QT Tanks

F

funloven

Premium Member
I finally set up a QT Tank and I just re-read your article about QT Tanks and have a couple of questions:

1. When in use how often sould a water change be done?

2. Where do you get an Air-Driven Sponge filter from? I have been in several pet stores and have not seen one. Can I order one on-line from one of RCs Sponsors? Which one?

3. I am currently using an HOB filter system that uses a small filter cartridge. I would prefer the Air-Driven but if the HOB is all I can get what should I do with the cartridge between QT set-ups. You recommend running the Air-Driven in the sump. Can I just let the HOB cartridge lay in the sump?

Thanks for the help.

:rollface:
 
1.) This will depend in large part to the water quality in the tank. If your biological fitler were damaged or not prepared properly beforehand, ammonia could be so problematic as to require daily 50% water changes. But, if everything is ok, a more modest 10% per week could be all that is necessary.

I would track pH, alkalinity, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate and watch for any trends.

2.) There are several models to chose from here, http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_filters_hagen_foam.asp?CartId=

You need an air pump and tubing as well with the above.

3.) It would be best to have the HOB filter operating somewhere on your system.
 
Thanks for the response and WEB page. This has prompted a couple more questions, please.


I'm guessing the single sponge Hagen would be sufficient for a 20 gal QT?

How long are the sponges good for? How long the HOB filter cartridges are good for? Indefinately?

That should do it (I hope).
:rollface:
 
I would get the double. In this instance, bigger is better and the price difference is minor.

Sponge filters last practically indefinitely. Some fish munch on them and destroy them, but otherwise they are fine for a long time.

HOB filter cartridges are usually a combination mechanical (filter floss) and chemical (activated carbon) filter. They are generally no good after about a month because the activated carbon becomes used up and the filter floss plugged up.
 
Thanks so much for the help, Steven. I just found the mode of getting questions answered and it is great. :rollface:
 
Steven, how do I get to your forum? I was also looking to find your article on QT but I could not locate neither. Please help!
yana
 
Steven, I read your article on QT.

You seem to be saying that as long as you put an established filter on the QT, you can put it in operation right away. Do you mean the QT does not need to cycle?
I put the established filter from my main tank on the QT 10 days ago, and I am waiting for it to cycle (I am feeding the empty QT for that purpose), before I can put any fish. Is this unnecessary? If I have it running all the time as a QT, isn't it going to inevitably cycle at some point?

2) The reason I finally decided on the QT is that I had Ich infestation in my tank. 2 fish have died over the course of 3 months, both by means of secondary infections). I have 3 fish remaining (2 damsels, 1 watchman Goby). They all have had the white spots at some point but have been in perfect health for the past month (acquired immunity?).
My intention is to move them all to the QT and leave the main tank fishless for a month. But do I really need to move fish that show no symptoms? If the parasites don't consider those fish to be good hosts, aren't they going to die off even with the fish in the tank? (In this case I need not worry and can use the QT for new arrivals only).
What do you think?

3) I have different media in the QT filter, including PhosPure. However, I've read recently, that not only algae needs phosphate - beneficial bacteria needs it too. Can PhosPure kills my beneficial bacteria?

Your help would be vital!

Eternal Gratitude, Depth
 
1.) You actually cycle filters, not tanks. By running a biological filter on the main display which you move over to quarantine after a month or more, you have in effect already cycled it.

If you keep the QT running 24/7 but doesn't have fish in it all the time, you will need to provide the bacteria with a source of ammonia for food. You cna do this buy using bottled, pure ammonia or extra fish food.

2.) Remove all the fishes to a QT and treat them. The fish may be safe enough not to succumb to the infestation but still carry a low number that could infect future additions.

I would leave the display fishless for 6-8 weeks.

3.) I have never heard of that before. I don't know whether or not it is true.
 
