Emergency QT Help

[Saltine]

Having copper in your system will give you false positives on your ammonia test.

You need to get a Seachem alert ammonia badge to determine ammonia levels.

If you see ammonia on the badge, you need to do a water change and add a product like biospira (bacteria in a bottle) but not Prime!

Thanks! I'll get one now.

 

[Brew12]

Move the rest of your fish over. Feed lightly. When you get the seachem badge, check it using a flashlight.

If it is velvet you need to get them in copper and get your copper levels raised ASAP. You can control the ammonia, not the velvet.

 

[Saltine]

Move the rest of your fish over. Feed lightly. When you get the seachem badge, check it using a flashlight.

If it is velvet you need to get them in copper and get your copper levels raised ASAP. You can control the ammonia, not the velvet.

So if my copper test is still registering below 1.0ppm I should continue to dose until it reads 1.5-2? Even with a piece of LR and 4 marine pure balls in the system absorbing some of it?

Or is this a false reading?

Thanks a ton for your help!

Salt

 

[Brew12]

I would hold off adding more copper until the Prime is out of the system. Prime makes copper very toxic and will amplify the effects to both the velvet and the fish.

Sorry.. still working through the thread!

 

[Saltine]

LFS's are closed so I won't have an ammonia badge until tomorrow, hoping they all don't die over night :*(.

Salt

 

[Brew12]

Do you have an HOB filter or sponge filter in your HT?

 

[Saltine]

I would hold off adding more copper until the Prime is out of the system. Prime makes copper very toxic and will amplify the effects to both the velvet and the fish.

Sorry.. still working through the thread!

No problem, thanks again! Should I do another water change? Or will the prime wear off on it's own? I added 1 ml into 10g.

salt

 

[Saltine]

Do you have an HOB filter or sponge filter in your HT?

I have a HOB filter on the QT, with a sponge, but the sponge was dry until I got the QT wet a few hours ago.

 

[Brew12]

No problem, thanks again! Should I do another water change? Or will the prime wear off on it's own? I added 1 ml into 10g.

salt

I would do another water change if you have salt water already mixed. The prime will eventually wear off on it's own but it can take a day or two. I need to do a bit of research on this... My level of knowledge is not near what @Humblefish or @melypr1985 have!

 

[Saltine]

I would do another water change if you have salt water already mixed. The prime will eventually wear off on it's own but it can take a day or two. I need to do a bit of research on this... My level of knowledge is not near what @Humblefish or @melypr1985 have!

Ok, I have some that's been mixing for an hour or so, should I run some carbon?

salt

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

LFS's are closed so I won't have an ammonia badge until tomorrow, hoping they all don't die over night :*(.

Salt

they wont. your fine.
slow water changes.

 

[Brew12]

Did your bioballs come from the DT also, or just the piece of live rock? And is the live rock in your HOB now or in a high flow area in the HT?

 

[Saltine]

Did your bioballs come from the DT also, or just the piece of live rock? And is the live rock in your HOB now or in a high flow area in the HT?

Bioballs came from my DT, so they are well seeded. One of the balls is in the flow, others are around the tank, put one in each corner.

 

[Saltine]

BRB doing to do a 50% change. Also I did a 50% change before adding the prime, so my copper levels must have been sub .5PPM.

Salt

 

[jcdeng]

good luck! might want to get a larger HT to house all those fishes, especially if you gonna do it for the entire 6 weeks DT fallow.

 

[Brew12]

BRB doing to do a 50% change. Also I did a 50% change before adding the prime, so my copper levels must have been sub .5PPM.

Salt

I think that is a wise course of action. And keep mix on hand.

If you have room in your HOB I would try to put the bioballs in there to maximize their impact.

Next I would make it a priority to get the other fish caught, treated, and put into the HT just like you did with this first batch. You really did great with that until you got fooled by the ammonia test.

Don't feed them tonight to minimize ammonia in the tank although I think you will be fine. You just won't have any way to test for it until you get the badge.

I would sit with the tank like this, not adding any more copper, until one of the real experts comes on and offers better advice.

 

[Humblefish]

A few problems:

1. The presence of copper renders most liquid ammonia test kits useless. You have to rely upon the Seachem ammonia alert badge.
2. Dosing ammonia reducer in the presence of copper can turn the copper toxic; although this statement seems to be more accurate when dealing with Cupramine than a chelated copper product such as Coppersafe or Copper Power.
3. LR or plastic will both absorb copper, so daily monitoring is required to ensure the Cu level remains stable.

 

[Saltine]

I think that is a wise course of action. And keep mix on hand.

If you have room in your HOB I would try to put the bioballs in there to maximize their impact.

Next I would make it a priority to get the other fish caught, treated, and put into the HT just like you did with this first batch. You really did great with that until you got fooled by the ammonia test.

Don't feed them tonight to minimize ammonia in the tank although I think you will be fine. You just won't have any way to test for it until you get the badge.

I would sit with the tank like this, not adding any more copper, until one of the real experts comes on and offers better advice.

Thanks! Will do, I can transfer everything to a 22g plastic tub. But I wouldnt be able to use the HOB filter. It would just be an airstone, and small pump, thoughts?

Salt.

 

[Saltine]

A few problems:

1. The presence of copper renders most liquid ammonia test kits useless. You have to rely upon the Seachem ammonia alert badge.
2. Dosing ammonia reducer in the presence of copper can turn the copper toxic; although this statement seems to be more accurate when dealing with Cupramine than a chelated copper product such as Coppersafe or Copper Power.
3. LR or plastic will both absorb copper, so daily monitoring is required to ensure the Cu level remains stable.

Thank you! So no go on the plastic tub then....

Should I start dosing copper again in the QT to bring it up to therapeutic levels?

Thanks!
Salt

 

[Brew12]

Thanks! Will do, I can transfer everything to a 22g plastic tub. But I wouldnt be able to use the HOB filter. It would just be an airstone, and small pump, thoughts?

Salt.

My thoughts are that Humble is here so you are in great hands! Give him a few minutes to get caught up and I'm sure he will be able to give you wonderful advice!