nigeldcat
Member
First let me say all my fish get QT and I wanted to share my latest ongoing experience.
My current 150G has been running since Oct 2011, nearly 8 years, and my test log has over 400 entries since I set it up (yea have missed a few weeks for vacation/work/lazy). Water parameters remain stable as I do weekly 10% water changes and maintenance with testing. I also top off with Kalk/ vinegar/RO combo that I have dialed in over the years to keep calcium/dkH/PH stable and where they should be and nitrate at zero from vinegar carbon dose.
Current fish residents are 2x 18+ year old clown fish (from previous tank), 7+ year old 6 line wrasse, 6+year Kole Tang, 5+ year Ebli Angel, 5+ year Long Nose Butterfly, and 4+ year Pink Spot Watchman Goby. Also have 5 + year large brittle sea star that I occasionally see a leg protrude when I feed. A few softy (leathers, mushrooms, toadstools, and polyps) that have divided and filled up the tank. Also a few hermits from additions over the years.
I lost a few cleaner shrimps and a midas blenny over the last year, which I think was old age, and so its time to add some new residents. There is almost no info on adding fish to well established tanks but trying to avoid similar species initially. I really wish I could add a purple tang and have some thoughts on how to accomplish that with the Kole, but not ready to tackle that project yet. After a lot of research I was thinking a new midas blenny or a foxface rabbit would be possible and would give those a try and see how it goes.
I pulled out the 20g QT and set it up and dropped the sponge filter in the sump of main tank. I also pulled some old hermit shells and some live rock rubble from main tank and put them into a media bag and dropped it into the HOB filter to seed the bio wheel on HOB filter. I fed the QT lightly over two weeks to start the cycle and after two weeks dropped the sponge filter into QT. In addition, I run two media bags of carbon in my main tank which I alternately change out every week, so carbon has been in sump for two weeks before being discarded. Instead of discarding the two week carbon, I used some of the carbon in a media cartridge of HOB to help seed filter and have been swapping it out with my weekly main tank changes weekly.
So with QT primed, I went to LFS, but they had no Midas Blennies in. They had recently received a Onespot Foxface from a maintenance customer that was in the process of upgrading to a new system. He was in their larger display tank which they only put fish who have been through their copper treated receiving tanks or their QT tanks. The foxface looked healthy but a little stressed (camo colors). I would of preferred a magnificent foxface, but since this guy was from an established tank and needed/deserved a good home, I decided he might be a good fit for my existing system.
Not willing to risk my longterm buddies or breaking protocol, the Foxface goes into QT. Well the first few days were stressful. The foxface was really shy but was eating mysis/new life pellets/reef frenzy/and nori when I was out of sight but was not real active.
Shortly after adding to QT, I had to go out of town for a couple of days on a last minute trip just as I was starting to see an ammonia spike. Water change and "Primed" the water before I left and caught an early flight home to do a water change when I returned. QT is following classic cycling as ammonia is now zero and seeing nitrite rise, but nitrite is still less than 0.25ppm with water changes. Don't count on supposed tried and true methods of cycled sponge, water/rubble from main tank to provide cycled tank as even best laid plans may not prevent a cycle. Doing water changes with water from main tank every few days to keep stuff in check. Tip going forward, always have a fresh Seachem Ammo Alert badge on QT tank from now on as very convenient to look in on tank and do a spot check on ammonia levels. I check the badge first thing in the AM when feeding the pups (golden retriever and pit bull rescue) and allowed me to verify ammo is OK with a quick visual.
Rabbitfish has had me worried as still showing camo colors whenever I am in the laundry room where QT tank resides. He was still coming out hesitantly for New life pellets and Mysis but not with confidence. Not real active when I peaked in on him but always moving to a different location in tank and eating the nori on the clip when not around.
Finally after two weeks, he is starting to associate me with food. I walked into laundry room tonight and he actively tuned to looked at me when I opened the hood. He moved toward me as soon as I dropped some food in the tank and dropped the camo colors, turned bright yellow, and attacked the small amount of frozen reef frenzy I dropped in. I also added a small amount of NLS pellets and he continued to chase those with vigor. Not sure if it was the cycle that had him bothered, the change in environment, or both but finally seeing some normal behavior.
I really hate the QT period. I have never had a fish that seemed happy in QT. Seems like all my fish have struggled through this phase. They eat and exist, but never seem content. As soon as the go into to display they get a new personality, become way more active and eat confidently, and really seem much healthier.
