Substrate in quarantine tank

mangelo · 08/06/2012, 05:54 PM

Ive set up a 55 gal quarantine tank with no substrate. My question is if I ever have to add Melafix, Pimafix, or Metro does it remain in the sand? After a fish were to heal I thought I would just run carbon with a partial water change.

I know that I shouldn't use live sand since a lot of the medications kill off the bacteria. Is there any benefit to adding a substrate? I would just think that the fish would prefer it to a clear glass bottom.

mm949 · 08/06/2012, 06:02 PM

better off w/o it...

dzfish17 · 08/06/2012, 06:21 PM

I have a very thin layer (1/2") of sand in my QT because I think its looks better... I also have a couple pieces of rock in there too. It doesnt really matter because that stuff will stay in the QT tank.

Reefmedic79 · 08/06/2012, 06:38 PM

Some substrates I believe, can absorb medication effectively causing an improper and possibly ineffective dosage.

bnumair · 08/06/2012, 06:41 PM

QT's are left better bare, this is a sticky on the new to hobby forum that discuss QT in detail.

downbeach · 08/06/2012, 06:42 PM

My QT is bare bottom with some PVC pipe fittings for the fish to hide in. I keep it that way because if I need a hospital tank, it's ready to go. Its not a good idea to have a substrate and/or rocks if you have to medicate.

mangelo · 08/06/2012, 06:48 PM

Thanks for the info!

00Warpig00 · 08/06/2012, 08:05 PM

Your QT/HT tanks are 0% to do with looks and 100% to do with observing/treating fish. Your display tank is there to look nice(r) and hopefully has 0% to do with treating your fish.

Nick

dzfish17 · 08/06/2012, 08:26 PM

Ive treated my QT tank with cupramine twice and it was very easy to keep the proper dosage even with the thin layer of substrate. I do think a QT tank should look nice if its in your living room and is set up all the time. The substrate and rock does not affect proper treatment. It may absorb some of the copper but I use cuprasorb and carbon to remove the copper after treatment. Im not suggesting this for everyone but it works great for me.

MrTuskfish · 08/07/2012, 07:42 AM

Melafix and Primafix should just stay in the bottle. I don't think they do anything; certainly not all the stuff they claim.

ReefCare4U · 08/07/2012, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by downbeach

my qt is bare bottom with some pvc pipe fittings for the fish to hide in. I keep it that way because if i need a hospital tank, it's ready to go. Its not a good idea to have a substrate and/or rocks if you have to medicate.

+1

08/06/2012, 05:54 PM	#1
mangelo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 480	Substrate in quarantine tank Ive set up a 55 gal quarantine tank with no substrate. My question is if I ever have to add Melafix, Pimafix, or Metro does it remain in the sand? After a fish were to heal I thought I would just run carbon with a partial water change. I know that I shouldn't use live sand since a lot of the medications kill off the bacteria. Is there any benefit to adding a substrate? I would just think that the fish would prefer it to a clear glass bottom.

08/06/2012, 06:02 PM	#2
mm949 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: chicago Posts: 1,843	better off w/o it... __________________ 219"x30"x48" - 1350gl reef Current Tank Info: ...18ft of double sided goodness

08/06/2012, 06:21 PM	#3
dzfish17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Fresno,Ca. Posts: 2,545	I have a very thin layer (1/2") of sand in my QT because I think its looks better... I also have a couple pieces of rock in there too. It doesnt really matter because that stuff will stay in the QT tank. __________________ 600g (96x36x46) FOWLR

08/06/2012, 06:38 PM	#4
Reefmedic79 Life and Reef Saver Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Tavares, Florida Posts: 6,202	Some substrates I believe, can absorb medication effectively causing an improper and possibly ineffective dosage. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> How much deeper would the ocean be if it didn't have sponges? P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sid Current Tank Info: 40 Breeder, 20L Sump, 10G Fuge, JBJ A.T.O, 4" Reef Octopus, DIY Stand & Canopy, RapidLED Dimmable 36 Kit on 3 6" MakersLED Heatsink, MP10es

08/06/2012, 06:41 PM	#5
bnumair Dr. Reef at ur service Join Date: May 2009 Location: Tulsa, Ok, USA Posts: 7,751 Blog Entries: 15	QT's are left better bare, this is a sticky on the new to hobby forum that discuss QT in detail. __________________ Water Quality: NO3 0,Phos 0,Cal 440,Alk 7.5,Mag 1300 "Reef Fast, You Crash, Reef Slow, You Pass" Mike's Reef 3:16 Current Tank Info: 350g DT,95g sump, 50g Frag tank, 4800gph return 4x Sea swirls. 6x AI Vega Color. 200# Pukani rock, dual recirculating skimmer, Biopellet, GFO Carbon rx's, Cal rx. Closed loop. 1.5hp chiller, genesis renew. Apex & RKE

08/06/2012, 06:42 PM	#6
downbeach Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Smyrna, Delaware Posts: 3,767	My QT is bare bottom with some PVC pipe fittings for the fish to hide in. I keep it that way because if I need a hospital tank, it's ready to go. Its not a good idea to have a substrate and/or rocks if you have to medicate.

08/06/2012, 06:48 PM	#7
mangelo Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Ohio Posts: 480	Thanks for the info!

08/06/2012, 08:05 PM	#8
00Warpig00 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Schaumburg, IL. Posts: 621	Your QT/HT tanks are 0% to do with looks and 100% to do with observing/treating fish. Your display tank is there to look nice(r) and hopefully has 0% to do with treating your fish. Nick __________________ 180G - 5 Yellow Tail Blue Damsels, Two Lined Sleeper Goby, Royal Gramma, Flame Angel pair, Yellow Stripe Maroon Clown, Pearlscale Butterfly, Australian Harlequin Tuskfish, Magnificent Foxface, Yellow Current Tank Info: 180G FOWLR Established 10/2010

08/06/2012, 08:26 PM	#9
dzfish17 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Fresno,Ca. Posts: 2,545	Ive treated my QT tank with cupramine twice and it was very easy to keep the proper dosage even with the thin layer of substrate. I do think a QT tank should look nice if its in your living room and is set up all the time. The substrate and rock does not affect proper treatment. It may absorb some of the copper but I use cuprasorb and carbon to remove the copper after treatment. Im not suggesting this for everyone but it works great for me. __________________ 600g (96x36x46) FOWLR

08/07/2012, 07:42 AM	#10
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	Melafix and Primafix should just stay in the bottle. I don't think they do anything; certainly not all the stuff they claim. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef