How much Live rock is enough for one fish (tang)

[kingkapoor]

I have a blue tang who will probably need to be copper treated in a 20 gallon. I was thinking of sacrificing a pound or two of lr from my display and tossing it in with her to hopefully keep the ammonia levels down. And thus only running a heater and flow pump. Should this work? I cant do water changes for about 5 days since I am traveling starting tomorrow

 

[Big G]

Sounds like a good plan. Consider adding a mesh bag with ceramic material like Fluval BioMax, etc. that has been soaked overnight in BioSpira, etc. The added surface area of the ceramic material is tremendous. I usually leave a bag or two in my sump just for events like yours. Also a bubble foam filter with the foam soaked in sump for 30 days really, really works well. Many times I didn't have to do water changes in the QT hardly at all.

 

[nereefpat]

I like your thinking.

There is an inherent problem with using live rock with copper. The rock absorbs the copper and can make keeping the copper levels difficult.

Make sure you are testing copper concentration in the tank at least daily.

 

[kingkapoor]

If I dont use live rock how long would it take for the ammonia levels to get to what the heck levels?

alternatively could I just throw a bag of purigen in there?

 

[nereefpat]

It's hard to say, unfortunately. It will depend on the size of the fish, how much you feed it, etc.

Thats the trouble with an uncycled qt and the advantage of tank transfer method.

 

[KorD]

I would not pit live rock in a QT.
QT's need top to bottom cleaning when it gets dirty or it really is not clean for getting the fish back to good health.
I would just toss the fish in the QT with nothing and feed it algae sheets or whatever you need it.
No need on damaging good live rock with medications.

 

[Jesterrace]

I agree I wouldn't do the live rock in QT and just stay on top of the water parameters.

 

[Jon Fishman]

If you put Live Rock in the QT it can never go back in the display