QT question...

JTrigger · 11/29/2010, 11:57 AM

I realize this can go in the Disease forum, but felt there's more traffic here and I'm still a newbie so I just wanted to make sure I'm setting my QT up correctly:

1) 20gal tank
2) Basic light that comes with kit
3) PVC elbows
4) AC 20-30 filter with sponge
5) Ammonia badge
6) Ammo-lock?
7) Small PH
8) Heater
9) Temp strip

So, if this is correct, I had a few other questions:

1) I should take the sponge out of the AC HOB and leave it in my DT's sump for a few weeks to get the beneficial bacteria to throw into the QT system to get it established
2) If say I needed to use the QT as a HT quicker, I can keep the sponge in the sump for a few days minimum or is it enough to just use 50% water from DT with 50% new RO/DI water mixed with salt?
3) When treating with Cupramine, as long as I maintain therapeutic levels with Cupramine, and after I treat for the necessary length of time, how does one rid the fish of all Cupramine before placing him back into DT? Is it after it's had the required treatment course, you just perform multiple water changes and make sure with a Cu testing kit that it's back down to 0?'
4) If you have to QT sandburrowing species like wrasses, will they be OK in just PVC?

Sk8r · 11/29/2010, 12:05 PM

Cuprisorb.
I don't use a sponge, because meds kill the bacteria anyway if you use them. Personally, I've always used a handful of carbon wrapped in loose floss in a cheap airdriven filter, changed very, very, very often and water tested up to 3x daily. Mind---if you have copper in your tank, your test vials are copper-fied, so test strips are better. So is a floating hydrometer, for this one application.
But cuprisorb will take up copper.

JTrigger · 11/29/2010, 12:15 PM

So, it's recommended to take the specified amount of Cuprisorb and wrap it in a loose floss similar to the carbon and run this until you have test strips that designate a level of 0 before considering acclimating your fish into the DT?

With vials and other accessories laced with Cu, can one rinse with Vinegar?

Jstdv8 · 11/29/2010, 02:40 PM

I actually keep the fish in the QT an extra week after the 4 weeks of copper medication and do several water changes with water from the DT, this is like a week long acclimation.

But Ive also just taken the fish right out of the copper tank, acclimated them in a little of the tank water in a big tupperware dish, Drip acclimate just like normal and then add the fish to the tank. Then I drain the copper tank and add a new filter to my sump for next time. Sometimes "next time" is a long ways off though and i end up changing or cleaning the filter in the sump several times to keep it from being a nitrate factory.

JTrigger · 11/30/2010, 11:09 AM

Is it typical for a fish to look within first 24h of being in QT as my clown had very mild ich near it's dorsal fin, now it looks like it's covering >1/2 of its body and has something attached to its eye now

Jstdv8 · 11/30/2010, 12:53 PM

Did you start the copper treatment yet?

JTrigger · 11/30/2010, 01:06 PM

Yep, followed dosing of Cupramine yesterday, setup QT with 50% DT water, 50% mixed water, same temp, same salinity, no ammonia per alert badge, Cu at 0.25 and next dose by Wed night to reach 0.5 per instructions. Wierd thing was first thing this morning he was covered, then about 1 hr later after he was swimming around more there was much less ich. I presume he'll be better after reaching 0.5 given that's appropriate to kill ich as compared to 0.25 although per instructions acclimation is necessary.

11/29/2010, 11:57 AM	#1
JTrigger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 383	QT question... I realize this can go in the Disease forum, but felt there's more traffic here and I'm still a newbie so I just wanted to make sure I'm setting my QT up correctly: 1) 20gal tank 2) Basic light that comes with kit 3) PVC elbows 4) AC 20-30 filter with sponge 5) Ammonia badge 6) Ammo-lock? 7) Small PH 8) Heater 9) Temp strip So, if this is correct, I had a few other questions: 1) I should take the sponge out of the AC HOB and leave it in my DT's sump for a few weeks to get the beneficial bacteria to throw into the QT system to get it established 2) If say I needed to use the QT as a HT quicker, I can keep the sponge in the sump for a few days minimum or is it enough to just use 50% water from DT with 50% new RO/DI water mixed with salt? 3) When treating with Cupramine, as long as I maintain therapeutic levels with Cupramine, and after I treat for the necessary length of time, how does one rid the fish of all Cupramine before placing him back into DT? Is it after it's had the required treatment course, you just perform multiple water changes and make sure with a Cu testing kit that it's back down to 0?' 4) If you have to QT sandburrowing species like wrasses, will they be OK in just PVC?

11/29/2010, 12:05 PM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Cuprisorb. I don't use a sponge, because meds kill the bacteria anyway if you use them. Personally, I've always used a handful of carbon wrapped in loose floss in a cheap airdriven filter, changed very, very, very often and water tested up to 3x daily. Mind---if you have copper in your tank, your test vials are copper-fied, so test strips are better. So is a floating hydrometer, for this one application. But cuprisorb will take up copper. __________________ 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%.

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11/29/2010, 12:15 PM	#3
JTrigger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 383	So, it's recommended to take the specified amount of Cuprisorb and wrap it in a loose floss similar to the carbon and run this until you have test strips that designate a level of 0 before considering acclimating your fish into the DT? With vials and other accessories laced with Cu, can one rinse with Vinegar?

11/29/2010, 02:40 PM	#4
Jstdv8 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wasilla, Alaska Posts: 1,420	I actually keep the fish in the QT an extra week after the 4 weeks of copper medication and do several water changes with water from the DT, this is like a week long acclimation. But Ive also just taken the fish right out of the copper tank, acclimated them in a little of the tank water in a big tupperware dish, Drip acclimate just like normal and then add the fish to the tank. Then I drain the copper tank and add a new filter to my sump for next time. Sometimes "next time" is a long ways off though and i end up changing or cleaning the filter in the sump several times to keep it from being a nitrate factory.

11/30/2010, 11:09 AM	#5
JTrigger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 383	Is it typical for a fish to look within first 24h of being in QT as my clown had very mild ich near it's dorsal fin, now it looks like it's covering >1/2 of its body and has something attached to its eye now

11/30/2010, 12:53 PM	#6
Jstdv8 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wasilla, Alaska Posts: 1,420	Did you start the copper treatment yet?

11/30/2010, 01:06 PM	#7
JTrigger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 383	Yep, followed dosing of Cupramine yesterday, setup QT with 50% DT water, 50% mixed water, same temp, same salinity, no ammonia per alert badge, Cu at 0.25 and next dose by Wed night to reach 0.5 per instructions. Wierd thing was first thing this morning he was covered, then about 1 hr later after he was swimming around more there was much less ich. I presume he'll be better after reaching 0.5 given that's appropriate to kill ich as compared to 0.25 although per instructions acclimation is necessary.