Help: Confused about copper test reading

jjencek · 07/24/2019, 09:24 AM

About eight weeks ago I purchased a HANNA Copper LR tester. When I measured my tank, I was shocked to find out I had about 120 ppm of copper. It has varied between 100 and 400 ever since.

I have been trying to fix it, but without any success. What is confusing is that my HANNA tester measures as high as 400 ppm , but fish and all other creatures don't show signs of stress.

Furthermore, attempts of using copper absorbing media (ZEOLITE, METASORB and POLYFILTER) make no difference. I was expecting POLYFILTER to turn blue due to the copper, but it did not. It turned little brown about the same as my filter sock.

Any idea what can be going on? Can HANNA checker test positive for other reasons?

mcgyvr · 07/24/2019, 01:38 PM

Call Hanna... Sounds like a false positive IMO..

bertoni · 07/24/2019, 05:02 PM

My first guess is that the reagents in the kit are bad. There might be some sort of chemical interference, but I am a bit skeptical about that. I might try measuring some freshly-mixed saltwater. If that measures positive, I probably would treat about a gallon of it with a PolyFilter to see what happens.

jjencek · 07/25/2019, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

My first guess is that the reagents in the kit are bad. There might be some sort of chemical interference, but I am a bit skeptical about that. I might try measuring some freshly-mixed saltwater. If that measures positive, I probably would treat about a gallon of it with a PolyFilter to see what happens.

I tried a new reagent - same results.

I tried fresh water mix - ZERO "copper" in that.

It is something in the tank, but still trying to figure it out.

I am also considering sending a water sample to Triton.

bertoni · 07/25/2019, 02:27 PM

Are there any invertebrates in the tank? I think that level of copper would be fatal to a fairly broad range of animals, so there might be some interference issue. I'll do some research.

jjencek · 07/26/2019, 01:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

Are there any invertebrates in the tank? I think that level of copper would be fatal to a fairly broad range of animals, so there might be some interference issue. I'll do some research.

Besides fish and corals I got bunch of snails, worms, and shrimps. They all seem to be fine.

bnumair · 07/26/2019, 02:19 AM

LR is in PPB so 400 ppb is 0.4 ppm which may not be lethal to fish but surely will have fatalities on inverts. if freshly made saltwater shows 0 then there is something in the tank thats adding on the copper or somehow the unit itself could be bad/off on calibration.

jjencek · 07/26/2019, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnumair

LR is in PPB so 400 ppb is 0.4 ppm which may not be lethal to fish but surely will have fatalities on inverts. if freshly made saltwater shows 0 then there is something in the tank thats adding on the copper or somehow the unit itself could be bad/off on calibration.

Thank you for correcting me. Yes, I meant to say PPB not PPM. So to correct my numbers ... the tank ranges from 0.1 to 0.4 ppm.

bertoni · 07/26/2019, 05:47 PM

Right, I should have notice the ppm-ppb issue, but I was assuming ppb. 400 ppm would kill everything, I think.

jjencek · 08/08/2019, 05:24 AM

I got my results back from Triton ICP ... 0.0001 ppm of copper.

So it seems that Hanna Check Copper LR is FALSE POSITIVE. I know there is something in the DT that causes it, because a new RODI with RedSea salt does not show any copper.

I am opened to suggestions.

What is the best way to contact Hanna and ask?

bertoni · 08/08/2019, 05:36 PM

I have no idea what might be causing the testing problem. I'd try new reagents. Hanna probably has a customer service line, but I doubt that they'd know what might cause interference. I'd give them a call, anyway, to ask about a refund on the reagents.

07/24/2019, 09:24 AM	#1
jjencek Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Prague, Czech Republic Posts: 366	Help: Confused about copper test reading About eight weeks ago I purchased a HANNA Copper LR tester. When I measured my tank, I was shocked to find out I had about 120 ppm of copper. It has varied between 100 and 400 ever since. I have been trying to fix it, but without any success. What is confusing is that my HANNA tester measures as high as 400 ppm , but fish and all other creatures don't show signs of stress. Furthermore, attempts of using copper absorbing media (ZEOLITE, METASORB and POLYFILTER) make no difference. I was expecting POLYFILTER to turn blue due to the copper, but it did not. It turned little brown about the same as my filter sock. Any idea what can be going on? Can HANNA checker test positive for other reasons?

07/24/2019, 01:38 PM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	Call Hanna... Sounds like a false positive IMO.. __________________ Who me?

07/24/2019, 05:02 PM	#3
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	My first guess is that the reagents in the kit are bad. There might be some sort of chemical interference, but I am a bit skeptical about that. I might try measuring some freshly-mixed saltwater. If that measures positive, I probably would treat about a gallon of it with a PolyFilter to see what happens. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/25/2019, 02:27 PM	#5
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Are there any invertebrates in the tank? I think that level of copper would be fatal to a fairly broad range of animals, so there might be some interference issue. I'll do some research. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

07/26/2019, 02:19 AM	#7
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	LR is in PPB so 400 ppb is 0.4 ppm which may not be lethal to fish but surely will have fatalities on inverts. if freshly made saltwater shows 0 then there is something in the tank thats adding on the copper or somehow the unit itself could be bad/off on calibration. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE Last edited by bnumair; 07/26/2019 at 02:29 AM.

07/26/2019, 05:47 PM	#9
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Right, I should have notice the ppm-ppb issue, but I was assuming ppb. 400 ppm would kill everything, I think. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

08/08/2019, 05:24 AM	#10
jjencek Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Prague, Czech Republic Posts: 366	I got my results back from Triton ICP ... 0.0001 ppm of copper. So it seems that Hanna Check Copper LR is FALSE POSITIVE. I know there is something in the DT that causes it, because a new RODI with RedSea salt does not show any copper. I am opened to suggestions. What is the best way to contact Hanna and ask?

08/08/2019, 05:36 PM	#11
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I have no idea what might be causing the testing problem. I'd try new reagents. Hanna probably has a customer service line, but I doubt that they'd know what might cause interference. I'd give them a call, anyway, to ask about a refund on the reagents. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni