question about qt

homeagain · 03/14/2008, 09:09 PM

I have read on here about having fish in qt and keeping the ammonia down my question is about the other parameters of the water .I have some fish in qt(for ich) and have been keeping the ammonia down to o or .5 and decided the check the nitrite,nitrate and found out they where high ,I have been doing wc every day about 10 or 12 gal a day,do I have to nitrite and nitrate down also or just worry about the ammonia.
I checked the ammonia to day and it was 0 ,and thought I should check the rest and they were high why is that or is that the way it will be in qt .The fish are doing fine not in stress or acting funny so should I worry about the nitrite and nitrate or just the ammonia

Blown 346 · 03/14/2008, 09:17 PM

It sounds like the tank was cycleing. To start a QT I always do a waterchnage on the main tank, and use that water for the QT. No cycle each time.

tmz · 03/14/2008, 11:42 PM

Nitrite and nitrate ae not a major concern for marine fish.

seanb1 · 03/15/2008, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by tmz
Nitrite and nitrate ae not a major concern for marine fish.

ive always thought nitrite is deadly to all fish.

would you care to elaborate on this?

nycsicktank · 03/15/2008, 05:48 AM

same here.

reefergeorge · 03/15/2008, 08:49 AM

Just use some prime, and keep doing what you are doing.
Nitrites are a problem, but not as much as ammonia.

tmz · 03/15/2008, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by seanndenise1
ive always thought nitrite is deadly to all fish.

would you care to elaborate on this?

The chlorides in salt water detoxify it to a point where it would take enormous amounts to have any effect on marine fish. To verify this read the article by Randy Homes Farely at th beggining of the Reef Chemistry forum on nitrite.

tmz · 03/15/2008, 09:32 AM

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm. Here's the link to the article on nitrite. Not fretting on noitrite makes qt management much easier.

tmz · 03/15/2008, 09:35 AM

Don't know why this link don't work. Just go tho the reef chemistry forum and scroll down the Randy Homes Farely articles thread. You will find this one in the general articles category.

kevin2000 · 03/15/2008, 09:57 AM

When running a QT focus on ammonia - not necessary to monitor nitrite or nitrate. If your running a hypo QT then make sure you monitor alkalinity since a std hypo tank has low alkalinity and is is prone to PH swings.

kevin2000 · 03/15/2008, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blown 346
It sounds like the tank was cycleing. To start a QT I always do a waterchnage on the main tank, and use that water for the QT. No cycle each time.

Using show water has no effect on cycling .... bacteria reside on tank wall, substrate, live rock etc .. not in the water column.

nycsicktank · 03/15/2008, 10:04 AM

i put 2 sponges(were in my DT for a month) in my HOB and then i added new freshwater, does this mean my tank will cycle?

also how long does it take a sponge to be effect bio filter?

tmz · 03/15/2008, 10:12 AM

If it's seeded it should start working immediately. The hyposalinity will depress it a bit but it should recover. I have had more sucess with seeded crushed coral in the filtercartrige bags and a bit of seeded lava rock or other live rock. Sponges just don't seem to have enough. If at some point you use copper or other meds in your qt be mindful of the fact taht these items will absordb he medications and leach them back later. So they should never again be used in a display with inverts.

nycsicktank · 03/15/2008, 10:26 AM

so the new water wont kill bacteria in my sponges?

Blown 346 · 03/15/2008, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kevin2000
Using show water has no effect on cycling .... bacteria reside on tank wall, substrate, live rock etc .. not in the water column.

Bacteria resides in the water column as well. If this is the case, why when I take 12 gallons of water out of my main display, and into my 12 Gallon QT, does it not cycle?? It has worked for me for years.

tmz · 03/15/2008, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blown 346
Bacteria resides in the water column as well. If this is the case, why when I take 12 gallons of water out of my main display, and into my 12 Gallon QT, does it not cycle?? It has worked for me for years.

Because denitrifying bacteria live in and on the rock or substrate and perform denitrification in these media not in the water column.

