Guide to setup a Quarantine Tank (QT).
- Thread starter Dr. Reef
- Start date
fresh water dip is fresh ro/di water with the same temp and pH of ur current tank. place fish in the water for 5 mins or so.
To prevent ammonia from building up in the treatment water, add an ammonia eliminating product like amquel/prime etc. also place a powerhead to keep water aerated or airstone.
fish will be uncomfortable for first few mins. if after 2 mints its still stressed take it out.
If not then complete 5 min.
To prevent ammonia from building up in the treatment water, add an ammonia eliminating product like amquel/prime etc. also place a powerhead to keep water aerated or airstone.
fish will be uncomfortable for first few mins. if after 2 mints its still stressed take it out.
If not then complete 5 min.
i would strongly recommend prime/amquel as fish will stress fast may release waste and cause ammonia fast. also such products have soothing/calm agents as well.
after freshwater dip u will have to observe for the spots. if they have gone away i am concerned it was parasite that burst out due to freshwater pressure difference.
either way i would qt and observe again.
This is just precaution so u dont transfer something to DT.
I know it sounds like qt all the way and no fish in dt but its just safe. Hippo Tangs dont have white spots on them that last that long unless something that needs attention.
tassod
New member
New Fish
New Fish
I picked up a Blonde Naso today. Store actually just got him today and he seemed ok. As I was acclimating him to my QT which at the time was at 1.024 I noticed all of a sudden distinct white spots on him, so I am suspecting he has ICK. Instead of continuing to acclimate him to my QT at 1.024, i brought the QT down to 1.020 which what the water was at the time in the bag when I noticed the spots on him, he was being kept at the LFS in water at 1.014.
Should I start bringing down the salinity right away today so I can start running Hypo or should I leave him at what it is currently so he can take a breather?
Also, water is stable at the moment, not like before with my PB tang which was showing constant nitrites. I still have ceramic rings in there that I started with from the begining with fresh carbon and 2 week old new sponge (using Aquaclear HOB like you are bnumair). I have a replacement ceramic ring media that has been sitting in my DT sump since April 20rh. Should I leave it alone or replace it?
How are your fish doing? Last I read you were doing hypo and prazi pro together.
New Fish
I picked up a Blonde Naso today. Store actually just got him today and he seemed ok. As I was acclimating him to my QT which at the time was at 1.024 I noticed all of a sudden distinct white spots on him, so I am suspecting he has ICK. Instead of continuing to acclimate him to my QT at 1.024, i brought the QT down to 1.020 which what the water was at the time in the bag when I noticed the spots on him, he was being kept at the LFS in water at 1.014.
Should I start bringing down the salinity right away today so I can start running Hypo or should I leave him at what it is currently so he can take a breather?
Also, water is stable at the moment, not like before with my PB tang which was showing constant nitrites. I still have ceramic rings in there that I started with from the begining with fresh carbon and 2 week old new sponge (using Aquaclear HOB like you are bnumair). I have a replacement ceramic ring media that has been sitting in my DT sump since April 20rh. Should I leave it alone or replace it?
How are your fish doing? Last I read you were doing hypo and prazi pro together.
Congrats on ur new fish. i would leave the new addition in qt for 1 day let him catch up with the new tank.
sometimes tangs can show small white pigments on the skin specially when they are mad or stressed. its not ick its a color changing pigments on their skin.
If thats what u observed which is very common in naso then ur good.
Any how i would give him 1 day and then start dropping salinity to hypo 1.009.
also if ur tank is not showing any signs of ammonia or nitrite then i would leave the media sponge filters etc in and not change them.
replacing them can or might through the tank in a mini cycle.
i personally never replace or clean or change out ceramic media ever. i never use sponge of filters either. if ceramic media (inside a media bag) looks dirty.... i shake them clean inside the tank when there is no fish in the tank. then do a 100% water change and be ready for round two.
