Help with QT

[FL_Reef]

Does this plan look right?

Sadly my royal gramma was dead this morning from what I believe was ich. I plan on taking all my fish out of my DT and into a QT. My plan is to buy https://www.petsmart.com/fish/tanks...s-aquarium-starter-kit-40713.html?cgid=300207 (the 29g) I also have a spare powerhead I can use.

I have ordered copper power, the seachem test kit, seachem stability, and an ammonia badge. Should be receiving those tomorrow. I plan on putting some pvc elbows in. One for each fish? I have 2 clownfish, 1 firefish, 1 azure damsel, 1 watchman goby, and 1 hawkfish.

I plan on filling the new tank up with the pvc elbows and new saltwater to match my DT of salinity and temperature today. Then add the Seachem tomorrow when I get it. Then raise the copper to 1.0 and follow the protocol in the sticky.

Is it safe to add the fish right away after the QT is at 1.0 copper? Can I do all of that in one day tomorrow?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

While the physical plan is fine, I didn’t see how you plan to manage the ammonia. Do you have any seeded material you can use from your DT? You need enough beneficial bacteria to keep the ammonia level at zero. I would also add some sort of a cover to keep the fish from jumping. More PVC pipe is better - gives the fish more choices.
Jay

 

[Speaker]

You could save some money by not buying a kit tank. Petsupply plus is doing a dollar per gallon sale. https://www.petsuppliesplus.com/shopping/aqueon-aquarium-long-tank/8463?sku=015905100151
Some egg crate (light diffuser) for a lid. I prefer sponge filters for qt tanks as you can toss them when your done and you can keep them in your sump to pre seed them. As long as you keep an eye on your ammonia you should be fine. You may end up having to do some wc to keep your ammonia down. Ive currently got a yellow tang, bristle tooth tang, clown fish, and midas blenny in a 20gal long for qt. They have been in there a week with no issues.

 

[Speaker]

Picture of qt.

 

[FL_Reef]

While the physical plan is fine, I didn’t see how you plan to manage the ammonia. Do you have any seeded material you can use from your DT? You need enough beneficial bacteria to keep the ammonia level at zero. I would also add some sort of a cover to keep the fish from jumping. More PVC pipe is better - gives the fish more choices.
Jay

Thanks for the fast reply. I am unfamiliar with the seachem stability. I was thinking the stability added the bacteria, but from your reply I guess it doesn't. I can take one of the rocks from my display tank.

Also, what do I do after the 30 days of treating with the copper. Do water changes to get it out and just leave them in that tank for the remaining time it takes to rid my DT of the ich? I plan on going fallow in my DT for the 76 days.

The other option I can do is the TTM method. I do have 2 10 gallons laying around. I was thinking of doing 2-3 fish at a time then putting them in a newly setup tank separate from my DT. The problem is I'm not 100% sure if it was ich on the royal gramma and if I do this method it may not cure what the real problem is.

I've had all these fish for 6-12 months and haven't had any other issues.

The copper method seems to put a little more stress on the fish I think so I'm now leaning on the TTM method.

Sorry for the indecisiveness. I'm just now finding out about all of this. What would you do?

 

[FL_Reef]

You could save some money by not buying a kit tank. Petsupply plus is doing a dollar per gallon sale. https://www.petsuppliesplus.com/shopping/aqueon-aquarium-long-tank/8463?sku=015905100151
Some egg crate (light diffuser) for a lid. I prefer sponge filters for qt tanks as you can toss them when your done and you can keep them in your sump to pre seed them. As long as you keep an eye on your ammonia you should be fine. You may end up having to do some wc to keep your ammonia down. Ive currently got a yellow tang, bristle tooth tang, clown fish, and midas blenny in a 20gal long for qt. They have been in there a week with no issues.

Thanks for the info. I will look into that.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Thanks for the fast reply. I am unfamiliar with the seachem stability. I was thinking the stability added the bacteria, but from your reply I guess it doesn't. I can take one of the rocks from my display tank.

Also, what do I do after the 30 days of treating with the copper. Do water changes to get it out and just leave them in that tank for the remaining time it takes to rid my DT of the ich? I plan on going fallow in my DT for the 76 days.

The other option I can do is the TTM method. I do have 2 10 gallons laying around. I was thinking of doing 2-3 fish at a time then putting them in a newly setup tank separate from my DT. The problem is I'm not 100% sure if it was ich on the royal gramma and if I do this method it may not cure what the real problem is.

I've had all these fish for 6-12 months and haven't had any other issues.

The copper method seems to put a little more stress on the fish I think so I'm now leaning on the TTM method.

Sorry for the indecisiveness. I'm just now finding out about all of this. What would you do?

You need to be careful when using bacteria in a bottle products, they don’t always control ammonia in quarantine tanks. Using rock from your tank would work except that almost all reef rock is carbonate material that isn’t good to use with copper.
After 30 days of copper, I dose with praziquantel 3x over two weeks. Some people use General cure instead.
In real world application TTM can be pretty stressful as well, copper gets a bad rap, but really, only a few fish are sensitive to currently sold copper meds.

 

[FL_Reef]

You need to be careful when using bacteria in a bottle products, they don’t always control ammonia in quarantine tanks. Using rock from your tank would work except that almost all reef rock is carbonate material that isn’t good to use with copper.
After 30 days of copper, I dose with praziquantel 3x over two weeks. Some people use General cure instead.
In real world application TTM can be pretty stressful as well, copper gets a bad rap, but really, only a few fish are sensitive to currently sold copper meds.

Ok, I'll go with the original plan going copper. I'll monitor ammonia closely and do water changes if necessary. I do have general cure on hand so I will probably go with that. I appreciate your help.