anything to worry about? Lol sounds like my friend. Makes for a pretty good looking tank haha. edit: except he knows all the common sense husbandry. Link to comment
danilew Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Nope, you're definitely contaminated... you need to ship all that equipment, rock, etc.. to me Link to comment
holdorf333 Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 You can test for those things. If you just want some reassurance, do what Ray said, consider some PolyFilter or if you have a positive result, Seachem's Cuprisorb. Link to comment
kgoldy Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 If I do end up using the rock and sand it'll be going into a brand new system with carbon and GFO reactors... I assume they'd suck up any contaminants before the end of my cycle? The total volume of the system will be around 120 gallons (minus rock and sand volume), so what ever might be in there will be significantly diluted... There's probably no reason to worry. Link to comment
holdorf333 Posted February 8, 2011 Share Posted February 8, 2011 Just grab a test kit for copper and be sure. Link to comment
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