Nitrates?

[Ruman]

Yay! Nitrites are now 0 along with ammonia. Surprisingly nitrates appear to only be 10. I figured they would be higher until water changes would bring them back done, as I haven't done a ton of water changes right now. I have 2 cleaner shrimp, one chocolate chip starfish, one feather duster, and one urchin in there right now. Would any of these lower nitrates?

Also in your people's Quarantine tank, do you use sand/filters? I'm scared of the ICH and want to make sure no fish has it before I put them in. Shall I place them in a tank with no sand/filters and 1.009 salinity for 3 weeks to make for certain it's ich-free?

Thanks,
Chase

 

[cabenn]

most people in there QT tanks will just use a sponge filter. Anything like a sand bed or live rock will absorb any copper or medication you put into the tank which will essentially be a very bad thing to happen.

So barebottom fish tank with some PVC in it for the fish to hide and a sponge filter is all ya would need.

People usually will put the sponge filter in a sump when not being used in the QT tank. Or if they know they are gonna get a fish they will throw it in the tank a few weeks before buying the fish so that it can have some bacteria on it.

also as for dropping the salinity down to 1.009 I seem to recall you do it over a period of time say 24 hours. You just wouldn't throw the fish in 1.009 salinity

Do a search on Hyposalinity or ask the resident forum troll Atticus

 

[Ruman]

Ah you're right my bad, you do do it over a period of time. I forgot about that. Would there be anything wrong with hypoing a fish even if it doesn't have ich? I wouldn't imagine so.

 

[Atticus]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6999912#post6999912 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ruman
Ah you're right my bad, you do do it over a period of time. I forgot about that. Would there be anything wrong with hypoing a fish even if it doesn't have ich? I wouldn't imagine so.

Hello resident Troll here...

A minimum of 24 hours should be used to lower salinity and it can take over a week to get a fish back up to normal SG depending on fish and species.

There is no problem hypoing a fish without ich, but you may want to just lower them to 1.019-1.014 if they are showing no signs of ich. After the fish has shown no sign of disease for 3 straight weeks use the next week to bring them back up to display tank SG and other tank parameters.

 

[Ruman]

Wonderful. Thank you. I stupidly put fish in prior to a full cycle, they died from a mix of ich and high levels but some had ich very bad and I think it was the combo that killed them.