QT ammonia control while on vacation

[cdness]

Hi All,

My large tank is still cycling and I have a couple clowns in a QT tank (10G). I was out this last weekend and when I got back the ammonia had spiked in the QT tank. I have my brother watching the tank and feeding the fish but he has less knowledge about saltwater than I do (and I'm a beginner)... I am actually heading out again this weekend for four days.

My question is: Are there any ways to control the ammonia that are easy enough tor someone who doesn't know what to do with the tank?

I know in the past I have used Zeolite crystals with the carbon in my freshwater (turtle) tank to help control the ammonia. Are those safe for saltwater or is there another additive I can have my brother use over the weekend to control the ammonia?

Thanks!
Curtis

 

[Eagles]

My suggestion would be teach him how to do water changes. Perhaps make a large batch of salt water just before you leave and get him to do partial water changes if the Ammonia gets to high.

 

[Sk8r]

THis is a quarantine tank, not hospital, right? Get a big bag of carbon and put it in thewater stream---where water has to flow through it. I don't know if they still sell little box filters that you can just fill with carbon, but that wouldn't be a bad idea.

Having water standing by is never a bad idea.

Having a fill line marked on your tank so he can add FRESH water (and have things labeled and instructions written out as a checklist) would be good too. A 10 g tank can evaporate enough water over 3 days to pose a small salinity problem.

Also, pre-measure your food. Tanksitters notoriously overfeed.

 

[cdness]

Yes, this is just a QT tank. The fish are showing no signs of anything, I just wanted to have them ready when the larger tank is done cycling...

I wanted to get started on the right foot and try prevent any issues with parasites or other stuff from the LFS. By what I have read it is always best to use the QT before putting the fish into the display tank...

Also I put a cover on the QT tank so the evap isn't bad at all. It all tends to fall back into the tank.

 

[IslandCrow]

You're definitely doing the right thing quarantining your fish, and the two bits of advice you've already been given are very good. Water changes on a 10g tank are pretty simple, especially if the water is pre-mixed. I'd suggest a 10% water change every couple days. I use one of these filters for my QT: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_AquariumPage~PageAlias~filters_hagen_aquaclear_power.html. It comes with a bag of activated carbon and some bio-media, and they're usually pretty easy to find locally. The bio-media is probably going to take a couple weeks before it's doing anything for you, but the carbon will help right away. When I'm not using my QT, I keep the bio-media in my sump so it always has a ready supply of bacteria.

 

[cdness]

Thanks for the info IslandCrow! I am still so new to this hobby I don't have any extra parts for mixing stuff and I think the filter in my QT tank isn't adquate. I think I'll go upgrade that tonight and see about getting a cheap pump or powerhead to mix the salt in a bucket.

 

[otrlynn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12990733#post12990733 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cdness
Thanks for the info IslandCrow! I am still so new to this hobby I don't have any extra parts for mixing stuff and I think the filter in my QT tank isn't adquate. I think I'll go upgrade that tonight and see about getting a cheap pump or powerhead to mix the salt in a bucket. [/QUOTE

If you have a cheap hang-on-back filter that holds those cartridges pre-filled with carbon, you are probably okay. If you want, you could remove the one that is currently in use before you leave, lay it on the bottom of the aquarium because it has probably started to build up some beneficial nitrification bacteria, and put a new cartridge in the filter (after rinsing it to remove the carbon dust). I would simply mix up eight gallons of new salt water and leave it sitting in a bucket for your brother. Give him an empty gallon spring water bottle and tell him to submerge the bottle in the tank, remove 2 gallons of tank water, and replace it with 2 gallons of new salt water every day. This would be a 20% water change every day. My thinking is that this is real simple, no testing, no measuring, no siphoning. A daily 20% change might be more than is needed, but personally I'd rather do too large a water change than too small. The problem with QTs is that ammonia can rise rapidly. Also, put the amount you want him to feed in four small paper cups and hide the rest of the food. It is extra important that there not be too much food in the tank.

 

[IslandCrow]

Go to your local hardware store, pick up a couple 5 gallon buckets (believe me, you'll use them in the future) and mix up some salt water. That should get your brother through your time away.

With your current ammonia, I think otrlynn may be right about a larger water change. Just make sure the replacement water is roughly the same temperature (within 5 degrees). If you keep it inside with the tank, it'll be fine. I like smaller water changes just because even if I don't match temperature, PH and salinity very well, it's not a big deal. Fish actually adapt to reasonable changes pretty well, though.

 

[jph]

do you have a piece of liverock that is done cycling?

i have quarantined a pair of clowns in a small 5G tank, with only a MJ400 and a chunk of liverock in it.


J.

 

[prickles]

I have several pieces of liverock in my QT/hospital, which allow me to do 50% water changes without killing the cycle. I do use copper, so the rock won't be going back into a display ever. Also, this sounds like your first QT. Keep the QT tank working while you fill the tank, and after the first fish or so, it's pretty easy.

 

[cdness]

Thanks for all the help! I picked up a new HOB filter as IslandCrow mentioned (same brand too). I picked up 1 5 Gal pail at fleet but I'll be going to somewhere that sells them a bit cheaper after work today for a couple more.

 

[IslandCrow]

Best of luck. I always hate having to go out of town when I have new livestock.

 

[kevin2000]

My 02

Make up a large batch of replacement SW now (new Rubbermaid trash can doesn't cost much) .. that way you will have a large supply of mature SW mixed to correct temperature and salinity. You brother can then make large water changes whenever you have ammonia issues.

Consider purchasing an inexpensive ammonia alert badge. You should also consider having a supply of Prime, Ammo Lock or something similar on hand to help mitigate ammonia problems.

While carbon may have a nominal positive impact in a QT - its not going to replace a mature biological filter - large regular water changes are common when QTing fish without a mature bio filter.