Bacteria, Low Salanity, and Copper
- Thread starter TitansFan
- Start date
crumbletop
New member
The bacteria live with hypo. Once my QT was cycled originally (quite a while back now), I haven't had to mess with much. I bring it up to normal salinity and drop it instantly to 1.009 with a 100% water change for a new fish. I don't get a cycle. All I do is a WC every 2 weeks (about 40%) and add a super small amount of buffer (some drops of the alkalinity part of 2-part) to keep the pH in a reasonable range. With copper I think the beneficial bacteria die.
crumbletop
New member
I'd be careful with the LR. There will be die off of inverts in the rock (bristle worms, pods, any snails, etc). This could release toxins and stuff into the water that wouldn't bode too well for the fish. The same goes for the sand bed if you have one. It's a pain, but I would treat them in a different tank.
Edit: Another option would be to remove much of the LR and sand if you could to a rubbermade tub or somesuch. Then keep those going with a powerhead and a heater. Then hypo the tank (I'm assuming this is the 120) and run a bunch of carbon in the beginning. Or, just opt to run the carbon and hypo the whole thing -- maybe run some other chemical filtration too. Skimming won't work, I don't think, because the lower salinity makes the surface tension stuff different. Hypo in another tank would be best, but you may not have that option with your setup.
Edit: Another option would be to remove much of the LR and sand if you could to a rubbermade tub or somesuch. Then keep those going with a powerhead and a heater. Then hypo the tank (I'm assuming this is the 120) and run a bunch of carbon in the beginning. Or, just opt to run the carbon and hypo the whole thing -- maybe run some other chemical filtration too. Skimming won't work, I don't think, because the lower salinity makes the surface tension stuff different. Hypo in another tank would be best, but you may not have that option with your setup.
