Beginners Guide to Acclimation and Quarantine

[Brew12]

When raising the salinity in your QT to match your DT, how slow or fast do you go with that?

After having my 125 gallon tank set up and running with only inverts for the last 5 months I have fish coming in tomorrow and supposedly they keep their salinity at 1.021 whereas I keep my salinity in the DT at 1.025

I don't mind doing .002 per day. Most healthy fish could survive the jump you will have just fine. I feel that by doing it slower it gives the weaker or potentially sick fish a better chance to make it.

 

[Patricedion]

I will complete my first successful quarantine this weekend. Can I just use the coal filter to remove the copper and keep the QT running for my next batch of fishes or do I have to empty it and start all over again to prevent contamination ?

 

[Brew12]

I will complete my first successful quarantine this weekend. Can I just use the coal filter to remove the copper and keep the QT running for my next batch of fishes or do I have to empty it and start all over again to prevent contamination ?

Congrats!

You should be fine doing that. I wouldn't leave it running for more than 3 or 4 months at a time without breaking it down though. It can build up a biofilm that can break down non copper med's.

 

[Sottish_Reefer]

When raising the salinity in your QT to match your DT, how slow or fast do you go with that?

After having my 125 gallon tank set up and running with only inverts for the last 5 months I have fish coming in tomorrow and supposedly they keep their salinity at 1.021 whereas I keep my salinity in the DT at 1.025

I just finished a QT which I was running hyposalinity at 1.009sg. My tang developed ich about a week after I took it home and put it and a goby in the QT.

I raised the salinity over a 5 day period and raised the salinity .003/day. The tang and goby have been in the display tank for almost a week now and no signs of ich.

I'm just sharing my procedure and I am by no means an expert. I think probably the slower the better. Like with most things in this hobby patients is key

 

[Patricedion]

Congrats!

You should be fine doing that. I wouldn't leave it running for more than 3 or 4 months at a time without breaking it down though. It can build up a biofilm that can break down non copper med's.

Thanks !

 

[Bthomas]

I just set up my quarantine tank for the second time and added a sponge to the hob filter that has been in the sump of my main tank for 5 months. Added a bit of Dr Tim's ammonia to see if it all was good and it's been 24 hours and the ammonia still hasn't started breaking down. No nitrites and around .25 ammonia.
I thought adding a sponge from main tank would have it ready for fish immediately so why is it not processing ammonia? Last time I set it up I had the same issue so I had to add bio-spira to get it ready for fish.

 

[Brew12]

I just set up my quarantine tank for the second time and added a sponge to the hob filter that has been in the sump of my main tank for 5 months. Added a bit of Dr Tim's ammonia to see if it all was good and it's been 24 hours and the ammonia still hasn't started breaking down. No nitrites and around .25 ammonia.
I thought adding a sponge from main tank would have it ready for fish immediately so why is it not processing ammonia? Last time I set it up I had the same issue so I had to add bio-spira to get it ready for fish.

Putting a sponge in the sump only works if there is water flowing through it. If you just float it, or don't clean it regularly, water will flow around it and bacteria won't grow.

 

[Bthomas]

Putting a sponge in the sump only works if there is water flowing through it. If you just float it, or don't clean it regularly, water will flow around it and bacteria won't grow.

The sponge was between 2 baffles in the sump so there should have been plenty of water flowing through it, I had not cleaned the sponge tho, could that be the reason? If so how should I go about cleaning them when used in the future?

I was planning a trip to the lfs tomorrow to get fish, would it be safe to still do that and get a bottle of biospira to add at the same time. Or do I have to wait for the tank to cycle since I have ammonia present.

 

[Brew12]

The sponge was between 2 baffles in the sump so there should have been plenty of water flowing through it, I had not cleaned the sponge tho, could that be the reason? If so how should I go about cleaning them when used in the future?

I was planning a trip to the lfs tomorrow to get fish, would it be safe to still do that and get a bottle of biospira to add at the same time. Or do I have to wait for the tank to cycle since I have ammonia present.

I would get the biospira. It would take a few weeks to seed the sponge.

Putting it between baffles may not be enough, especially if the sponge is dirty. I don't keep a sponge in my sump but if I did I would clean it just like I do with the sponge in my QT filter. Once a week or so I run it under cool tap water to rinse it and wring it out. The bacteria will stay behind and it opens the sponge up to expose more surface area.
You may be ok just cleaning your sponge very well and putting it back into the filter.

 

[Bthomas]

I would get the biospira. It would take a few weeks to seed the sponge.

Putting it between baffles may not be enough, especially if the sponge is dirty. I don't keep a sponge in my sump but if I did I would clean it just like I do with the sponge in my QT filter. Once a week or so I run it under cool tap water to rinse it and wring it out. The bacteria will stay behind and it opens the sponge up to expose more surface area.
You may be ok just cleaning your sponge very well and putting it back into the filter.

So I would be ok to add fish tomorrow if I get the biospira tomorrow also? Even with ammonia present

 

[wesman42]

So I would be ok to add fish tomorrow if I get the biospira tomorrow also? Even with ammonia present

Do a relatively large water change, add the biospira, then add the fish.

 

[Brew12]

Do a relatively large water change, add the biospira, then add the fish.

How high is the ammonia?

And do you run a fuge with macro algae?

 

[Bthomas]

How high is the ammonia?

And do you run a fuge with macro algae?

It's reading around .25 with api test kit but the ammonia alert badge is only reading "alert" which it says is .05

 

[Brew12]

It's reading around .25 with api test kit but the ammonia alert badge is only reading "alert" which it says is .05

I think you should be fine adding fish tomorrow. I would go with the biospira too, just to be safe.

And make sure you shine a light on the back of the alert badge to read it properly. A flashlight works great unless you have pretty strong QT lighting.

 

[Bthomas]

I think you should be fine adding fish tomorrow. I would go with the biospira too, just to be safe.

And make sure you shine a light on the back of the alert badge to read it properly. A flashlight works great unless you have pretty strong QT lighting.

The badge actually appears to say safe with a flashlight behind it..

 

[Brew12]

The badge actually appears to say safe with a flashlight behind it..

That is a good thing!

 

[Bthomas]

That is a good thing!

Should I trust that over the api kit?

 

[Brew12]

Should I trust that over the api kit?

A 0.25ppm isn't unusual with API when Ammonia is at 0ppm. There have been some bad alert badges out there, but I think you will be fine.

 

[Bthomas]

A 0.25ppm isn't unusual with API when Ammonia is at 0ppm. There have been some bad alert badges out there, but I think you will be fine.

Great. Thanks

 

[mattzang]

so this seems like the place to ask about QT. I've never done one so..

I have a DD ORA orchid dottyback and liveaquaria red lined wrasse en route friday.

I have a 10 gallon tank w/ some way oversized HOB filter. I read to take any rock out so I'll just do a little tupperware of sand for the wrasse and some PVC pipes for the dotty. I haven't really cycled it other than I have some extra live rock from my DT sitting in there currently, but I have a ton of marinepure balls from my sump I could put it the HOB or just put them in the tank if they don't fit in there. Also probably going to order some biospira just to be safe.

medication wise.. I found that wrasses aren't big fans of copper, correct? so I'm thinking I'll stick to safer stuff for my first trip through here.

and also, how often should I do a 2-3 gallon water change? should it be brand new saltwater or just DT water?