QT Quick question

Reefsi

New member
I have been QT'ing an achilles tang for about 1 week now. He seems to be doing great, eats like a pig. I have been putting in Prime every know and then when my alert badge seems to be in between the yellow and green. This can't harm anything correct? I have been putting in the recommended dose. The only reason I am doing this is because I didn't have time to cycle the QT, I have had it up and running for 2 weeks. Also I am not dosing or going through any med procedures as I know this can render copper to high toxic levels.
 
AS long as you are NOT medicating, I don't see the harm. But why not just keep the ammonia down with water changes? When I do a water change on my DT, I store some of the old water in a plastic tote with a top and a powerhead. I usually change out 1 gallon per day in my 20g QT tank. It may be over kill, but I have never had an ammonia issue in my QT tank even with an elevated amount of fish in it...

Another perk to storing your water in a tote is that you will know exactly how much water you have in the tote, and you can medicate more precisely. Instead of trying to guess how much medication to add to your QT after a water change, you are changing it with water that is already medicated, so there will be no calculations or guesstimations on the medications...

I probably typed more than you needed. Sorry if I rambled a little, but I hope it helps...
 
Do you have the ability to get some cycled bioballs? you could put those in the HOB filter and that would take care of the ammonia pretty easily.
 
Do you have the ability to get some cycled bioballs? you could put those in the HOB filter and that would take care of the ammonia pretty easily.

Good point...

Another thing to do (for next time) is to throw some PVC, matrix, or rubble in your sump and forget about it. When it's time to set up a QT, you will have some good beneficial bacteria growing on what you had in your sump. If you medicate in QT, I'd be leery about throwing the items back into my sump. I'd probably just start over with new PVC, Matrix, etc... I have feeder clam shells, leftover oyster shells, PVC, and extra rubble in my sump brewing for my next QT venture...

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Ya I took a good piece of LR and put it into my QT tank, there are no meds in it currently. The only reason I added the prime was to be on the safe side. I didn't show any ammonia but I wanted to be on the safe side cause I was pretty sure it would spike. Its been 2 weeks with a HOB filter and the piece of LR been in there for 1 week. I have done 2 gallon water changes daily and 50% water changes every 7 days. I doubt I have ammonia just wanted to be on the safe side and check it all out. Btw thanks for all of your suggestions I take them all into consideration and read them all.
 
What you are doing is plenty. I personally keep Prime on hand for emergencies only...
 
Im also overfeeding my tang at the moment. He is eating it all but Im really trying to fatten him up before I move him to my Main tank. Thats the other thing that worried me because of all the feedings. I guess if I really think about it one fish in 30 gallons of water would really never raise ammonia levels.
 
Hey rea! thanks for the comment, Look at any of those AT's on liveaquaria? Actually they have a Gem up for sale right now, 3000.00.... lol
 
I "overfeed" fish in quarantine as well, since QT is a crucial period of 0 competition for new fish, and should be taken advantage of (especially in these more sensitive species). With water changes and your live rock, as long as the food is getting eaten or removed before it can decay there should be no cause for concern. I always make sure there are no piles of uneaten food hidden around PVC and wash the filter media daily. Try and ween him off of brine shrimp and onto mysis and flakes/pellets, especially the .5mm NLS.
 
Ya I have been feeding a mix of brine/sprirulana brine/mysis and he grabs the mysis just spits them out. He completely ignores all pellets, but loves seaweed red/green.
 
I got a good question, If im using my DT water for water cahnges in my QT, wouldn't that show signs of ich? If so Wouldn't you see signs within 1-2 weeks?
 
If I am using Display Tank water for my Quarantine Tank wouldn't that show signs of ich in my Quarantine Tank if I had it in my Display Tank?
 
Do not use tank water in your quarantine water change unless you are 100.0% sure that DT is parasite free.
 
J/w Because I added 2 Clowns without Quarantining them. They have showed 0 signs of ich prior to entry to tank, and have yet to show any signs over the last month. I have inspected them very well.
 
J/w Because I added 2 Clowns without Quarantining them. They have showed 0 signs of ich prior to entry to tank, and have yet to show any signs over the last month. I have inspected them very well.

Not to be cynical, but here is a painful lesson I learned early on.

In general, if a fish has not been properly treated with cupramine or the tank transfer method, I just assume it has ich. Not visually seeing it doesn't mean it's not there.
 
i never cycled my qt. i just threw in a few pieces of live rock and i do regular water changes. if i ever have a fish i will need to medicate, i'll put the live rock back into my sump and just go with more frequent water changes. it's only a 14g tank so a couple of gallons every few days takes me like 2 minutes. :)
 
Is it normal for a tang to have a sort of lump in there stomach. It has become more pronounce over the last 3 days. It would make sense to me though because I have over fed him the last 3 days insane amounts and he eats it all.
 
How would I confirm flukes or worms in a bucket after FW dip? Btw the AT handled the dip very well
 
After doing the FW dip the AT seems to be way more calm. Almost in a relaxed state, already got him to eat a ton right after the dip.
 
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