Guide to setup a Quarantine Tank (QT).

[scuzy]

This is how I medicate in qt. I first calculate the copper level I want to run in my qt, for instance for me to get 0.35 in my 40 gallon breeder it takes about 5.33ml of cupramine. Then I would divide that into 4 , so for every 10 gallons I would require 5.33/4 ml of cupramine to retain 0.35. Next calculate the water line needs on your tank for 10 gallon then I would siphon out water to that Mark line.

 

[jfeva0049]

This is how I medicate in qt. I first calculate the copper level I want to run in my qt, for instance for me to get 0.35 in my 40 gallon breeder it takes about 5.33ml of cupramine. Then I would divide that into 4 , so for every 10 gallons I would require 5.33/4 ml of cupramine to retain 0.35. Next calculate the water line needs on your tank for 10 gallon then I would siphon out water to that Mark line.

is that where you target level is .35?? should i be trying to get to .5?? thanks.

 

[scuzy]

I like to run mine lower I might jump to 0.4 cause ich will die at 0.3-0.4 level according to seachem. Just 0.50 is a sure bet but not all fish can handle it.

 

[Dr. Reef]

seachem recommends 0.5 for 4 weeks. some reefers have reported success at 0.35 as well.

 

[jfeva0049]

I like to run mine lower I might jump to 0.4 cause ich will die at 0.3-0.4 level according to seachem. Just 0.50 is a sure bet but not all fish can handle it.

ok thanks. since mine is a 20 long maybe i can just half your measurements for future. i normally change out 5 gal at a time.

 

[scuzy]

It's all math. Calculate to what you want to change out.

 

[Dr. Reef]

whenever u are changing water in a tank that is being treated with copper and u need to calculate how much to dose back to get same strength for treatment.
this is what i normally recommend.
in any size tank do a 25% water change then add back 25% of the medicine's original dose.
example: in ur 20gal tank u do 5gal water change
that is 25% water change (20x25%=5gal)
say u added 40 drops of cupramine originally no add only 25% of it. (40x25%=10 drops)

Note: when ever u redose after water change, math is theoretical. in ur case instead of just putting 10 drops back in i would do 5 and test then increase as u need. key is to test. 0.8 and up levels of copper can create fatal results.

 

[hogfanreefer]

I've been at hypo for 4 days now. Within 24 hours my sick C. cyanopleura was like a new man. Started eating well and swimming actively. His white spots reduced drastically in the first 24 hours and now appear to be completely gone.

The problem now is he is swimming strangely for the last 36 hours. He swims on his side, upside down and right side up intermittently. He also will swim in tight circles at times. It's almost like his equilibrium is messed up.

He will stop the crazy swimming long enough to eat but then goes right back. He's not laying in his PVC at all except to sleep. The H. claudia that's with him was scratching his gill plate on the PVC but has stopped that completely since getting to hypo. He continues to eat very well and remains as active as ever.

Is this related to the hypo or somehow related to the Ich infection? Ever heard of this type of behavior before? I sure hope he improves.

 

[Dr. Reef]

not sure, its surely strange behavior that i am aware of. keep any eye on things if things start going south start raising salinity via water changes. i am not sure if wrasse is handing hypo well or not. some wrasse dont handle hypo as good as others but from i had researched and known ur 2 species should be ok.

 

[Cozwey]

I just started a new system and am brand new at this. We have 46g bow front with 20g sump. 3 inch of live sand and 45lbs of LR. Nothing has happened to the water levels as of yet. Oh I am using RO/DI of course. Can I really drop a frozen shrimp from the freezer into the water to "kick Start"?

 

[Dr. Reef]

I just started a new system and am brand new at this. We have 46g bow front with 20g sump. 3 inch of live sand and 45lbs of LR. Nothing has happened to the water levels as of yet. Oh I am using RO/DI of course. Can I really drop a frozen shrimp from the freezer into the water to "kick Start"?

yes u can either drop in a frozen shrimp or ghost feed the tank for few days and check for ammonia after 24 hrs of dropping in. if ur live rock are of very good kind and had enough bacteria on them u might see a small spike of ammonia or none at all.
drop in a shrimp today and check for ammonia in 24 hrs and report back i will guide u from there.

 

[Cozwey]

Thanks I am heading to the freezer now. I don't have any FF as we felt we were a long way off from food.

 

[Dr. Reef]

Thanks I am heading to the freezer now. I don't have any FF as we felt we were a long way off from food.

no problem, drop in a shrimp and check for ammonia tomorrow and post the results. leave shrimp in for 2-3 days depending on results tomorrow.

 

[Bellaru]

About to put my first fish into my new tank. I am going to get two clowns from the lfs. Need some help setting up QT tank. I have an old 5gl and a canister filter I used on my old 55gl fresh water setup (rated for 75gls). Will this work or is the tank too small? The tanks the lfs has aren't much bigger for holding the fish now. Room is the issue, but if better i could probably go to a 10gl.
Also, what to treat with and how long? I have read a lot of posts, too the point it's too many opinions.

55gl with 20gl sump/refugium
60lbs pukani live rock
Rock cured for 2 months then tank setup and running or 2 months
Sand, rubble, Cheato, sea lettuce and tons of pods in fuge
Snails ,10 hermits and tons of pods in main tank

 

[Dr. Reef]

5 gal for 2 clowns or some other small fish is ok with canister filter. 10-20 and more like 20 is ideal but if ur not going to get too many fish at a time and all fish are small like clowns u will be just fine. even a bigger fish like a tang or trigger will be fine one at a time.
sure in treatment for those two clowns
i would place them in qt for couple days after acclimation. feed them and make sure they are eating and settled in then u can dose prazi pro. i dose of prazi pro will last 1 week. u can do 2 doses 2 weeks.
once thats over u can just observe of next 4-6 weeks to make sure no disease surfaces.
treat accordingly. after 4-6 weeks no disease then transfer after matching pH salinity and temp between qt and dt.
Good luck and safe reefing.

 

[Bellaru]

Thanks. From your past threads that was about what I gathered.

 

[Cozwey]

Ok 24hours of a nice big fat shrimp in my tank and I still have zero across the board. pH is at 8.1. I have green hair starting to form on the rock and call me crazy but some of the rock is looking more purplish. Does it turn colour that fast?

 

[Dr. Reef]

Ok 24hours of a nice big fat shrimp in my tank and I still have zero across the board. pH is at 8.1. I have green hair starting to form on the rock and call me crazy but some of the rock is looking more purplish. Does it turn colour that fast?

did u check nitrates? can u please test if u have the kit and let me know in next few min what ur nitrate levels are?
i have a feeling ur tank is cycled and ready.

 

[Cozwey]

Nitrate is still zero. I am using an API kit that tests for the big 4

 

[Dr. Reef]

well leave the shrimp in for another day and re test for ammonia tomorrow. if there is no ammonia then i am quite sure its good to go.