Quarantine help!

Apartmenttank · 10/27/2015, 12:01 PM

I have 3 fish in quarantine, got them from the LFS out of the same tank so figured they would all get along as well as if one was healthy they all would be.

have them in a 29 gallon tank for around 30 hours now. I only had 15 gallons of water mixed up so i took 15 from my display into the quarantine tank and kept them there. I just tested the water and got a ammonia of around .75
i know this is a dangerous level, i added in prime as well as added 10 gallons of water to get the volume up to 25. I am mixing more water for watcher changes.

Is there anything i can do for my fish? Should i take some liverock from my tank and put it into there to filter out the ammoina? Should i put them into my display sense quarantining is obviously hurting them with no ability to control ammonia?

Sk8r · 10/27/2015, 12:05 PM

Water changes. 30%. Clean the filter.

Apartmenttank · 10/27/2015, 12:07 PM

I do not have a Filter in there as i was told you dont need one for quarantine, it has a powerhead heater and PVC pipe for them to hide in. I am mixing salt now(can only do it 5 gallons at a time)

Will continuous water changes be my best method?

Apartmenttank · 10/27/2015, 12:08 PM

Also i have a 10 gallon tank should i just fill that with fresh saltwater and transfer them?

Then place them back into the 29 when i get the ammonia down?

gone fishin · 10/27/2015, 12:26 PM

I would add some prime. Be aware that prime can skew an ammonia test due to the reaction of the prime and the ammonia. Seachem makes an ammonia test that can be used in conjunction with prime. Also an ammonia alert badge works well.

In addition I would get a surplus of water on hand if possible. IMO having extra water on during QT is a requirement. Good luck just my 2 cents.

Apartmenttank · 10/27/2015, 12:34 PM

I need a mixing container i currently have a 60 gallon supply of RODI but i am mixing in 5 gallon buckets and the most i can do is 10(2-5 gallon buckets) at a time. I know ammonia goal is zero but what is a more realistic number to keep the quarantine below?

Also is there any way i can add some filtration to this tank? If i add the live rock rubble from my sump with that deal with it? and would i be able to put the live rock back into my tank if the fish are healthy and i do not treat with anything?

Would my filter sock help at all? or would that make it worse?

gone fishin · 10/27/2015, 12:42 PM

I would suspect with the addition of the prime and the 10g of fresh saltwater you may be OK. FWIW I do not cycle my QT. I rely on prime and WC's.

I do not know what a realistic goal for the ammonia is other than zero. obviously the closer to zero the better but any amount of ammonia can cause issues to the fish.

I personally would not put any rock back into the tank if you choose to put it in your QT.

Sk8r · 10/27/2015, 01:39 PM

Go get a very small child's plastic bucket or old 50-cd sales packet, small submersible pump and some eggcrate lighting grid. Put the pump in the bucket, lighting grid atop that, some pillow floss (hobby store) atop that, and another piece of lighting grid under a glass paperweight. Change the floss daily. YEs, you should have filtration going.

As a less labor-intensive sub for the above, you can use a regular small tank filter, stuff it with pillow floss and toss the floss daily, but get the strongest you can. Ocean fish require a fierce lot of oxygenation.

Mrs. Music · 10/27/2015, 07:08 PM

Seachem Stability has kept my QT and treatment tanks with undetectable ammonia for two years or so now.

Apartmenttank · 10/28/2015, 12:34 AM

So update i tested for ammonia after all the WC and got .25. Fish are also out and swimming but i think i found the issue. the powerhead i was using i have also been using to purge/cycle a rock that had a lot of xenia on it i wanted out of the tank. The powerhead was not clean enough and was causing some ammonia. Cleaning it then putting back into QT tank. Tomorrow morning i will check ammonia and see if i need to forgo quarantine for the sake of the fish.

