Kettle Scales

[kaivalagi]

I agree with Anna Robinson's answer, about both topics.

kaivalagi, I think for the most part you are right that the large majority of cases in homes are ok but actually I don't think the ability of conditioners to deal with heavy metals is likely to completely cover the case of a hot water system that is putting a lot of copper or lead into the water - those are worse cases than it can handle I believe (although I could be wrong) and I believe that's partly why this is still a valid topic that comes up on a regular basis. It has a lot of answers for the many and varied house situations that people have.

~~waterdrop~~

Got me worried now

This is my "copper" boiler tank - http/www.tdlonline...direct/item1281

Found this interesting bit of text:

"[font="Verdana][size="2"]The solubility of copper is highly dependent on pH. As pH increases above 7, copper precipitates out of solution – 100x increase for every one-unit increase in pH. The danger is that should the pH of the tank drop, that is become moreacidic, then the level of 'free' copper can quickly rise to toxic levels as the precipitated copper is re-dissolved. In addition, organic matter also binds up copper.[/size][/font][font="Verdana][size="2"]

When treating parasite disease, the free copper level must be maintained between 0.15 - 0.20 mg/litre. If the concentration drops below this range it will not kill the parasites. If it rises above this level then it will kill the fish!"​

[/size][/font]

[font="Verdana][left][size="2"]I have alkaline water, around 7.5 pH but am now wondering what sort of level of copper I might introduce into a tank even after dechlorinator is used...hot to cold ratio is low but still. Surely there must be a safety limit with the boiler setup in my home too, as copper can't be all that good for humans either, and although I don't drink out of the hot tap there is no advice against doing so per say.[/size][/left][/font]

[font="Verdana][left][size="2"]Should I just stop using the hot tap in your opinion? I don't use the hot tap for small water changes but have been for bigger 50-80% changes in my quarantine tank so I can better match the temp [/size]

[/left][/font]

[font="Verdana]

[font="Verdana]Anyone here using the hot tap for water changes when you have a boiler in the house like mine? If so for how long? Any re-precautions?[/font]​

[/font]

 

[Twinklecaz]

My Dad told me our inside water all comes from the tank upstairs so I use the outside tap just to be on the safe side. Pain in the a**e though!

 

[waterdrop]

You can get single test kits for copper from Salifert and others, that might be an interesting starting point...

~~waterdrop~~

 

[kaivalagi]

You can get single test kits for copper from Salifert and others, that might be an interesting starting point...

~~waterdrop~~

Trying to amend my "pending" order to add a salifert copper test....it does make sense to stop guessing

 

[waterdrop]

Not that I'd know what good or bad numbers were, lol. But you'd have those numbers you noted and I'm sure there'd be comments in the instructions etc. and there's always mr google...

 

[kaivalagi]

Well, tested both untreated hot water (old fashioned boiler) from the tap and tank water and both come back with zero copper. It's good but I wanted to be able to see if water treatment actually got rid of any copper in the water....I don;t have any so can't check this.

I shall be using a hot and cold water mix in future with no worries at all

 

[waterdrop]

Interesting! WD

 

[kaivalagi]

I think the boiler tank is quite new, so although it is copper based I wonder whether newer designs use better materials to prevent copper molecules from entering the water so well?...also we only have the water heating on twice a day for an hour at a time, I guess that must help too.

I really should get hold of some water with copper in it just to make sure the salifert test is working as I expect it to...but I'm going to take the two test results as good news and move on I think. I have used the hot tap in the past and my fish seem unaffected by it so everything lines up to what it ought to be like.

 

[JoshuaA]

I think the boiler tank is quite new, so although it is copper based I wonder whether newer designs use better materials to prevent copper molecules from entering the water so well?...also we only have the water heating on twice a day for an hour at a time, I guess that must help too.

I really should get hold of some water with copper in it just to make sure the salifert test is working as I expect it to...but I'm going to take the two test results as good news and move on I think. I have used the hot tap in the past and my fish seem unaffected by it so everything lines up to what it ought to be like.

Just go to an old building, possibly an old pub haha. Get a "test" sample when you go to the toilet from the hot water tap!

...and NO! I don't mean your willy!

 

[kaivalagi]

I think the boiler tank is quite new, so although it is copper based I wonder whether newer designs use better materials to prevent copper molecules from entering the water so well?...also we only have the water heating on twice a day for an hour at a time, I guess that must help too.

I really should get hold of some water with copper in it just to make sure the salifert test is working as I expect it to...but I'm going to take the two test results as good news and move on I think. I have used the hot tap in the past and my fish seem unaffected by it so everything lines up to what it ought to be like.

Just go to an old building, possibly an old pub haha. Get a "test" sample when you go to the toilet from the hot water tap!

...and NO! I don't mean your willy!

I'd get ammonia not copper (I would hope) if I got a pee sample lol

Not a bad idea though...I mean the pub toilet hot tap thing

 

[waterdrop]

Yeah, he'll go to the pub and we won't hear back for a few days.

 

[JoshuaA]

Yeah, he'll go to the pub and we won't hear back for a few days.

Hey its an excuse to go ain't it?

In fact... couldn't you get some coins in a pot of water and drop some ammonia in it to raise or low the pH to see whether it registers on the test?

However a beer whilst working hard sounds better.

 

[kaivalagi]

You wouldn't have heard from me for a while yet if I didn't think to check the forums on my phone, be back Thursday evening