Blown 346 · 03/15/2008, 10:21 PM

I had no rock or substrate in the QT tank, It was brand new, empty. I added the water from the main display and no change in parameters.

tmz · 03/15/2008, 10:26 PM

Of course you wouldn't .What would change it. But the water won't denitrify waste only bethnic bacteria do that.

reefergeorge · 03/16/2008, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blown 346
I had no rock or substrate in the QT tank, It was brand new, empty. I added the water from the main display and no change in parameters.

When I used water from my display for my Qt. I still had huge ammonia problems.
You need to run the QT filter on the DT for it to work.

phil519 · 03/16/2008, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tmz
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm. Here's the link to the article on nitrite. Not fretting on noitrite makes qt management much easier.

Correct link:

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium

03/14/2008, 09:09 PM	#1
homeagain Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 64	question about qt I have read on here about having fish in qt and keeping the ammonia down my question is about the other parameters of the water .I have some fish in qt(for ich) and have been keeping the ammonia down to o or .5 and decided the check the nitrite,nitrate and found out they where high ,I have been doing wc every day about 10 or 12 gal a day,do I have to nitrite and nitrate down also or just worry about the ammonia. I checked the ammonia to day and it was 0 ,and thought I should check the rest and they were high why is that or is that the way it will be in qt .The fish are doing fine not in stress or acting funny so should I worry about the nitrite and nitrate or just the ammonia

03/14/2008, 11:42 PM	#3
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Nitrite and nitrate ae not a major concern for marine fish. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

03/15/2008, 08:49 AM	#6
reefergeorge Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: St Louis MO Posts: 4,222	Just use some prime, and keep doing what you are doing. Nitrites are a problem, but not as much as ammonia. __________________ $35-50 for a <1" frag of some stupid named thing that came from a colony you bought for $40-60 wholesale and chopped into 20-40 pieces? No thanks. "JasonH" Current Tank Info: 125 aggressive reef, DIY led lighting, swc cone skimmer, 33 gallon sump, posiden Ps3 return.

03/15/2008, 09:32 AM	#8
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm. Here's the link to the article on nitrite. Not fretting on noitrite makes qt management much easier. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

03/15/2008, 09:35 AM	#9
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Don't know why this link don't work. Just go tho the reef chemistry forum and scroll down the Randy Homes Farely articles thread. You will find this one in the general articles category. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

03/14/2008, 09:17 PM	#2
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	It sounds like the tank was cycleing. To start a QT I always do a waterchnage on the main tank, and use that water for the QT. No cycle each time.

03/15/2008, 05:48 AM	#5
nycsicktank Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: nyc Posts: 234	same here.

03/15/2008, 09:57 AM	#10
kevin2000 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,805	When running a QT focus on ammonia - not necessary to monitor nitrite or nitrate. If your running a hypo QT then make sure you monitor alkalinity since a std hypo tank has low alkalinity and is is prone to PH swings.

03/15/2008, 10:04 AM	#12
nycsicktank Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: nyc Posts: 234	i put 2 sponges(were in my DT for a month) in my HOB and then i added new freshwater, does this mean my tank will cycle? also how long does it take a sponge to be effect bio filter?

03/15/2008, 10:12 AM	#13
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	If it's seeded it should start working immediately. The hyposalinity will depress it a bit but it should recover. I have had more sucess with seeded crushed coral in the filtercartrige bags and a bit of seeded lava rock or other live rock. Sponges just don't seem to have enough. If at some point you use copper or other meds in your qt be mindful of the fact taht these items will absordb he medications and leach them back later. So they should never again be used in a display with inverts. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

03/15/2008, 10:26 AM	#14
nycsicktank Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: nyc Posts: 234	so the new water wont kill bacteria in my sponges?

03/15/2008, 10:21 PM	#17
Blown 346 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Rockford, Illinois Posts: 6,596	I had no rock or substrate in the QT tank, It was brand new, empty. I added the water from the main display and no change in parameters.

03/15/2008, 10:26 PM	#18
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	Of course you wouldn't .What would change it. But the water won't denitrify waste only bethnic bacteria do that. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.