QT Tank - The Next Generation Tangs

[oh207]

I'm starting this thread to document my QT upgrade and program so far.
I had a 20g QT for the past 2 years and over the summer got a nice deal for a 30g QT tank with stand for $50. With the upgrade, I moved my QT setup out of the laundry room (1st Floor) and into the basement.
I had the new tank setup and cycled well before Labor Day weekend to take advantage of discount sales.
I picked up a few fish and they've been doing great. Currently I'm pushing the limit with 6 fish (2 yellow belly hippos, 1 yellow tang, 1 sailfin tang, 1 yellow eye kole tang, and 1 foxface). I got them all about the size of a quarter (very tiny). They are all getting along great for now and I hope that remains the case for the remainder of the QT period. One of the yellow belly hippo will be going to a separate tank from the others.

My QT plan

• 1 week of observation at the store bought Salinity (1.018)

• 1 week of Prazipro followed by 50% water change

• 2nd week of Prazipro followed by 50% water change with RODI

• Drop Salinity down from 1.018 to 1.008 over a few days and hold at this level for 6 weeks.

I'm currently on week 4 of Hyposalinity at 1.008 and will continue to keep at this level for 2 more weeks.
I am feeding heavily. I feed a quarter of a sheet of Nori in the morning. And in the evening I feed either Sustainable Aquatics pellets or a mix of Spirulina Brine. PE Mysis is still a bit too large for everyone to eat.

With the heavy feeding I do a 5g water change every weekend with 1.008 water. So far a couple of those weeks I do a 10g water change. I double check and maintain salinity with a Pinpoint Digital salinity monitor and a high quality refractometer. And I have a cheap ATO setup for topoff.

I'm running an Aquaclear HOB with a sponge filter that gets washed every 2 weeks, and in the basket I have filter pads for Ammonia, Nitrate, and phosphate. I also have a little bit of Rox carbon in a mesh bag.

For additional flow I have 2 small koralias and a Maxijet 1200.
Lighting is a regular fluorescent light that is on a 12 hour timer.

At the end of 6 weeks of hyposalinity I will start doing water changes more frequently and slowly raise Salinity to 1.025 over a series of water changes and also top off with high salinity water (1.030).

I've run this QT program several times before in my old 20g QT and have it down to an exact science. In fact, I have it all planned out in Excel. :lolspin:

From end-to-end, the entire QT process will take 12 weeks.
1 week initial Observation
2 weeks Prazipro
6 weeks Hyposalinity
2 weeks to raise to normal salinity
1 week of observation (with heavy feeding, mostly pellets on a feed timer and Nori)

Week #1 - Shiny PVC

Week #3

Week #4

Week #8 - You can see Algae growth on the PVCs. The kole tang is grazing all day long. The Dory ornament was actually used to tie Nori with a rubber band. I've since replaced with a hanging clip.

 

[Rakie]

That's a pretty nice setup and routine, but all I could think looking through the post is "they're so cute when they're little"

 

[snorvich]

You need a minimum of two months quarantine. Hyposalinity will not eliminate some of the more serious parasites.

 

[m0nkie]

I see 3 regal tangs

Nice setup.

 

[BigBlueTang]

Looks good, but I hope you aren't planning on putting all 5 of those fish into a 65. I subtracted a YBR per your original post. Bad bad idea, and all of your hard work QT'ing them will be wasted.

 

[microlady]

You need a minimum of two months quarantine. Hyposalinity will not eliminate some of the more serious parasites.

He said it would take 12 weeks. It sounds good, but I would add a couple of formalin dips to the mix.

 

[oh207]

That's a pretty nice setup and routine, but all I could think looking through the post is "they're so cute when they're little"

Indeed, very cute. And also very fragile.

You need a minimum of two months quarantine. Hyposalinity will not eliminate some of the more serious parasites.

The minimum for my plan is 3 months (12 weeks), but could be longer if needed. I agree that hypo is not enough. In the past I've had to adjust the plan depending on what I observe. I have several meds on hand, but I mostly use cupramine or copperpower (depending on the fish). The only issue is that if I notice something serious during hyposalinity, that I suspect that hypo cannot address, then I need to raise salinity before I can treat with copper or other meds. And raising salinity takes time, so by the time I raise salinity (which is stressful) and treat with copper, I have not had good success.

 

[oh207]

I see 3 regal tangs

Nice setup.

Yes, one of them just sits there and gets the most attention from my son. :fish2:

 

[oh207]

Looks good, but I hope you aren't planning on putting all 5 of those fish into a 65. I subtracted a YBR per your original post. Bad bad idea, and all of your hard work QT'ing them will be wasted.

4 of them are going into a 120g. The foxface and 1 yellow belly is going into a 65g for now.

He said it would take 12 weeks. It sounds good, but I would add a couple of formalin dips to the mix.

Thanks. I have never tried formalin dips, nor had the use for it. I understand that is is more for Brook, which is more common in clownfish. And my currently clowns are healthy and spawning every 2 weeks.

 

[ThRoewer]

Most treatments can be combined with hyposalinity, so there should usually be no need to raise the salinity first.