10/27/2015, 12:01 PM	#1
Apartmenttank Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 160	Quarantine help! I have 3 fish in quarantine, got them from the LFS out of the same tank so figured they would all get along as well as if one was healthy they all would be. have them in a 29 gallon tank for around 30 hours now. I only had 15 gallons of water mixed up so i took 15 from my display into the quarantine tank and kept them there. I just tested the water and got a ammonia of around .75 i know this is a dangerous level, i added in prime as well as added 10 gallons of water to get the volume up to 25. I am mixing more water for watcher changes. Is there anything i can do for my fish? Should i take some liverock from my tank and put it into there to filter out the ammoina? Should i put them into my display sense quarantining is obviously hurting them with no ability to control ammonia?

10/27/2015, 12:05 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Water changes. 30%. Clean the filter. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/27/2015, 12:26 PM	#5
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I would add some prime. Be aware that prime can skew an ammonia test due to the reaction of the prime and the ammonia. Seachem makes an ammonia test that can be used in conjunction with prime. Also an ammonia alert badge works well. In addition I would get a surplus of water on hand if possible. IMO having extra water on during QT is a requirement. Good luck just my 2 cents. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

10/27/2015, 12:42 PM	#7
gone fishin Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Wyocena Wi Posts: 6,936	I would suspect with the addition of the prime and the 10g of fresh saltwater you may be OK. FWIW I do not cycle my QT. I rely on prime and WC's. I do not know what a realistic goal for the ammonia is other than zero. obviously the closer to zero the better but any amount of ammonia can cause issues to the fish. I personally would not put any rock back into the tank if you choose to put it in your QT. __________________ Tony Current Tank Info: 180gal DT, BM NAC77 skimmer,3 Maxspect razors, Maxspect Gyre 150, 30g QT

10/27/2015, 01:39 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Go get a very small child's plastic bucket or old 50-cd sales packet, small submersible pump and some eggcrate lighting grid. Put the pump in the bucket, lighting grid atop that, some pillow floss (hobby store) atop that, and another piece of lighting grid under a glass paperweight. Change the floss daily. YEs, you should have filtration going. As a less labor-intensive sub for the above, you can use a regular small tank filter, stuff it with pillow floss and toss the floss daily, but get the strongest you can. Ocean fish require a fierce lot of oxygenation. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/27/2015, 12:07 PM	#3
Apartmenttank Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 160	I do not have a Filter in there as i was told you dont need one for quarantine, it has a powerhead heater and PVC pipe for them to hide in. I am mixing salt now(can only do it 5 gallons at a time) Will continuous water changes be my best method?

10/27/2015, 12:08 PM	#4
Apartmenttank Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 160	Also i have a 10 gallon tank should i just fill that with fresh saltwater and transfer them? Then place them back into the 29 when i get the ammonia down?

10/27/2015, 12:34 PM	#6
Apartmenttank Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 160	I need a mixing container i currently have a 60 gallon supply of RODI but i am mixing in 5 gallon buckets and the most i can do is 10(2-5 gallon buckets) at a time. I know ammonia goal is zero but what is a more realistic number to keep the quarantine below? Also is there any way i can add some filtration to this tank? If i add the live rock rubble from my sump with that deal with it? and would i be able to put the live rock back into my tank if the fish are healthy and i do not treat with anything? Would my filter sock help at all? or would that make it worse?

10/27/2015, 07:08 PM	#9
Mrs. Music Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sylvania, OH Posts: 636	Seachem Stability has kept my QT and treatment tanks with undetectable ammonia for two years or so now.

10/28/2015, 12:34 AM	#10
Apartmenttank Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Posts: 160	So update i tested for ammonia after all the WC and got .25. Fish are also out and swimming but i think i found the issue. the powerhead i was using i have also been using to purge/cycle a rock that had a lot of xenia on it i wanted out of the tank. The powerhead was not clean enough and was causing some ammonia. Cleaning it then putting back into QT tank. Tomorrow morning i will check ammonia and see if i need to forgo quarantine for the sake of the fish.