So my QT will have Cupramine in it for prohylactic tx of ich before fish placement in DT. Now I know ammonia will increase due to lack of Bio filtration. Normally I would just do small daily water changes, but I cant use Prime? even on the new water being added only, is there something else I should use? How do I get rid of chlorine etc?
cant use prime for QT water change?
- Thread starter chirojosh
- Start date
Mrscribbled
Team RC
You should be using ro/di water. Do not use prime or alike products. Use instant ocean bio spira and a sponge filter. Seachem stability can be added daily also but it wont culture lob g term like bio spira. All ammonia test kits will give a false reading with copper exept seachem or an alert badge.
Im confused I was told never use tap water period. I heard that this was due to copper and reefs. Now I have my own RO system here at home so this is not an issue for me just want to understand this better, is it and if so why is it ok to use tap water with salt mix in a QT tank is it simply reefs and copper in tap water why we cant use it in our reefs. I use only RO/Di water in everything just trying to understand this on the aspect of this thread. In other words If someone had a saltwater tank non reef, they could in fact use tap water. "sorry just curious im trying to learn all I can right now"
Since I dont have a reef I cant speak to that. Ive just always thought the chlorine and chloramines would destroy a biofilter, but since cupraqmine will destroy it anyway who cares, also who cares about copper in tap if its going to be in the QT anyway, maybe I'll just run my tap through some polyfilter before going into the QT. I dont see the necessity of RO water for QT purposes, maybe a preference?
chlorine/chloramines are harmful or deadly to your fish depnding on the concentration. Your best choice it to leave it sit overnight.
RO/DI is a must for a DT. QT's are temporary holding, and most get drained between uses. You aren't concerned about algea growth that comes with the excess dissolved solids in it. You don't need it to strip copper (really, the levels you would get even with all copper piping are low, and only build over time) and you are adding copper anyway.
For a QT, I never worry about the water source...Beyond that, I usually do my changes in the QT with water from my DT, snd replace the water in the DT with fresh mix. Those extra water changes are mostly meaningless, but since your prepping to add more bioload to it, its nice to think its "extra ready"
RO/DI is a must for a DT. QT's are temporary holding, and most get drained between uses. You aren't concerned about algea growth that comes with the excess dissolved solids in it. You don't need it to strip copper (really, the levels you would get even with all copper piping are low, and only build over time) and you are adding copper anyway.
For a QT, I never worry about the water source...Beyond that, I usually do my changes in the QT with water from my DT, snd replace the water in the DT with fresh mix. Those extra water changes are mostly meaningless, but since your prepping to add more bioload to it, its nice to think its "extra ready"
I do water changes on my QT's containing cupramine with tap water and prime all the time. Just let the water mix for at least 24hrs.
The recommendation above about using DT water for your QT, and then just adding new water to your DT is best though...
Here, if you don't believe me, see what Seachem says
http://www.seachemlabs.com/support/forums/showthread.php?t=3756
The recommendation above about using DT water for your QT, and then just adding new water to your DT is best though...
Here, if you don't believe me, see what Seachem says
http://www.seachemlabs.com/support/forums/showthread.php?t=3756
MrTuskfish
Team RC
SeaChem has great tech support; I call them often. They do say (in the FAQ; http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Cupramine.html) that Prime shouldn't be used with 'an overdose" of Prime. I think most de-chlorinators are basically sodium thiosulfate and a low dose is a de-chlorinator , a higher dose an ammonia neutralizer. If you just circulate new water overnight, the chlorine is gone. I agree with the tap water.
This post could turn into a whole thread; but not all tap water is the same. Tap water from many areas is fine to use. Some is fine in a FOWLR tank, but not a reef. Some tap water isn't fit for gerbils. Any water company will give you a survey of their water, but only testing your water supply will tell you what you can keep in it.
I'm immune to stoning, but i'll say it anyhow: There is no reason a new hobbyist cannot use tap water from many/most areas in a FOWLR. tank. I kept 1000 gals of reef & FOWLR tanks for 11 years before Katrina and almost as many fish for years in N. Wis. for many years before that. All in tap/well water. My tap water at my home since re-locating after Katrina has phosphates; and we made the change to RO/DI. I know the conversation just considered make up water, but thought I'd throw this in. If I had to worry about what a gallon of tap water would do to a 55 gal QT: I'd never drink or shower in the stuff. Some folks even get a case of the vapors if frozen food isn't defrosted in RO/DI.
This post could turn into a whole thread; but not all tap water is the same. Tap water from many areas is fine to use. Some is fine in a FOWLR tank, but not a reef. Some tap water isn't fit for gerbils. Any water company will give you a survey of their water, but only testing your water supply will tell you what you can keep in it.
I'm immune to stoning, but i'll say it anyhow: There is no reason a new hobbyist cannot use tap water from many/most areas in a FOWLR. tank. I kept 1000 gals of reef & FOWLR tanks for 11 years before Katrina and almost as many fish for years in N. Wis. for many years before that. All in tap/well water. My tap water at my home since re-locating after Katrina has phosphates; and we made the change to RO/DI. I know the conversation just considered make up water, but thought I'd throw this in. If I had to worry about what a gallon of tap water would do to a 55 gal QT: I'd never drink or shower in the stuff. Some folks even get a case of the vapors if frozen food isn't defrosted in RO/DI.
:beer:
sleepydoc
Team RC
What????!!!! My entire tank won't crash instantly if I don't use RO/DI water?
I agree with Tuskfish - some tap water is fine, especially for a fowler. I got a RO/DI setup because I was planning on keeping corals, but my water has < 250 TDS out of the tap and <3 after the RO membrane, so it may be fine (n idea on phosphates) since I've got the RO/DI filter, I'll keep,using it m
I agree with Tuskfish - some tap water is fine, especially for a fowler. I got a RO/DI setup because I was planning on keeping corals, but my water has < 250 TDS out of the tap and <3 after the RO membrane, so it may be fine (n idea on phosphates) since I've got the RO/DI filter, I'll keep,using it m
Painted skin
New member
+1 I have been and still using tap, I've used it when I had a sps reef tank and now for my FOWLR. My the source of our water here in Manitoba Canada is clean and we have one of the newest multi million dollars water treatment plant that put the water through chemical, skimming, UV treatment. Having said that I still treat it for phosphate with GFO and sodium thiosulfate which what most conditioner is made of, but prime uses a different sodium. They use Hydrosulfite.
As for the person that was concern about copper in tap most of time it very low like someone had said. Even some of our salt mix contains copper.
OP, if you cannot use prime the other option is to run it through carbon prior going into qt, but of course RO/DI or distilled is the best to use..
MrTuskfish
Team RC
The copper problem can come from older homes and water systems with copper plumbing.
Reviving this old thread with a question...
My city tap has 750+ tds according to the city's website and it has chlorine though not chloramines.
I use ro/di that get from the store for my reef tank water changes
But I need to do larger water changes in my QT. I have no free ammonia but nitrite is staying present. I was dosing with prime and treating tap for large water changes with prime but now I need to treat ich and will be using coppersafe. If I treat the tap water with prime and let it circulate overnight will it then be safe to use for wc in the QT?
My city tap has 750+ tds according to the city's website and it has chlorine though not chloramines.
I use ro/di that get from the store for my reef tank water changes
But I need to do larger water changes in my QT. I have no free ammonia but nitrite is staying present. I was dosing with prime and treating tap for large water changes with prime but now I need to treat ich and will be using coppersafe. If I treat the tap water with prime and let it circulate overnight will it then be safe to use for wc in the QT?
