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Regarding Copper

Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
11
So I've read that the biggest risk with buying a used tank is whether or not Cu has been used in the tank. I read that Cu can not be washed out of a system. My question is: If I were to buy a used tank, not knowing whether or not Cu was ever in it, but all new equipment, would this risk still be a problem? It seems unlikely to me that Cu would stay on the glass. Is there a method to washing a tank, thoroughly, without using harmful chemicals?
 
Yes it would be a risk. Cu doesn't attach to the glass, but to the sealer! You would need to dismantle the tank, remove EVERY scrap of silicon and then re seal it! Way too much trouble for most people!
 
Ah, I see. So if I was to take a risk and get one, wouldn't I be able to test it for CU? Filling it with RO water, letting it sit for a few days and then testing it? Seems like it would work to me. If not, then that's fine. I was just wondering if it was possible.
 
Unfortunately, none of the tests are sensitive enough to detect this kind of pollution. The concern about CU ever being used in a glass tank is somewhat theoretical and somewhat anecdotal. However, keep in mind that the cost of the tank is JUST the beginning of the costs of setting up a tank (Unfortunately, I believe the $1/gallon sale at PetCo has ended for this year but you might check as someone referenced it recently). Setting up, curing and then finding out that your inverts and octos mysteriously die is probably not worth the risk.

An alternate to consider with used would be an acrylic tank. They are a good bit more expensive new and they scratch (on the inside, outside is not problematic) but are lighter and more easily modified (I have both and see advantages and disadvantages to each, love them for sumps though).
 
Oh, well that's unfortunate. I'll probably just wait a while and save for a new acrylic tank, and research in the meantime. Better to be safe than sorry. I want to make a sump, and I'm expecting that to cost the most money (skimmer, pump etc.) Thanks for all the info!
 
I have converted 2 of my old 35 gallon tanks to sumps and really like using them that way. They were plumbed for sumps themselves but it was super easy to cap them and drilling is not the nerve wracking concern that it is with glass. Just be very aware that acrylic scratches easily and just the touch of Live Rock will scratch it. The bottom substrate will also make sever marks and along the bottom you will never notice it but when you clean the tank, the sand often get onto the sponge and can cause serious marking. Do not use the adage that you can always polish them back out. It is true but you have to completely drain the tank and just a small scratch will take a week of energetic manual labor. However, glass tanks scratch too and tend to collect algae in the scratches where I don't see the algae in the acrylics.

For photographing, glass has less distortion (as do sharp vs curved corners) but a lot depends upon your tank and ambient lighting. One of my glass tanks reflects so badly that there is always a ghost of the room behind in the photos. It sits across from a large set of windows and is almost impossible to photograph during daylight and still gives some reflection at night. None of my acrylics have the reflection problem but it is not anywhere near as bad in the tank that is placed perpendicular to the problem one in the same room.
 
Well, since you mentioned the cube tanks, I've been looking into those, but it seems that most of the ones in the higher gallon range are made out of glass. We'll just have to see. Are there any good articles on building a sump? Or at least some schematics? I've been looking and I can't quite seem to find any. My main concern with the tank, if it was glass, would be the drilling. I suppose it isn't really necessary, but I imagine that would be the way I would want to go.
 
I have never seen an acrylic cube but that does not mean there is not one. I am a major proponent of a drilled tank vs a siphon overflow. There are several ways to go about this and there is a nice write up linked to in the How To sticky in the Tank Talk forum. The alternate is to have someone else do the drilling. If you buy new usually the supplier will drill the tank for you for an additional charge. Most pet stores with a saltwater department will offer this service. If you join a local reef club, sometimes you can find a member that has drilled numerous tanks and is willing to help a member for free or for a reduced charge.
 

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