Copper Water Pipes In Your House: a Problem for Shrimp/Snails?

[JChristophersAdventures]

Some homes have copper water pipes and it's common knowledge that invertebrates don't care much for copper. I know most water conditioners reduce (or at least claim to reduce) heavy metals. Do you have copper water pipes? Has anyone found this to be a problem keeping snails/shrimp? Do water conditioners fix the problem? Thanks.

[Biotope Biologist]

Copper pipes now are lined with a chemical lining that prevents leeching. 
 

Even before this technology I don’t think the water sat still long enough in the pipes to oxidize them. Unless there was bad plumbing.

 

I worry more about the concrete water pipes that the city uses to pump water into homes than home pipes. Some of these pipes are so old that pockets of bacteria form. Our water district is good and keeps up maintenance, and doesn’t use chemical water treatments that can chemically score pipes. But some townships in other areas you may have to worry about more.

[lefty o]

if you havent used water from that faucet in a few days, just run it for a minute before using it for your tanks.

[JettsPapa]

My house has copper pipes that were installed in 1989.  Shrimp and other invertebrates do just fine.  The small amount of copper that leaches from the pipes (if any actually does) isn't enough to cause any issues.

[Tanked]

I don't have shrimp yet, but my snails don't seem to be bothered by copper pipes.  Some fertilizers list both copper and chlorine in their formula.  The amounts are minimal, but they are there.

On 9/12/2023 at 11:07 AM, Biotope Biologist said:

Even before this technology I don’t think the water sat still long enough in the pipes to oxidize them. Unless there was bad plumbing.

We were always told to run the water for a few moments to flush the lead from the solder joints before lead free solder existed.  Nobody ever mentioned other contaminants comng from the city's side of the main🤢.

[Ben P.]

As a licensed plumber and passionate aquarist, if your copper pipes in your house are leaching enough copper into your water supply to effect inverts, it would be bad for you too.  Just let your water run for a minute before use if you are concerned

[nabokovfan87]

On 9/12/2023 at 9:25 PM, Ben P. said:

As a licensed plumber and passionate aquarist, if your copper pipes in your house are leaching enough copper into your water supply to effect inverts, it would be bad for you too.  Just let your water run for a minute before use if you are concerned

I'd have to agree here. We live in a very old house with "needs to be replaced asap" pipes.  It's something where I know we have copper pipes.  That being said, I use tap water. I don't have issues.

I would argue poor oxygenation is a bigger concern than something like copper pipes.  Shrimp DO NEED some copper to function.  Metals in the water, use good dechlorinator.  Beyond that, I haven't had issues.