QT questions??

[bif24701]

Setting up a QT that will hold all of my DT fish for up to 10 weeks. It is a 40 breeder, with a marineland emperor 400 power filter (400gph), a 1200 maxijet powerhead, and about 15 pounds of LR that's about 2 months old in my DT.
Stock:
1x CBB, Blue Tang (3 1/2"), coral beautie, Lawnmower blenny, yellow tang (3"), maroon clown (3 1/2")
2x Bartllet Anthias

Question: will this 40 breeder setup be stable and safe as a hospital tank for 10 weeks? (Too much livestock?)

[Ron Reefman]

For 10 weeks as a hospital tank, I think you will be OK. You have some LR going in, I'd be sure to have some pvc pipe as well just for hiding places for the fish.

What are you treating the fish for? Do you expect that the LR will survive the treatment and still be LR? If it doesn't stay live, or more likely 15lbs of LR won't be enough, have a good supply of mixed SW ready to do water changes as the ammonia levels start to go up.

[00Warpig00]

Depending on what the treatment is for might it be better to leave the rock in the DT?

Nick

[bif24701]

The LR isn't going back in the DT. Will be treating for ich.

[00Warpig00]

ahh treating the dt directly for ich.. lr coming out... I was thinking you were moving the fish into the Qt and treating the QT with the fish and letting the DT sit without fish to let the ich cycle die with no hosts. divide and conquer.

Nick

[bif24701]

Originally Posted by 00Warpig00

ahh treating the dt directly for ich.. lr coming out... I was thinking you were moving the fish into the Qt and treating the QT with the fish and letting the DT sit without fish to let the ich cycle die with no hosts. divide and conquer.

Nick

No I have QT and will be putting all my fish in it. I'm only putting a few small ones (LR) I took out of the DT.

[Alex T.]

I wouldn't even bother with the live rock. If you have to resort to copper, it will be worthless, and if you decide to do hyposalinity the bacteria population will be minimal and ineffective.

Always keep fresh saltwater mixing, change as necessary, run it barebottom with some PVC piping for hiding spots, rinse the sponge every few days in salt water and watch ammonia levels with sparse feeding.

[atticus818]

Depends on the medication being used. Malachite green perhaps? AFAIK you can use that without killing all of the bio on LR.

[bif24701]

Originally Posted by Alex T.

I wouldn't even bother with the live rock. If you have to resort to copper, it will be worthless, and if you decide to do hyposalinity the bacteria population will be minimal and ineffective.

Always keep fresh saltwater mixing, change as necessary, run it barebottom with some PVC piping for hiding spots, rinse the sponge every few days in salt water and watch ammonia levels with sparse feeding.

I assumed that the high bio load would demand more bio filtration. I plan to use copper.

[bif24701]

Current picture.

[bif24701]

In treatment, a QT will have minimum bio filtration due to the treating process and frequent/large water changes are required?

[Alex T.]

Originally Posted by bif24701

In treatment, a QT will have minimum bio filtration due to the treating process and frequent/large water changes are required?

True. Although you are qt'ing them all now, the goal is to not have to ever treat them all at once and have a higher risk of loss. You really have no choice other than to separate them in different tanks or be ready for good size water changes and adjustment of ccopper therapy levels if that's the route you've chosen. It stinks, but it will pretty much assure you don't do it again. I learned the hard way. I'll never put my fish, corals or myself through that again.

[bif24701]

In my case is there a treatment more suited for my fish? Or just decided one and go with it? Considering hypo salinity as well.

[geaux xman]

i think you are fine. i use 29g QT tanks with a ~10lb LR(dry rock w/beneficial bacti) but i like to use the AquaClear70 filter as it has a huge sponge in it for biofiltration.

the tough part for you is to get some of your fish to feed while on copper. also, i dont know how tolerant some of those fish are with copper. Ramp up the copper dose slowly and if you are using Cupramine, I'd aim for .35ppm.

[bif24701]

Looks like ill need a copper test kit.

Question, I assume that anything that comes in contact witb the copper water will never be used with the reef. Correct? Even hoses for water changes.

[geaux xman]

Well I dont know about hose, but for something like a tank, all you have to do is rinse it with some water real good and wipe it down with some vinegar and it can be reused for a reef tank.

Go with the Salifert test kit. I find the Seachem copper test kit very difficult to read.

[bif24701]

Originally Posted by bif24701

In my case is there a treatment more suited for my fish? Or just decided one and go with it? Considering hypo salinity as well.

Bump question.