copper how to check without a test kit

[Altohombre]

Is there any way to visibly see if any of my sink piping has copper on it? I do notice pvc, but also notice some metal pipes but am not sure what they are made out of. I noticed another hermit crab death from my new batch and just can't quite figure out what it may be from other than copper through my ro/di water.

 

[RyanG]

The RO/DI unit if at zero TDS shouldnt have any copper in it

 

[Altohombre]

hmm then I am still stumped. What were you telling me about phosphate granuals a couple weeks back?

 

[RyanG]

Hmmm I dont know? How often were you changing you Phos-ban(GFO)? I read that if it isnt changed monthly that it can start leaching out the phos that it absorbed, but that doesnt have much to do with the inverts that is along the algae help. That and raise you magnesium level to 1500+(1600 is better) should clear up you hair algae quite a bit.

 

[Piggy]

Is this a new tank or a used one? Also did you acclimate the snails right.

 

[ccCapt]

That and raise you magnesium level to 1500+(1600 is better) should clear up you hair algae quite a bit.

Just to clarify this. This only works if you raise your mag using Kent Tech-M. There is some kind of impurity in that particluar brand, and no one knows exactly what it is, which does affect some algae at high levels. Use this method at your own risk.

 

[Altohombre]

It was a new tank which has been up for 8 months. The snails were acclimated and many of them that died were in my tank for a few months then all seemed to die within 2 weeks period except for maybe 5 glass snails and 5 of 6 nassarius.

 

[yote]

Are you sure you dont have another invert in there killing them?

 

[Piggy]

Do you have hermit crabs?

 

[Altohombre]

yeah the hermits were dying too.

 

[yote]

Any chance you might have a mantis shrimp?