JBL TestLab Handbuch Seite 51

Copper as a medication
As higher organisms like fish are able to "tolerate" more copper than primitive organisms, copper is used to
combat parasitic diseases in fish. One classic area of application is the treatment of oodinium infections in fish
in freshwater and marine aquariums. A level of 0.3 mg/l is strongly recommended (e.g. with JBL Oodinol Plus
250). This level should be closely monitored as lower levels are insufficient to effect a cure, whilst higher levels
are harmful to the fish.
Depending on the hardness of the water, copper binds to a greater or lesser degree with hardening constituents
to form copper carbonate and precipitates. This occurs particularly rapidly in saltwater. The precipitated copper
carbonate is deposited on the floor of the aquarium. Under certain circumstances, it may revert to a solution
(changes in pH level, use of CO
amounts of copper may collect which, converted back into a solution again, could lead to the death of the fish
by poisoning. Therefore any treatment with substances containing copper should always be carried out in a
quarantine tank!
In marine aquariums with corals and other invertebrate animals copper must never be used in higher quantities
than those needed to meet the requirements for trace elements (e.g. using JBL TraceMarin)!
Where does the copper come from?
Apart from its use in medications against parasitic infections as mentioned above, the main source of copper in
the aquarium is tap water. Copper piping was, and still is, frequently used in domestic plumbing. Copper piping
is also often to be found in water heaters. If water stands for any length of time in such piping, considerable
amounts of copper may be absorbed. The use of rainwater which has flowed through copper guttering also
poses the risk of introducing copper. Metallic objects containing copper should never be used in aquariums
or garden pond installations e.g. pipe fittings made of brass or red brass or even pumps with casings or gyros
made from these materials. Many of the remedies against algae commonly used in aquariums also contain
copper. The same precautions should be taken with these preparations as were recommended above for the
use of medications.
How can it be removed?
Large amounts of copper which have collected in the ground-covering material of the aquarium as a result of
the use of copper-containing preparations can only be removed by clearing out and throwing away all of the
ground-covering material.
The regular use of a water conditioner which binds heavy metals, such as JBL Biotopol, offers increased
safety when copper is introduced to the aquarium from domestic plumbing or the use of rainwater. In order to
avoid extreme levels we recommend running the tap water for a few minutes before taking water from the mains.
In the case of copper guttering, water should only be collected after it has been raining for about one hour.
On the use of water conditioners, it should be mentioned that these do not remove heavy metals (copper etc.)
from the water, rather the heavy metals are enclosed in a protective "coating" and are no longer harmful to fish.
In the course of time they are then used up by the plants etc. as trace elements. If actual removal is important,
the water should be filtered through efficient activated carbon (e.g. JBL Carbomec activ) about one hour after
the water conditioner has been used. The activated carbon should be removed from the filter the following day
and disposed of. The heavy metals which the water conditioner has "coated" are absorbed by the activated
carbon and therefore removed when the carbon is taken out of the filter. Heavy metals which have not been
"coated" in the manner described above cannot be removed by activated carbon.
What is measured?
The copper test only measures copper which is dissolved in water. Copper deposits in the ground-covering
material (as mentioned above) are not measured by the test.
Instructions:
1. Repeatedly rinse both test jars with the water to be tested.
2. Use the enclosed syringe to fill each of the test jars with 5 ml of sample water.
3. Add 5 drops of reagent 1 to one of the two test jars, shake briefly to mix, then add 5 drops of reagent 2 and mix again.
4. Allow to stand until the full colouring develops, 10 minutes for tests on freshwater and 15 minutes for tests on
saltwater.
5. Place both test jars in the grey comparator block: the jar with the added reagent at the smooth end of the
comparator block, the jar with untreated sample water (blank sample) at the notched end of the comparator block.
6. Position the comparator block on the colour chart so that the jar containing untreated water is over the
coloured sections of the chart, whilst the jar with added reagent is over the blank sections of the colour chart.
fertilizers, the activity of micro-organisms). After several treatments, sufficient
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