My fish are great i completed 2 weeks of hypo today and i used prazipro and formalin ms all in conjunction for first time as an experiment. they all seem ok and eating and healthy.
i redid my 350gal tank and started the cycle. i am expecting the cycle to be over in next 10-14 days as i had the sump still running the frag tank and it has 2 yrs old 50 lbs rubble rock in it already.
ammonia was 2ppm yesterday today it was 1ppm. nitrites were 0.5 today 1.0 so i see there is bacterial activity already there. shouldnt be that long. once main is ready i will start bring the hypo back to match DT and once there i will transfer the non aggressive fish then few days later semi aggressive then last the tangs.
sometimes tangs can show small white pigments on the skin specially when they are mad or stressed. its not ick its a color changing pigments on their skin.
If thats what u observed which is very common in naso then ur good.
Any how i would give him 1 day and then start dropping salinity to hypo 1.009.
also if ur tank is not showing any signs of ammonia or nitrite then i would leave the media sponge filters etc in and not change them.
replacing them can or might through the tank in a mini cycle.
i personally never replace or clean or change out ceramic media ever. i never use sponge of filters either. if ceramic media (inside a media bag) looks dirty.... i shake them clean inside the tank when there is no fish in the tank. then do a 100% water change and be ready for round two.
My fish are great i completed 2 weeks of hypo today and i used prazipro and formalin ms all in conjunction for first time as an experiment. they all seem ok and eating and healthy.
i redid my 350gal tank and started the cycle. i am expecting the cycle to be over in next 10-14 days as i had the sump still running the frag tank and it has 2 yrs old 50 lbs rubble rock in it already.
ammonia was 2ppm yesterday today it was 1ppm. nitrites were 0.5 today 1.0 so i see there is bacterial activity already there. shouldnt be that long. once main is ready i will start bring the hypo back to match DT and once there i will transfer the non aggressive fish then few days later semi aggressive then last the tangs.
Last edited:
tassod
New member
Yes, learned lesson the first time...that tank is staying covered!
Christoph
Member
Well I was finally able to get the fish in the qt. I have issues with my rodi unit and it took extra time to make new water. They seemed to handle it well. My Atlantic Blue, which is still yellow, turned a completely different color and showed me his stripes. He was yellow again within moments. All 3 fish ate right away. I thought it would be a good idea to feed them asap to make the new tank move easier for them. I'm going to give them a couple days in their new home for the next ten weeks before I start hypo. I had to remove all my rock to get them. Forgot how stirred up things can get.
Bnumair, you have a beautiful achilles tang there.
Bnumair, you have a beautiful achilles tang there.
Hey Chris
i am glad to hear things went good at ur end. i know ur main probably looks like a snow ball but it will eventually settle in few hours to days. i didnt get the part u said
" I'm going to give them a couple days in their new home for the next ten weeks before I start hypo"
r u going to leave fish in qt for 10 weeks before starting hypo? or u will give it couple a days and then do 10 weeks hypo. i think u meant to say the second one.
anyways make sure u drop salinity slowly. i recommend 38 hrs but longer the better and then when u raise it back up i strongly recommend over 1 week but longer is better.
thanks for the compliment on achilles. she is doing good. i started raising the salinity yesterday. i went from 1.009 to 1.011 yesterday and then today i am upto 1.013 and leaving it there for today. i plan on increasing 0.02-0.03 per day. might take several days .
Fish can handle drop in salinity but raising it high fast can hurt quickly.
i am glad to hear things went good at ur end. i know ur main probably looks like a snow ball but it will eventually settle in few hours to days. i didnt get the part u said
" I'm going to give them a couple days in their new home for the next ten weeks before I start hypo"
r u going to leave fish in qt for 10 weeks before starting hypo? or u will give it couple a days and then do 10 weeks hypo. i think u meant to say the second one.
anyways make sure u drop salinity slowly. i recommend 38 hrs but longer the better and then when u raise it back up i strongly recommend over 1 week but longer is better.
thanks for the compliment on achilles. she is doing good. i started raising the salinity yesterday. i went from 1.009 to 1.011 yesterday and then today i am upto 1.013 and leaving it there for today. i plan on increasing 0.02-0.03 per day. might take several days .
Fish can handle drop in salinity but raising it high fast can hurt quickly.
