when i suggested adding ammonia in the LFS today, the guy looked at my like i was nuts and said never add ammonia like that. this was before i saw your post. so i said okay then just give me some food, so thats why im raising the ammonia with the pellets now.
quarantine tank really necessary?
- Thread starter moneymm
- Start date
when i suggested adding ammonia in the LFS today, the guy looked at my like i was nuts and said never add ammonia like that. this was before i saw your post. so i said okay then just give me some food, so thats why im raising the ammonia with the pellets now.
VJV
New member
quarantine tank really necessary?
Hi, just add my experience here. I have successfully cycled tanks using "bqcteria in a bottle" from Seachem called Stability, as well as Dr Tim's One and Only Nitrifying bacteria. I am not saying it is ideal, but following the daily dosage instructions in the Seachem product I have been able to add fish from day one and have no ammonia spike. Again, not ideal, and if you have be time better go the traditional route recommended here, and eventually speed things up using one of these products to speed up bacterial colonization. But it can be done and I have successfully done it.
Hi, just add my experience here. I have successfully cycled tanks using "bqcteria in a bottle" from Seachem called Stability, as well as Dr Tim's One and Only Nitrifying bacteria. I am not saying it is ideal, but following the daily dosage instructions in the Seachem product I have been able to add fish from day one and have no ammonia spike. Again, not ideal, and if you have be time better go the traditional route recommended here, and eventually speed things up using one of these products to speed up bacterial colonization. But it can be done and I have successfully done it.
wooden_reefer
New member
I have successfully cycled medium for QT for Qting many very large fish at once a few times without doctor anything.
Basically cycling medium for QT is very simple.
IME, it is wasteful to spend money buying bacteria.
Plus I can QT very high bioload at once; within at the most 5 weeks bacteria will simply grow to enormous numbers when the condition is right to handle all possible bioloads.
Plus I always test any medium for its real capacity to process ammonia if I have any doubt whatsoever. This way I will be very sure that there is a great deal more than enough bacteria for usual situation, for the unusual situation.
whoa! back the truck up!!! snorvich is giving fish away??? :bounce1:
i qt all new fish but i don't use a cycled tank. i simply drag out the 10g, fill it 3/4 full, add an air stone, heater, pvc, ammonia badge, match salinity and temp of the shipping water and into the tank the fish goes. i don't understand why so many people (unless they have ginormous systems and buy humongous fish) think they have to have a cycled qt. what's so hard about doing a 2 or 3 gallon water change every couple of days to keep ammonia at bay?
i do keep a few small filter sponges in my sump and i'll throw one into the qt if i remember.
i qt all new fish but i don't use a cycled tank. i simply drag out the 10g, fill it 3/4 full, add an air stone, heater, pvc, ammonia badge, match salinity and temp of the shipping water and into the tank the fish goes. i don't understand why so many people (unless they have ginormous systems and buy humongous fish) think they have to have a cycled qt. what's so hard about doing a 2 or 3 gallon water change every couple of days to keep ammonia at bay?
i do keep a few small filter sponges in my sump and i'll throw one into the qt if i remember.
Oh man, where do I stand in line for that!? :bounce1: I might not even QT those bad boys!
m0nkie
Well-known member
m0nkie
Well-known member
I've been slacking off on QT... I lost 2 fishes in QT due to noobness. after that, I decided to only buy fish from trusted LFS and not QT. had good luck so far. all 10 fishes healthy. haven't introduced a new fish for months..
yesterday I picked up my last fish, decided to QT him. and of course, ich appeared! phew.. bullet dodged.. I'll be QT every fish from now on..
yesterday I picked up my last fish, decided to QT him. and of course, ich appeared! phew.. bullet dodged.. I'll be QT every fish from now on..
VJV
New member
You probably misunderstood me. If you do not have the luxury of waiting 5 weeks, with these products I have been able to add fish from day one without any ammonia spike. I have done it and it works. And given that the initial post was from someone asking if they need to wait for the QT to cycle before adding the fish, I believe this is relevant info.
wooden_reefer
New member
VJV
New member
quarantine tank really necessary?
