Guide to setup a Quarantine Tank (QT).
- Thread starter Dr. Reef
- Start date
mgrmax
New member
I have a qt tank that was set up for a couple months. During the setup I used copper meds. It has been waterless for a month or so and I am getting ready to set it up again for new purchases.
From what i understand, you cannot mix copper meds and ammonia reducing products.
My question, can I use an ammonia reducing product in this tank down the road or are the copper meds still in the dry tank?
Thanks
From what i understand, you cannot mix copper meds and ammonia reducing products.
My question, can I use an ammonia reducing product in this tank down the road or are the copper meds still in the dry tank?
Thanks
i would give the tank and all equipment a good wipe with vinegar/water 50/50 mixture and dry it well then run the tank with polyfilter. poly filter will turn blue (i think) or some other color in presence of copper, if so then run carbon or cuprisorb to make sure there is no copper left in the system. Once there you can use any ammonia reducing products u like.
Personally i dont think after a good scrub and dry process you will have any traces of copper left.
Good Luck
Personally i dont think after a good scrub and dry process you will have any traces of copper left.
Good Luck
3dees
New member
how do you clean your tank after a copper treatment in a permanent qt with a fish? I plan on keeping my qt running until I stock my new 120 gal. dt. not planning on using copper unless it's needed or if I decide on a small tang but how do you clean with vinegar if you have a permanent fish in the qt?
bnumair,
So my qt has been up and running for almost a month with a seeded filter from main dt. Temp 78*, ph 8.2 and sg is 1.023. Ghost feeding produces no ammonia or nitrites but my nitrates hold at 5ppm. I also have what appears to be an oily film floating on the surface of the water. The tank is a 20 gal bare bottom witha bowl of crushed coral and some pvc fittings.
Water movement is a hydor nano pump and filtration is a canister filter with ceramic media. I am afraid that the filter is causing the nitrates. Should I be concerned with the presence of nitrates and the floating film? Would a hob protein skimmer help?
Thanks,
Tom G
So my qt has been up and running for almost a month with a seeded filter from main dt. Temp 78*, ph 8.2 and sg is 1.023. Ghost feeding produces no ammonia or nitrites but my nitrates hold at 5ppm. I also have what appears to be an oily film floating on the surface of the water. The tank is a 20 gal bare bottom witha bowl of crushed coral and some pvc fittings.
Water movement is a hydor nano pump and filtration is a canister filter with ceramic media. I am afraid that the filter is causing the nitrates. Should I be concerned with the presence of nitrates and the floating film? Would a hob protein skimmer help?
Thanks,
Tom G
Hi Tom.
nitrates are generally not an issue in qt tanks. they can certainly promote algae but not an issue with livestock. oily film is also no biggi and really no need to add more equipment to the setup.
i think you will be fine just as is.
Good Luck
nitrates are generally not an issue in qt tanks. they can certainly promote algae but not an issue with livestock. oily film is also no biggi and really no need to add more equipment to the setup.
i think you will be fine just as is.
Good Luck
tassod
New member
Need to QT all my fish
Need to QT all my fish
Hi bnuair,
Long time no speak. Well i'm posting this thread because reality has hit my DT and it definitely has ICK in there. I had a Sargassum Trigger which was my favorite in the tank just all of a sudden dissapear on me. I checked everywhere in and out of the tank and can't find him. I did see some white spots on him only when my blue lights where on but they didnt seem to bother him. He was active and swimming and ate like a champ out of my hand. One day, gone..no where to be found.
I have a powder blue and he's covered in ick. Next day one of my chromis dropped dead. Also have a pair of clowns and i can see white spots on them as well, even though they are still eating and acting fine. So given all this, i've decided to get them all out and run the DT fallow for a good 3 months. I am also upgrading to a 225g anyways so this is a good time to do this.
I was able to pick up a decent 75g from craigslist yesterday and i want to set this up to hold all my fish. I will treat them all with hypo. Wondering if you can tell me what would be the best filtration to go with for this size tank. I also want to cycle it first and keep it running so if you can direct me with that also that would be great. I'm guessing i would need to fill up and start the cycle with a piece of raw shrimp.
Need to QT all my fish
Hi bnuair,
Long time no speak. Well i'm posting this thread because reality has hit my DT and it definitely has ICK in there. I had a Sargassum Trigger which was my favorite in the tank just all of a sudden dissapear on me. I checked everywhere in and out of the tank and can't find him. I did see some white spots on him only when my blue lights where on but they didnt seem to bother him. He was active and swimming and ate like a champ out of my hand. One day, gone..no where to be found.