No problem. its best to give then few days to adjust then start hypo. they may or may not lose appetite over such long term of hypo so try to put some garlic in ur food and tangs like nori so try to place just a little every other day or so.
Good Luck and Safe Reefing.
Good Luck and Safe Reefing.
hey bnumair just wanted to update, Haven't had any issues with the QT, Haven't had any ammonia issues at all, nitrates still sitting at about 10. Water will turn cloudy a little bit when i put in a little bit of food. Lawnmower blenny has been a little more active during the day but still really shy and darts to teh corner when he sees me. Haven't seen him eating yet, i just leave a little food in there for him everyday. Not sure if he eats it or it just deteriorates and floats away. Still thinking i want to upgrade the HOB filter though as it's rated for up to 20 gallons and on a 20 gallon tank just think it may be better idea to have a bigger filter to help handle the load, just not sure on an aqueon quiet flow or a marineland penguin with the biowheel.
Also wanted to ask, my LFS got in some Black Ice clownfish and are selling them for a extremely good deal, i thought they were just blowing smoke until i looked them up when i got home, But wanted to know your opinon on getting 2 and putting them in the QT with the lawnmower blenny? is it best to finish the blenny first? or not overload the system? Don't want to miss a good deal but not worth it in the long run if it's not a good idea so figured i would ask.
Also wanted to ask, my LFS got in some Black Ice clownfish and are selling them for a extremely good deal, i thought they were just blowing smoke until i looked them up when i got home, But wanted to know your opinon on getting 2 and putting them in the QT with the lawnmower blenny? is it best to finish the blenny first? or not overload the system? Don't want to miss a good deal but not worth it in the long run if it's not a good idea so figured i would ask.
i am glad to hear ur qt is doing good. if done properly u will never see ammonia. nitrates are no issue at all to fish unless they exceed 90ppm and up.
i wouldnt worry about nitrates at this point.
Going for a bigger HOB will give u more room for media and more media means more surface area for bacteria to hang out at.
But please dont switch now or when u have fish in there. do it in between fish when qt is empty so it does throw the tank in mini cycle ur fish dont suffer.
2 clowns are not going to hurt ur system specially with feeding the tank daily and fish not eating. this means ur system can handle ammonia well.
the only advice i had for u is that if u place the clowns in there ur clock start all over again and goes back to day 1 for all fish in tank. so treatment has to be carried out as it was day 1 again no matter how long the first fish has been in there.
watch for ammonia and dont feed ur tank day before and the day of purchase and addition of clowns. this way ammonia will be at bay. but do check and keep amquel or prime or ammolock handy or water change just in case.
let me know.
note: i dont have any personal experience with aqueon but i have used marineland bio wheel before. if it was me personally i would go with the HOB that has the most space inside for media. i dont ever run filters i simply place ceramic rings in media socks and place them inside the HOB. i never take them out or replace them. if needs cleaning i take the media sock out of the HOB and shake/rinse inside the QT tank then siphon and changer water out 100% and all that during NO FISH.
i wouldnt worry about nitrates at this point.
Going for a bigger HOB will give u more room for media and more media means more surface area for bacteria to hang out at.
But please dont switch now or when u have fish in there. do it in between fish when qt is empty so it does throw the tank in mini cycle ur fish dont suffer.
2 clowns are not going to hurt ur system specially with feeding the tank daily and fish not eating. this means ur system can handle ammonia well.
the only advice i had for u is that if u place the clowns in there ur clock start all over again and goes back to day 1 for all fish in tank. so treatment has to be carried out as it was day 1 again no matter how long the first fish has been in there.
watch for ammonia and dont feed ur tank day before and the day of purchase and addition of clowns. this way ammonia will be at bay. but do check and keep amquel or prime or ammolock handy or water change just in case.
let me know.
note: i dont have any personal experience with aqueon but i have used marineland bio wheel before. if it was me personally i would go with the HOB that has the most space inside for media. i dont ever run filters i simply place ceramic rings in media socks and place them inside the HOB. i never take them out or replace them. if needs cleaning i take the media sock out of the HOB and shake/rinse inside the QT tank then siphon and changer water out 100% and all that during NO FISH.
