QT Tank Emergency

[Chago09]

ok well I posted earlier and aparently my fish has ich. Well I need to do hypo treatment although I don't have a QT tank set up. I plan on running out and buying something like a 30 gallon and what can I do to make this work???

I need aragonite to raise my ph correct?? I need some sort of bio filter, how can I do this with a brand new tank. Any ideas would be appreciated how I can save my fish.

[mbbuna]

you need more of a hospital tank set up. QT tanks and hospital tanks are set up differently IMO.

for biological filtration you are going to rely on daily water changes. the amount of water per day you are going to need to change will depend on how fast ammonia build (start with 10% to 15% per day)so get a new ammonia test kit while your at it.

a 10g or 20g tank is all you really need along with a heater and a few air stones for water movement. you dont want any substrate or rock in a hospital tank.

start the tank with water from your display and then slowly drop the sg over the next week by adding RO. when you hit your target SG any water changes you make after that you should use new salt water mixed to your target SG.

[Chago09]

don't I need the substrate, how else will I keep the PH up??? adding chemicals I thought was a bad idea??

[xenon]

Originally posted by Chago09
don't I need the substrate, how else will I keep the PH up??? adding chemicals I thought was a bad idea??

You dont need sand. If your PH is low you can dose alk.

[Sk8r]

Second the dosing of alk: ph maintenance chemicals are ok.
If you are going to run hypo, carbon is ok: do not run meds and carbon [it removes meds].
This should be a barren, no-sand-no rock tank, use pvc elbows for your fish to take cover in; you don't need a light, do need warmth [80 degrees] and a way to measure it. Minimize disturbance to fish, let him rest. Feed him moderately, only as much as he'll eat while you watch: excess food boosts nitrate/ammonia.

[reefergeorge]

With the daily wcs your ph should be ok.
For a while I had to change 50% a day to keep the ammonia down. I used water from the DT to change the QT water.

[mbbuna]

Originally posted by Chago09
don't I need the substrate, how else will I keep the PH up??? adding chemicals I thought was a bad idea??

the buffering capacity of calcium carbonate sand is a myth any way. you do not want any rock or sand in a hospital tank because its a place for the ick to hide. you will be doing 10% to 15% water changes per day and that should be plenty to control water parameters

[mbbuna]

Originally posted by reefergeorge
With the daily wcs your ph should be ok.
For a while I had to change 50% a day to keep the ammonia down. I used water from the DT to change the QT water.

you don't want to use water from the display tank after you reach hypo because you could be reintroducing the parasite

[reefergeorge]

Originally posted by mbbuna
you don't want to use water from the display tank after you reach hypo because you could be reintroducing the parasite

Sorry for the bad advise. My fish is only in Qt for observation. For treatment, water from the dt is a bad idea.