# Coppersafe to QT plants?



## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

Since Coppersafe has copper which is bad for invertebrates, is this a possibility to use for QT plants and getting rid of snail hitch-hikers?

my 5cc/1g alum dip, and cucumber method are not very effective.


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

Holy crap, I think you might have something there... I never knew copper was a weakness to inverterbrates so that's some pretty interesting advice to have on hand...
Anyway, I never actually done it before myself, but I know copper is actually used in water pipes. The reasons why is because 1.) It doesn't corrode over time with water... and 2.) this element is very stable and unreactive.
So unless anyone else says nay, I'd say this would be a great idea as you'd be qting your plants for 1-2 weeks and it will help even more with getting rid of nasty infestations!
Here, here! To copper!


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## Stone (Jan 6, 2013)

I know copper is not safe for all plants as far as non-aquatic plants, so i would imagine there would be some aquatic plants that might not tolerate it so well most of the plants that can't handle it as far as the non-aquatics go are mosses


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

Yep ^_^ unfortunately copper also kills plants XD


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

Lame sauce -.-


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I used jungle Clearwater at like, quadruple dose and dosed it twice just in case... It killed the snails and I'm assuming the eggs because I haven't seen any more.

I can't believe it worked because it was so cheap and easy to find, but I only did like 1/2 an hour to an hour bath in it before changing the water. It contains potassium permanganate and it didn't hurt my plants.

As far as I know, copper safe used in a tank can make it PERMANENTLY uninhabitable for invertebrates because it can like, soak into things.


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I used jungle Clearwater at like, quadruple dose and dosed it twice just in case... It killed the snails and I'm assuming the eggs because I haven't seen any more.
> 
> I can't believe it worked because it was so cheap and easy to find, but I only did like 1/2 an hour to an hour bath in it before changing the water. It contains potassium permanganate and it didn't hurt my plants.
> 
> As far as I know, copper safe used in a tank can make it PERMANENTLY uninhabitable for invertebrates because it can like, soak into things.


Not sure if it really applies to this, but just for a side note to keep in mind. It's probably not a good idea to have any chemical over dosed so much because it usually does more harm than good. In my experience, I've never come across anything that was good to use more than what it's suggested- more doesn't mean better.
Again, not trying to be nit-picky, I've never used jungle clearwater before but I also just wanted to bring it up. I know bleach is a good example as if you use too much it starts to corrode objects if you use too much (even going as far as burning your eyes and lungs). I'm sure jungle clearwater is far beyond as corrosive, but *shrugs* ya never know ^.^;


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Draug Isilme said:


> Not sure if it really applies to this, but just for a side note to keep in mind. It's probably not a good idea to have any chemical over dosed so much because it usually does more harm than good. In my experience, I've never come across anything that was good to use more than what it's suggested- more doesn't mean better.
> Again, not trying to be nit-picky, I've never used jungle clearwater before but I also just wanted to bring it up. I know bleach is a good example as if you use too much it starts to corrode objects if you use too much (even going as far as burning your eyes and lungs). I'm sure jungle clearwater is far beyond as corrosive, but *shrugs* ya never know ^.^;


I used in on just plants in a QT tank for a short period of time. There were no fish in there, just snails. The only thing I risked harming were the plants and ramshorn snails.

Plus, now I still have plants and I have no snails. It was really just a suggestion and I obviously wouldn't have done that with my bettas in the tank.

Edit: I also was careful not to get it on myself. PP can be dangerous but it is used to treat some illnesses in fish. Its not super concentrated because one regular dose would not be enough to kill the snails. (Keeping in mind that if you have pure potassium permanganate, you need less than 1/8 tsp per 5 gallons.)


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## Draug Isilme (Aug 7, 2011)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I used in on just plants in a QT tank for a short period of time. There were no fish in there, just snails. The only thing I risked harming were the plants and ramshorn snails.
> 
> Plus, now I still have plants and I have no snails. It was really just a suggestion and I obviously wouldn't have done that with my bettas in the tank.
> 
> Edit: I also was careful not to get it on myself. PP can be dangerous but it is used to treat some illnesses in fish. Its not super concentrated because one regular dose would not be enough to kill the snails. (Keeping in mind that if you have pure potassium permanganate, you need less than 1/8 tsp per 5 gallons.)


I figured you were taking precautions and if I came across rude I apologize. One more suggestion/question, though. Do you at least let them sit in QT a bit longer in just regular water before adding your plants to your main tank? again, I'm sure you are- but also anyone who's reading this thread I'd like them to probably think about letting their plants soak in water after dosing them in case they've absorbed the chemical so they won't leak into your tank. If anything, I'm glad you've found a way to kill snails with a something that isn't very harmful in the first place.