It was actually a quite interesting article. (It is originally about ponds but I think it lists some general points reg. the best conditions for nitrifying bacteria. While I would not necessarily approve of the product it was rallying for, I learned A LOT from the "Mistakes" section about the nitrifiers' needs ;-) It is also a very fun read!
I'd love to hear your opinion if you venture to read it. Here it is:

http://www.fritzpet.com/article_turbo_pg1.htm
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7691455#post7691455 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Depth
It was actually a quite interesting article. (It is originally about ponds but I think it lists some general points reg. the best conditions for nitrifying bacteria. While I would not necessarily approve of the product it was rallying for, I learned A LOT from the "Mistakes" section about the nitrifiers' needs ;-) It is also a very fun read!
I'd love to hear your opinion if you venture to read it. Here it is:

http://www.fritzpet.com/article_turbo_pg1.htm
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link. I am reading it now.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7691471#post7691471 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Depth
Another thing: can medications kill your beneficial bacteria in the QT filter?
Click to expand...
Sure, some can.
 
Steven Pro,
Can you tell me I read your ich I and II papers is there anything else to stop ich in a reef tank?
And someone said that all fish have ich some brake out and some live with it is that true that it in all fish hidden in there skin?
 
It is an old aquarium myth that ich is ever present. It is false. Ich can be eradicated using proven treatments (copper, hyposalinity, or tank transfer) and kept out of a tank with strict quarantine protocols.

Unfortunately, there is no proven method to cure ich in a display.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7699343#post7699343 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Steven Pro
By the way, did you see my article on testing some of the "reef-safe" treatments?

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-12/sp/index.php

I was less than impressed with a few. :(
Click to expand...

Thank you for your help.
Yes I read that and used kick-ick in main tank after I got all the fish out in to a QT with Hypo and cupramine and now waiting for time of 4-6 weeks to kill it off.
Did you do any test which one works better Ozone or UV?
What I need to know is do they work as they say to kill diseases,
and bad algaes?
What setup do you use in your tanks that works for you if you use ozone or UV?

How do you take care of red slime I use chemclean and killed it of but it comes back all the water number are at zero?
 
Did you do any test which one works better Ozone or UV?
Click to expand...
No, I didn't perform or know of any direct comparison tests.
What I need to know is do they work as they say to kill diseases, and bad algaes?
Click to expand...
To some extent.
What setup do you use in your tanks that works for you if you use ozone or UV?
Click to expand...
I don't use either.
How do you take care of red slime I use chemclean and killed it of but it comes back all the water number are at zero?
Click to expand...
Nutrient control always works for me. Just because your tests read zero does not mean there are not nutrients in the water. Phosphate test kits are inherently limited and often give a false zero reading because of the various forms phosphate may take. Use of purified water, protein skimming, vegetable filtration, high quality salt mix, careful feeding and dosing, etc. are all necessary to keep nuisance "algae" in check.
 
Thank you Stephen Pro,
I am trying to gear up for the task at hand...evacuating my fish and placing them in a QT for at least two months. Maybe I should give you a quick run-down of our entire experience. We purchased a home with a 500 gal. built-in the wall saltwater tank. Originally it was a fish only(aggressive, ie, a foxface, picasso trigger, a battered sailfin tang, and a clown trigger),decorated with the most hideous pink, blue and yellow fake coral on the planet, being treated regularly with copper to prevent algae growth and disease. Searching for a conscientious aquarium service brought us a fellow pilot who taught us how cruel the tank set-up was. We drained it, gave him the copper poisened fish and started over. The tank has been completely overhauled and set-up new( including polishing the acrylic ). In Jan. '06 we introduced 300-350#'s of new live rock, let that cook for approx. 6 wks., then placed an established 75#'s of live rock and a variety of corals and mushrooms and fish(My aquarium service owner was moving out of state and sold us the contents of his established 75 gal tank including the water and sand). I am going to list the original inhabitants.
- 2 large colonies of frogspawn
- 1 large leathery toadstool
- numerous button corals
- a colony of grape coral( not sure of actual name )
- 2 large branches of orange pulsing xenia
- lots of red and blue mushrooms
- a red bubble-tipped anemone hosting 2 percs.(Mr. & Miss)
- 1 blonde naso tang(Lilu)
- 1 mystery wrasse (Sid)
- 1 pink-spotted fairy wrasse (Mel)
- 1 hippo tang ( Lazarus) they actually hand-fed this little guy.
- snails and a conch
 
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