I have a powder blue and he's covered in ick. Next day one of my chromis dropped dead. Also have a pair of clowns and i can see white spots on them as well, even though they are still eating and acting fine. So given all this, i've decided to get them all out and run the DT fallow for a good 3 months. I am also upgrading to a 225g anyways so this is a good time to do this.
I was able to pick up a decent 75g from craigslist yesterday and i want to set this up to hold all my fish. I will treat them all with hypo. Wondering if you can tell me what would be the best filtration to go with for this size tank. I also want to cycle it first and keep it running so if you can direct me with that also that would be great. I'm guessing i would need to fill up and start the cycle with a piece of raw shrimp.
hi Tassod.
i am sorry to hear the ich issue ur tank is going through. sorry for the loss as well.
One good thing is that you are about to upgrade which will give you a good chance to leave main tank fallow for min 10-12 weeks.
For now i would setup the 75 cal tank and run a HOB rated for 1.5 -2 times the volume.
i run aquaclear HOB and they make 110 i belive the biggest one for $50 rated for 110 gal.
or pick another brand that can hold the maximum amount of ceramic media you can fit in there. i have used marineland dual bio wheel hob as well in past but currently i have 2 tanks drilled and plumbed together to a single sump. (pics are on this thread in earlier pages)
Anyways you would need about 2000 grams to handle the bioload. if you cannot fit all of it in HOB then place rest in media sock and place it near powerhead or under the HOB return for maximum flow.
Run hyposalinity for minimum 4 weeks and then observe for next few more weeks.
best rule on time for hypo is to observe and keep hyposalinity till last of the ick (including from gills (unseen)) has been rid off then hold another 2-3 weeks.
here is a link to a guide on hypo.
good luck
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2300497
i am sorry to hear the ich issue ur tank is going through. sorry for the loss as well.
One good thing is that you are about to upgrade which will give you a good chance to leave main tank fallow for min 10-12 weeks.
For now i would setup the 75 cal tank and run a HOB rated for 1.5 -2 times the volume.
i run aquaclear HOB and they make 110 i belive the biggest one for $50 rated for 110 gal.
or pick another brand that can hold the maximum amount of ceramic media you can fit in there. i have used marineland dual bio wheel hob as well in past but currently i have 2 tanks drilled and plumbed together to a single sump. (pics are on this thread in earlier pages)
Anyways you would need about 2000 grams to handle the bioload. if you cannot fit all of it in HOB then place rest in media sock and place it near powerhead or under the HOB return for maximum flow.
Run hyposalinity for minimum 4 weeks and then observe for next few more weeks.
best rule on time for hypo is to observe and keep hyposalinity till last of the ick (including from gills (unseen)) has been rid off then hold another 2-3 weeks.
here is a link to a guide on hypo.
good luck
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2300497
tassod
New member
Would you suggest running a HOB skimmer since my fish will be in the 75 for a while even after treatment?
It will help export organics other than that it will also push more air into the water which will help in maintaining pH as hypo tends to bring down pH.
Nitrates are not an issue even in long terms for fish at least. So in short skimmer can only help and not hurt anything.
Nitrates are not an issue even in long terms for fish at least. So in short skimmer can only help and not hurt anything.
mgrmax
New member
Hello bnumair,
My QT has been set up for a few days. It's a 20 gal, hob filter with media that was in my DT sump for a couple weeks. There are 2 small power heads also.
I have 2 new small clowns and and I'm doing preventative hypo since my fish in the DT were wiped out by ich about 40 days ago.
the salt is down to 1.009. I lowered it over 2 days. My ammonia and nitrites are testing fine. My dkh is around 4. I assume I should raise this to 8-9? Should I keep the same alkalinity, calcium magnesium parameters in the QT that I have in my fallow DT?
Thanks in advance for all the help you provide!
My QT has been set up for a few days. It's a 20 gal, hob filter with media that was in my DT sump for a couple weeks. There are 2 small power heads also.
I have 2 new small clowns and and I'm doing preventative hypo since my fish in the DT were wiped out by ich about 40 days ago.
the salt is down to 1.009. I lowered it over 2 days. My ammonia and nitrites are testing fine. My dkh is around 4. I assume I should raise this to 8-9? Should I keep the same alkalinity, calcium magnesium parameters in the QT that I have in my fallow DT?
Thanks in advance for all the help you provide!
tassod
New member
I was able to find a coralife 65 HOB skimmer at a very good price, its a bit underated for my 75g but it should still help.
As far as the ceramic rings for the aqua clear 110 filter which i ordered, does the rings that comes with it enough? if not, where can i get some?
any skimmer is better than none. Also i would order more rings off ebay.
it only comes with maybe 500 grams.