Still going to QT everything, but wish there was a way to make it less stressful on me and the fish.
My current 150G has been running since Oct 2011, nearly 8 years, and my test log has over 400 entries since I set it up (yea have missed a few weeks for vacation/work/lazy). Water parameters remain stable as I do weekly 10% water changes and maintenance with testing. I also top off with Kalk/ vinegar/RO combo that I have dialed in over the years to keep calcium/dkH/PH stable and where they should be and nitrate at zero from vinegar carbon dose.
Current fish residents are 2x 18+ year old clown fish (from previous tank), 7+ year old 6 line wrasse, 6+year Kole Tang, 5+ year Ebli Angel, 5+ year Long Nose Butterfly, and 4+ year Pink Spot Watchman Goby. Also have 5 + year large brittle sea star that I occasionally see a leg protrude when I feed. A few softy (leathers, mushrooms, toadstools, and polyps) that have divided and filled up the tank. Also a few hermits from additions over the years.
I lost a few cleaner shrimps and a midas blenny over the last year, which I think was old age, and so its time to add some new residents. There is almost no info on adding fish to well established tanks but trying to avoid similar species initially. I really wish I could add a purple tang and have some thoughts on how to accomplish that with the Kole, but not ready to tackle that project yet. After a lot of research I was thinking a new midas blenny or a foxface rabbit would be possible and would give those a try and see how it goes.
I pulled out the 20g QT and set it up and dropped the sponge filter in the sump of main tank. I also pulled some old hermit shells and some live rock rubble from main tank and put them into a media bag and dropped it into the HOB filter to seed the bio wheel on HOB filter. I fed the QT lightly over two weeks to start the cycle and after two weeks dropped the sponge filter into QT. In addition, I run two media bags of carbon in my main tank which I alternately change out every week, so carbon has been in sump for two weeks before being discarded. Instead of discarding the two week carbon, I used some of the carbon in a media cartridge of HOB to help seed filter and have been swapping it out with my weekly main tank changes weekly.
So with QT primed, I went to LFS, but they had no Midas Blennies in. They had recently received a Onespot Foxface from a maintenance customer that was in the process of upgrading to a new system. He was in their larger display tank which they only put fish who have been through their copper treated receiving tanks or their QT tanks. The foxface looked healthy but a little stressed (camo colors). I would of preferred a magnificent foxface, but since this guy was from an established tank and needed/deserved a good home, I decided he might be a good fit for my existing system.
Not willing to risk my longterm buddies or breaking protocol, the Foxface goes into QT. Well the first few days were stressful. The foxface was really shy but was eating mysis/new life pellets/reef frenzy/and nori when I was out of sight but was not real active.
Shortly after adding to QT, I had to go out of town for a couple of days on a last minute trip just as I was starting to see an ammonia spike. Water change and "Primed" the water before I left and caught an early flight home to do a water change when I returned. QT is following classic cycling as ammonia is now zero and seeing nitrite rise, but nitrite is still less than 0.25ppm with water changes. Don't count on supposed tried and true methods of cycled sponge, water/rubble from main tank to provide cycled tank as even best laid plans may not prevent a cycle. Doing water changes with water from main tank every few days to keep stuff in check. Tip going forward, always have a fresh Seachem Ammo Alert badge on QT tank from now on as very convenient to look in on tank and do a spot check on ammonia levels. I check the badge first thing in the AM when feeding the pups (golden retriever and pit bull rescue) and allowed me to verify ammo is OK with a quick visual.
Rabbitfish has had me worried as still showing camo colors whenever I am in the laundry room where QT tank resides. He was still coming out hesitantly for New life pellets and Mysis but not with confidence. Not real active when I peaked in on him but always moving to a different location in tank and eating the nori on the clip when not around.
Finally after two weeks, he is starting to associate me with food. I walked into laundry room tonight and he actively tuned to looked at me when I opened the hood. He moved toward me as soon as I dropped some food in the tank and dropped the camo colors, turned bright yellow, and attacked the small amount of frozen reef frenzy I dropped in. I also added a small amount of NLS pellets and he continued to chase those with vigor. Not sure if it was the cycle that had him bothered, the change in environment, or both but finally seeing some normal behavior.
I really hate the QT period. I have never had a fish that seemed happy in QT. Seems like all my fish have struggled through this phase. They eat and exist, but never seem content. As soon as the go into to display they get a new personality, become way more active and eat confidently, and really seem much healthier.
Still going to QT everything, but wish there was a way to make it less stressful on me and the fish.