And to answer the original question, IMO yes, a QT is really necessary. I learned it the hard way, after loosing 5 of my fish due to not quarantining. My LFS buys everything from TMC (a large international and respected supplier) and the fish were always in good shape, eating and had been in the store for at least one month. Everything went well until I purchased my last fish. Within a couple of days my fish were scratching and flashing and a week later my male Anthias died. Soon after others started dying and I had to quickly setup a QT, drain my display, catch all the remaining fish and move them to de QT with all the associated stress. I kept them in QT for 2 months and had a couple more losses in the QT during treatment, possibly also due to the stress of having all the fish in a 30g.
I was like many others, impatient to get the fish into the DT but that cost me dearly.
Now QT is in itself stressful and not without its dangers. However, you are only risking loosing one fish, not your entire fish population.
And DO QT THE FIRST FISH YOU BUY! If you don't you may introduce disease into the tank rendering useless all the future Quarantine efforts you may do.
My experience and opinion.
And to answer the original question, IMO yes, a QT is really necessary. I learned it the hard way, after loosing 5 of my fish due to not quarantining. My LFS buys everything from TMC (a large international and respected supplier) and the fish were always in good shape, eating and had been in the store for at least one month. Everything went well until I purchased my last fish. Within a couple of days my fish were scratching and flashing and a week later my male Anthias died. Soon after others started dying and I had to quickly setup a QT, drain my display, catch all the remaining fish and move them to de QT with all the associated stress. I kept them in QT for 2 months and had a couple more losses in the QT during treatment, possibly also due to the stress of having all the fish in a 30g.
I was like many others, impatient to get the fish into the DT but that cost me dearly.
Now QT is in itself stressful and not without its dangers. However, you are only risking loosing one fish, not your entire fish population.
And DO QT THE FIRST FISH YOU BUY! If you don't you may introduce disease into the tank rendering useless all the future Quarantine efforts you may do.
My experience and opinion.
DasCamel
Active member
Brook and the ensuing QT and treatment of all the fish lead to many losses. Fish store house is a fast path to divorce.
QT everything wet, my source was a beautiful Haddoni anenome from Petco. Wet = parasites even if it's not a fish. Easy to cross contanamite tanks also. I wouldn't even keep the QT near the DT.
QT everything wet, my source was a beautiful Haddoni anenome from Petco. Wet = parasites even if it's not a fish. Easy to cross contanamite tanks also. I wouldn't even keep the QT near the DT.
You could do the tank transfer method and skip a full qt. I use 2 rubbermaid 15g tubs and cheap hob filters for 10 each from Wal-Mart. Have some amquel on hand just in case you see an ammonia rise. I never do because they are only in the tubs for 72 hours. Not long enough to build ammonia. You can treat with prazipro towards the end. It's my preferred method and has always worked.
sounds inticing.... would this get rid of ich?
Yes it will get rid of ich. That is why you do it every 72hrs as it breaks the life cycle. No nasty chemicals or copper to harm the fish. I do this with a new fish and never get ich. The rubbermaids cost me $6 each and the pumps were $11 each. Total of $34 plus the cost of salt. I already had the extra heaters but if you need 2 new ones you can get them for like 10 each. Total setup under $60 if you start from scratch. It's easy and highly effective.
The link in post 27 gives some helpful detail on tank transfer:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23198303&postcount=27
It's easy to do and very effective for ich. The 12 days used in the transfer period can be used to set up and seed a qt for addtional observation for other maladies that may appear.The tank transfer method can also be combined with acclimation avoiding the need for drip acclimation and potential esposure to ammonia toxicity in the bag water.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=23198303&postcount=27
It's easy to do and very effective for ich. The 12 days used in the transfer period can be used to set up and seed a qt for addtional observation for other maladies that may appear.The tank transfer method can also be combined with acclimation avoiding the need for drip acclimation and potential esposure to ammonia toxicity in the bag water.
As he stated above its best to match your salinity to the water in the bag. Then all you have to do is flat the bag to get the temp the same and then put in the fish. You transfer the fish every 3rd day which is every 72hrs. Don't wait longer. You can do it shorter if you want or need but you still need to go the 12 days. It's an easy method imo. It takes a little more effort but it's worth it to me.
Sorry I meant float it. You need to test it and find the salinity and then match it. If you're bringing the fish from a lfs then you can just float it and drip acclimate since there will not be much if any ammonia in the bag. You can also have the lfs test there water for you in front of you so that you know the exact number and match your water to it.
