need advice, possibility copper is in system

[JJshiv]

Last week I came home from work to find that my corals were all looking horrible. I checked everything out and found that the light over my refugium was in the water. I was thinking that the electricity that was in the system had killed off my snails, shrimp, corals, and other various inverts. But then I was thinking, if it was the electric current that killed everything would my fish be dead too? All the fish survived and are still good. Some of the inverts (hermits, couple snails, corals) are still alive.

 

What are the chances the copper from the wiring was in the water and leeched copper into the system?

 

Has anyone here ever electrocuted a tank? What happened?

 

If copper is in the system what can be done if it is just a minimal amount?

 

Thanks for any help.

 

I would basically be starting from a cycled tank if I were to start over so I could just go to a FOWLR set up if I had to.

[tinyreef]

if you suspect copper i would do a series of wc's. there could be some copper but like you said the electrocution didn't help either.

 

try using some Poly-Filters in a high flow area. the flow should be forced thru the pads for best effect. i would also look to remove new growth algae over the next few weeks. don't let them be recycled into the system for feed.

 

do the wc's in smaller quantities but higher frequencies to limit shock. hth

[maroonclown]

I have been hit several times. Invest in a gounding prob if this bothers you.

[USFnano]

If it was copper, all your inverts would be dead. It probably just wasn't enough of a shock to kill everything...

[EtOH_is_good]

There is a possiblitiy that the things that died were electrocuted. Not absolutely sure, but if current is running between the object and ground it will complete a circuit and may result in electrocution. Unless the fish touched a grounded object in the tank they would have been safe. My explination falls apart when addressing the animals on the sand and LR that survived. However, it is possible that those that survived had higher internal resistance ("damn lucky") and received just got a small shock.

 

Leeching cooper is also possible, but still wouldn't eliminate death by electrocution.

[Reefmaniac]

Originally posted by tinyreef

if you suspect copper i would do a series of wc's.    

 

try using some Poly-Filters in a high flow area.  the flow should be forced thru the pads for best effect.   hth

 

WCs and Polyfilters have my vote.

[JJshiv]

Thanks for the input. Im gonna run some carbon and have been doing plenty of WCs. The smell from my huge leather coral that didnt make it was horrible. Ive heard about anemones smelling bad but I bet this was pretty close.

[enrico]

If the problem lies in metal pollution you should change that carbon very often (you can start changing it every day for 3 or 4 days) in order to remove as much as possible in a little time.

 

good luck

[pyrrhus]

there are also copper removing products available that target heavy metals and copper ions specifically IMO they are better at what they do than carbon or poly filters id still do the water changes though.

[maroonclown]

Polyfilters are the most effective thing to use. As a plus, they cost less than the Metal removers and change color to tell you when it's been exhausted.