Stupid Question - Water Change

[OffRoad322]

Hi All,
Still a newbie, but I was thinking about setting a quarantine tank. Can I use water from water changes in the main tank to fill my quarantine tank.

Is that a stupid question?

 

[Sk8r]

If it's pretty clean---and if you're sure you're clean of parasites. Here's a trick to ease your new arrivals. Find out the salinity they're coming from (sometimes 1.019 and sometimes 1.024 depending) and set your qt to that. Then when your fish arrive, float them 15 min with the bag sealed to equalize the temperature, then open the bag, test their water salinity to be SURE, then pop them right on into the qt. Acclimation is all about salinity, and if you're spot on, there's no need to acclimate.

 

[kiMxD]

Can you provide some study about what you're saying? I got interested.

 

[Sk8r]

Study? You mean acclimation? It's just done to equalize salinity, if you're ok with temperature. If your refractometer (which is real good to have!) shows identical salinity, they can go right in. Bagged fish that are shipped have ammonium in the bag due to respirationn, and opening the bag can release co2, causes a ph shift which turns the ammonium to toxic ammonia--read Death In Bags, at the top of the forum. That'll explain it in more detail.

 

[Indymann99]

Hi All,
Still a newbie, but I was thinking about setting a quarantine tank. Can I use water from water changes in the main tank to fill my quarantine tank.

Is that a stupid question?

I do this all the time. I setup my WC system so that I can pump DT WC water to drain OR to the QT.

Typically I run the QT for 4-6 weeks with Fresh mixed SW (pumped from Mix Tank -Brute trashcan). Then for weeks 7-9 I use water from the DT. This gets the QT acclimatized to the same params as the DT.

My "fish room" is under the stairs in the basement so its a bit cramped but it works.

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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/152505950@N07/40457039841/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_1220"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4603/40457039841_567ff42154.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_1220"></a>******** async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[OffRoad322]

I do this all the time. I setup my WC system so that I can pump DT WC water to drain OR to the QT.

Typically I run the QT for 4-6 weeks with Fresh mixed SW (pumped from Mix Tank -Brute trashcan). Then for weeks 7-9 I use water from the DT. This gets the QT acclimatized to the same params as the DT.

My "fish room" is under the stairs in the basement so its a bit cramped but it works.

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/152505950@N07/39979603542/in/dateposted-public/" title="Indymann99 BWC system jpg"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4648/39979603542_da5976ef36.jpg" width="500" height="390" alt="Indymann99 BWC system jpg"></a>******** async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/152505950@N07/40457039841/in/dateposted-public/" title="IMG_1220"><img src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4603/40457039841_567ff42154.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="IMG_1220"></a>******** async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

That's a great setup, thank you for the ideas.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[mwilliams62]

I am not new to the hobby but you guys gave awesome advice about QT setups acclimating and using DT water. I hardly setup QT only because I don't buy fish very much. But when I buy my next fish I will definitely do this.

 

[Jekerry]

What about a culmination of corals and inverts? Is all about temperature and salinity for them too?

 

[mwilliams62]

What about a culmination of corals and inverts? Is all about temperature and salinity for them too?

For corals and probably depending on the type they should be dipped and treated for any type of parriste that could be on them. Inverts not sure on. Probably acclimate them to temp and water. By the drip method. At least that is what I do.

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[ca1ore]

I too use tank water to fill my QT tanks, regardless of whether it contains parasites or not (since the fish are going into it eventually, they may as well get used to it). Think of it as a water change.

 

[ca1ore]

What about a culmination of corals and inverts? Is all about temperature and salinity for them too?

Assume you meant combination .....

What you will find is that most fish you buy, whether LFS on online are kept in much lower salinity than you run your tank (some vendors are as low as 1.015) so acclimation is very important. SK8r is spot on that the BEST WAY is to adjust the QT to incoming salinity and then raise it back up over the course of a few weeks. Most inverts you buy are kept in salinity levels much closer to your tank (nominally 1.024) so acclimation is much less important - though you should still check.