QT very specific questions

[strathis]

Hi
I've read several qt posts but not found all the answers i need...

I've had my dt running 4 months, started with 30kg live rock, 400 litre tank with natural seawater. (parameters are all good)
i didnt qt from the start to avoid arguments with my other half (bad move i know) i have ich in the tank, my fish:
12 newborn cardinals (2 days old)
2 adult cardinals (obviously)
2 clowns
1 firefish
1 sharpnose puffer
1 chalk goby
1 green wrasse
1 Mollie
1 mollie baby (mum died in weir)
2 juvenile regal tangs (belong to my partner and give me a reason to get a bigger tank)
1 red wine dragonet / blenny

plan; hypo salinity
im setting up a 2 x 2 x 2ft qt tank with some very mature live rock and natural sea water and pure reef balance balls in the sump

Questions
will the tank need to be cycled? (its effectively my dt put into another tank)
will the babys be at risk from the hypo?
They dont show signs of ich, but obviously i want to cure my DT
will my goby and wrasse be ok without sand?
will hypo kill the copepods that my dragonet needs? not got him on frozen yet, and will he be ok with hypo, ive heard they can be sensitive

if it comes to it and i have to use copper will these fish all be ok, and will it be possible to remove it from the tank? i dont realy want a 250litre qt forever

 

[gone fishin]

hypo IMO is difficult to pull off correctly. If the salinity rises above 1.009 then the clock needs to start over. Also some evidence indicates there are hypo resistant strains of ich. There is much debate about what hypo will kill off as far as bacteria and others. I personally do not know since I have not done hypo, my preferred method is Tank transfer(TTM). If I have a fish that needs sand then I will place a small bowl of sand in the tank for the fsh.

Prior to using TTM I would use copper. I had mixed luck with copper, since it is a poison one just never knows how a fish will react until the method is used.

I personally do not cycle QT tanks. I rely on prime and water changes to keep ammonia down.

Since it would appear you have done some research on the topic then I assume you know the DT will need to remain fallow or fishless for 72 days. Good luck just my 2 cents.

 

[kmbyrnes]

I've been in your shoes and it wasn't a lot of fun, but I got through it.
I second the TTM method even if it is a bit more effort. It is less stressful than copper and easier than trying to walk the hypo salinity line.

Read more about TTM here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2507836

As gone fishin said, you need to leave your DT fallow for 72+ days, so a cycled QT will be easier than constant water changes. But it appears you have direct access to seawater, so the choice is yours.

In my case, I used 2 20 gallon tanks to do TTM. While that was in process, if got a 40 gallon tank started cycling with some live rock from a known ich free tank. I left the bottom sand free.
You can put a container of sand in the tanks for the wrasse and goby, but if you go TTM, be sure to change out the sand out at each step.

The DT pod population should actually increase during the fallow period, but your dragonet may be at risk during the time in QT if he is not eating frozen yet.

Good luck whichever road you choose.

 

[strathis]

thanks guys
as it turned out the tank i had agreed to buy was mis-measured by the seller turns out its 350 ish litres including sump, same as my display.

I have a small 30 litre tank, would it be worth copper treating my 2 tangs (worst affected) in there for a couple of days, prior to putting them in the hypo tank? I'm going for hypo because it seems like the best way to keep the 12 babys alive, not the most valuable perhaps but its the greater good

I would like to do the ttm method, but i had a hard enough time getting approval for
one qt tank and catching that many fish every 3 days sounds like it would be hell on me and them

I've been battling Dinoflagellates
though i had it cured with peroxide, but it came back like crazy as soon as i dosed 'reef safe' meds for ich ( very low nutrient levels)
so the qt at least makes it easier to stock up my micro fauna, I've read an interesting study by a couple of marine biologists about copepods eating dino. planning to black out for a week and stock 'em up.
is a week too long in the dark for lps?

 

[strathis]

more questions...
if i put media and live rock in the sump do i need lights on them?
are balls as effective as live rock?
(my current system is just a skimmer 30ish kg live rock and a fuge + bi weekly 30% water changes )

 

[kmbyrnes]

Fish will be fine will be fine with ambient light. Corals will need a supplement.
Check the instructions on the copper medication. Last time I used it, I recall it requiring a 7 day treatment window.
Best of luck and post any further questions.

 

[strathis]

what coral supplement are you referring to?
fish wont be in the same tank due to QT
dose live rock in the sump of my qt need light?

 

[kmbyrnes]

I was referring to supplemental light.
If corals are coming out of the DT and moving elsewhere., they will need light to keep the zooxanthellae alive.
If the QT is fish only, you will be fine.
Your rock does not need sunlight for the bacteria to flourish.

 

[strathis]

cheers,
trying to grow bacteria in the sump so i can disconnect it if i need to use treatments that might kill it

my lps and zoa's will be remaining in my display tank, how long can they cope without light, im doing black outs as part of fighting dinoflagellates

 

[kmbyrnes]

The recommendation is 3 days max, but it can be repeated as needed.

 

[strathis]

thanks
that should be all i need for now, qt is cycling, hope this goes to plan.