# Copper Content In Tap Water?



## jimmy james (29 Jan 2011)

Hi, over the last 8 months i've lost 16 bumble bee shrimp and 6 CRS. The tank water is kept at 25 degrees, ph6.8, kh 5, nitrate 0 and nitrite0. From 6 cherry shrimp in the same tank I now have over 40! I drip acclimate all the shrimp over a 4 hour period(having kept marine inverts from £25 a pop it can be a costly mistake if you get it wrong). The fresh water shrimp tend to die after a 2-8 week period.I do a 50% water change weekly, add tropica nutriton plus daily and have pressuried co2 feed in for 8 hours a day during a 9 hour photo period. The only thing I can think of is traces of copper in the tap water? I'm going to try using RO water from now on but do i buy it with minerals or without and would it still be prudent to add a dechlorinator or any other additives? Any other advice or tips would be much appreciated.


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## Themuleous (29 Jan 2011)

I doubt its copper in the water to be honest, but I guess there is only one way of being 100% sure.  If you use RO you will need to add back in all the various minerals, some how, but you shouldn't need to add an dechlor.

Sam


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## jimmy james (29 Jan 2011)

I'll give it a go then. cheers.


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## Radik (29 Jan 2011)

Also it can be.. if you purchased some plants from Asia they have pesticides on them. Or you disturbed substrate too much and Amonia leeched. Or you got too stressed Shrimps already. Buy juveniles and buy from reputable seller. I also switched to full RO as London tap is giving me Cold water  260TDS Hot water 450 TDS and pipes are copper so all that crap was going in.


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## jimmy james (29 Jan 2011)

Thanks Radik. I did lose quite a few when I added what I later found out to be mondo grass. When you buy your RO water do you ask them to add minerals? Or do you buy it with out and then add your own?


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## dw1305 (29 Jan 2011)

Hi all,
If you are worried about heavy metals in your tap water you could try an HMA filter rather than an RO one. Another possibility is to use a water conditioner containing EDTA, "Prime" would be one but I'm sure there are others. The problem with the EDTA method is that if you have high levels of Fe ions in the tank they will "bump" the Cu ions from the chelator.

R.O. needs to be re-mineralised to 4dKH, to give it some buffering capacity. You can make your own up (via the link of James' Planted Tank), or you can buy "RO right" if you don't mind paying well over the odds for largely sodium bicarbonate.

cheers Darrel


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## Garuf (29 Jan 2011)

A lot of shrimp keeps have shifted to RO and HMA I've noticed, the original shrip seem to come from nearly pure rainwater with very low levels of mineral content. 

I can't keep shrimp at all, no matter what I try they die on me overnight and I fully suspect it to be copper related, when you're drip acclimatising for 24 hours there's very little other option.

I think HMA or prime might be the way to go for me. Good luck with your issues.


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## Radik (29 Jan 2011)

Jimmy I am making my own RO water but I warn you you might require also pump to have full effect of it. My water pressure was too low and actually I can make 20liters in hour with pump now. Pump was 55, 3 stage RO was around 30 pounds. I see HMA is same cost as RO so rather get RO  and you can make your own parameters to your liking. There is no voodoo around re-mineralizing only at initial phase to get your measures for your bucket. I just measure now in to ml vial and throw it there. Using seachem + soda bicarbonate for KH but I will use my own solution and skip seachem next time .


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## dw1305 (29 Jan 2011)

Hi all,
Just to say that if people are interested in the set-up for  HMA and RO filters, I've recently had a look at a well known Bristol Fish breeders set up and it was very interesting. He has now posted all the technical details (based upon a considerable amount of experience and tinkering) on another forum, but I have a copy I can PM.

cheers Darrel


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## Radik (29 Jan 2011)

I am interested pls pm me that. Thanks


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## jimmy james (29 Jan 2011)

Thanks for all your advice. Can you pm the details Darrel? Cheers.


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## RudeDogg1 (30 Jan 2011)

I use a hma for my tank I have it attached via a float valve to a 220liter water butt in the basement. It then gets heated and airiated by a power head and then I pump it up to the tank all the plugs r remote controlled so don't have to move anywhere


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## jimmy james (30 Jan 2011)

RudeDogg1 said:
			
		

> I use a hma for my tank I have it attached via a float valve to a 220liter water butt in the basement. It then gets heated and airiated by a power head and then I pump it up to the tank all the plugs r remote controlled so don't have to move anywhere


Thats sounds the way forward for marine tank at work. Nice and easy.  
at the moment though I still buy my RO water and for my nano at home a 25litre container will probably last about 5 weeks. when I mix the salt with the RO for the marine system I aerate the water for 24 hours before adding it to the system. For my nano should I just aerate the water 24 hours before and then syphon off what i need or will it be ok just sitting in the sealed container and then use it as when?


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## dw1305 (30 Jan 2011)

Hi all,
I'll try posting the link to Bob' posts (they are on "Plecoplanet"), I think they should be available to non-members. He has also written another RO / HMA article for another well known Catfish site ("PlanetCatfish"), but I haven't looked to see if it has been posted yet.
Posts http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8754 & http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8744 (towards end).

If you can't get access or need more details PM me and I'll PM them.

cheers Darrel


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