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Draug Isilme said:


> I figured you were taking precautions and if I came across rude I apologize. One more suggestion/question, though. Do you at least let them sit in QT a bit longer in just regular water before adding your plants to your main tank? again, I'm sure you are- but also anyone who's reading this thread I'd like them to probably think about letting their plants soak in water after dosing them in case they've absorbed the chemical so they won't leak into your tank. If anything, I'm glad you've found a way to kill snails with a something that isn't very harmful in the first place.


They were in QT for awhile longer. Clearwater is made just for clearing cloudy tanks and odors and whatnot. It is actually meant, at a regular dose, to go in a tank with the fish. So I did not try to rinse them super well, I just changed about 95% of the water and moved the plants a few days after and it has not harmed my fish at all.

Edit: Also, PP is a type of salt. It's the only active ingredient in clearwater and, like I said, a normal dose of it won't even harm the snails and it is used as a medication for some diseases. I would not recommend something on this forum if I knew it was very harmful, especially to the fish. That is why I do NOT recommend using copper safe to rid snails because coppersafe will actually be absorbed by things in the tank and can make it permanently uninhabitable for invertebrates.

IF you plan on having shrimp/snails in a tank, I wouldn't recommend using clearwater at all, even though it doesn't say its dangerous on the bottle, but the tiny amount that may have been absorbed by my plants is not going to harm anything when I put it into the ten gallon, especially if a single dose of it won't even kill the ramshorns (but I don't know if it might affect other types of snails or shrimp more).


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## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

I had mine in QT for 2+ weeks and now they are laying eggs!!!
I do not mind snails but I mind the bioload, clean up, etc. If I have to do so much work, I'd rather devote that energy/resource to adding another girl instead.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

try potassium permanganate


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

aokashi said:


> try potassium permanganate


Like I said, jungle clearwater.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

haha, is that what the ingredients are? I've never used chemicals made for aquariums in my tanks =D
Potassium permanganate doesn't affect plants for the most part ^___^


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## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

actually I read somewhere that Jungle Clearwater contains PP. I was looking for it.

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/potassium-permanganate

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/waterconditioner.html


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

yeah it does, lol! I had to look that up =D 
But personaly I love all my snails and can't keep enough of them around!


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

Yeah I couldn't find PP ANYWHERE until Sakura8 suggested Clearwater. It has a few other ingredients but sure enough, the label said the only active ingredient was PP.

I promise I would not recommend something that would harm the fish. I looked for PP everywhere and when I found out Clearwater had it... -_-

The only place I have in my town is Walmart and they actually had clearwater, plus its only like $3.

Ramshorns can be good for aquariums, I agree. But I prefer Nerite snails since they can't breed in freshwater. Then you don't have to worry about overpopulation.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

I found PP on ebay XD the 100gs that I got will probably last me a lifetime!

ramshorns seems to dislike my tanks D: and pond snails don't breed T___T I also haven't seen baby MTS for a while... sigh


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## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

but having said that, the next question is how much JCW per gallon since it is PP in diluted form....and for how long will the dip needs to be...


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I did two baths. The first, 30 minutes at double dose. I still saw snails moving around so the second time I did a quadruple dose and removed the adult snails by hand.

I tried removing them beforehand, and I recommend you also do so because the snails will literally look like they are in extreme pain, and any that are hiding will immediately try to get to the surface to get out of the water. They probably won't make it to the surface if they are already at the bottom. Mine made it halfway up the side of the 1/2 gallon QT tank.


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## ao (Feb 29, 2012)

D: nooooo


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## Otterfun (Dec 31, 2012)

AyalaCookiejar said:


> I did two baths. The first, 30 minutes at double dose. I still saw snails moving around so the second time I did a quadruple dose and removed the adult snails by hand.
> 
> I tried removing them beforehand, and I recommend you also do so because the snails will literally look like they are in extreme pain, and any that are hiding will immediately try to get to the surface to get out of the water. They probably won't make it to the surface if they are already at the bottom. Mine made it halfway up the side of the 1/2 gallon QT tank.


this will be kind of hard to watch for me, i need to reconsider using PP for QT but then I can always use it to treat illnesses, though...


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## AyalaCookiejar (Nov 20, 2012)

I don't think there's any other way to rid the snails besides manually. (Meaning any other chemical you use won't work instantly, and you'll still see them in pain.)

If you can remove and crush the grown snails, use PP to kill the eggs. It wasn't a fun thing to watch :/ I tried removing the snails first but a few were hiding.


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