QT - water changes or chemicals

[danelam]

Hi guys,

I've had my fishes in quarantine for 2 days now (1 small hippo tang and 2 tiny false perculas.) They seem to be doing ok, though the tang is still really shy and doesn't come out alot but she's started picking at nori which is a good sign.

Anyway, ammonia levels are hovering around 0.25. I've been doing water changes from my display tank whose ammonia is 0 but still hasn't brought the QT ammonia down. I've noticed some people use Amquel or Kent Detox - would you recommend this? Or stick to water changes every day or every other day? Or both?

At the moment I've got a sponge filter in QT that has been sitting in display for 2 weeks and a piece of live rock - but the bacteria doesn't seem to have established itself in the QT yet.

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

[bad coffee]

when is the last time you rinsed your sponge filter? I'd get rid of it all together. Also, how big is the piece of live rock?

B

 

[Deanos]

Ammonia levels that high are not providing your fish with a stress-free environment. Do larger changes and get the levels down.

 

[danelam]

when is the last time you rinsed your sponge filter? I'd get rid of it all together. Also, how big is the piece of live rock?

B

really? You think the sponge filter's doing more harm than good. It's only a small piece of live rock

 

[inked]

Is the QT tank only 2 weeks old? If it is it probably is cycling. I was always under the assumption that during a cycle the ammonia would spike until enough bacteria grew. But I cold be wrong I am just a newb lol!

 

[danelam]

Yeah quarantine tank's 2 weeks old but I only put the sponge in when I got the fishes. I thought that the bacteria would eliminate, or at least greatly reduce the length of the cycle.

 

[ming]

There should be zero ammonia. Since there is, you probably have bacteria, but just not enough to break it down as fast as its being produced. And you're only on the beginning phase of the cycle, next is nitrite.
Do a larger water change to bring the ammonia down.
If you're willing to use Amquel everyday until the fish is ready to be moved to the display tank, then that will help reduce the stress on the fish right now because the ammonia is stressing them out, more likely to make them not want to eat. Amquel should be used as a tool, and not a permanent fix. You should have the QT cycled before adding fish for future fish.

 

[latino277]

I would say
1 - get ride of the sponge filter
2 - if you don't plan on medicating the QT tank, Take a few more peices of LR out of your display and put it in QT
3 - continue with the water changes

Question: what size is your QT tank. I have a T1000 Skimmer that I can lend you if you'd like... pick up in the BX

 

[danelam]

Thanks for the tip ming. I just did a big water change with the display tank water and the ammonia is reading 0 now. I think I might use the Amquel option while the fish are in quarantine. I wanna reduce the chance of the hippo developing ich.

 

[danelam]

I would say
1 - get ride of the sponge filter
2 - if you don't plan on medicating the QT tank, Take a few more peices of LR out of your display and put it in QT
3 - continue with the water changes

Question: what size is your QT tank. I have a T1000 Skimmer that I can lend you if you'd like... pick up in the BX

Thanks John. It's a 10g QT - my only concern with putting more LR in the QT is that if their is a disease outbreak, I won't be able to return it to my display tank will I? And then, I'll have to recure it all again right?

 

[latino277]

I don't think that's 100% true. but the more important thing is the understanding of the Ick parasite.

All fish have ick!!!! Scary but true. if the fish is health then it's not a problem and they continually fight it off.

Perfect example is the hippo that I bought from Phil... perfectly heathly he didn't hadn't had an outbreak in month and my tank even longer since I haven't added a fish in more than a year.

So I added Phils hippo and he came down with ick a few days after adding him. then my Idol came down with it. After about 2 weeks all fish were fine with no ick. I made sure the tank was clean and I offered enough food to keep the fish healthy.

So the point of this long wind explaination.

if you QT tank has and out break of ick... you should be able to add the rock back to the DT if all your fish are healty..

anyone, Please correct me if I'm wrong.