How often to do a wc on a Quarantine tank

[Be102]

I know this seems like a silly question but I am curious how necessary is a water change when I am just using it as an observertation tank after a ttm with my two clowns. It’s a 10 gallon with a hob filter and I added biospira and can clearly see there is no ammonia being produced as they are being fed every few days and I have an ammonia alert badge. I was just wondering how often a water change is really needed. I didn’t want to cause problems but also want to not always change the water..

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

I know this seems like a silly question but I am curious how necessary is a water change when I am just using it as an observertation tank after a ttm with my two clowns. It’s a 10 gallon with a hob filter and I added biospira and can clearly see there is no ammonia being produced as they are being fed every few days and I have an ammonia alert badge. I was just wondering how often a water change is really needed. I didn’t want to cause problems but also want to not always change the water..

I was changing water twice a week while in observation, I wanted to ensure they had pristine water at all times. My QT was 10G and doing a 2.5G WC is nothing compared to my big tanks.

 

[User]

My QT periods are 14 days:

Copper at 1.75ppm fir 14 days
New tank fir other meds fir 14 days
100% wc to remove meds then 14 more days fir observation after last meds removed.

I don’t do WC during the actual 14 day periods- largely because each 10g tank has an oversized HOB and I only do 2-3” of total fish per 10g. I do top up with rodi every day though to keep salinity stable but it’s only like a cup a day and I cycle the tank with a large biospira

I tend to think there is more stress during WC under these conditions than that caused by the water quality degrading.

 

[Pbh-reef]

I’m no expert but can share my experience-
I qted 2 small fish in a 10 gallon with a aquaclear 50. Changed 6 gallons of water after 30 days (copper done), then ran cuprisorb to get rid of the rest of the copper. I changed 2 gallons after my first round of general cure. Don’t know if I’ll do more changes. I would be ready with a power head post water change to help decrease chances of a bacterial bloom

 

[Be102]

I am currently not running any copper. It’s just a tank that is housing my fish until my tank completes the fallow period

 

[marlinmon]

I only WC if the ammonia gets out of control

 

[Fastpitch]

I only WC if the ammonia gets out of control

Same here. Some do WCs between med treatments. It could bite me but I havent.

(that would not apply in your case)

 

[jmichaelh7]

Anyone water change based on seachem ammonia badge, or do they always change every other day

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

I know this seems like a silly question but I am curious how necessary is a water change when I am just using it as an observertation tank after a ttm with my two clowns. It’s a 10 gallon with a hob filter and I added biospira and can clearly see there is no ammonia being produced as they are being fed every few days and I have an ammonia alert badge. I was just wondering how often a water change is really needed. I didn’t want to cause problems but also want to not always change the water..

My ears perked up at, "being fed every few days". Clownfish, especially small tank raised ones that are newly acquired, need to be fed daily, or better yet, small amounts twice a day. Managing ammonia by reducing food intake is not a good solution - ammonia is produced by the fish even if not fed at all (as evidenced by ammonia that builds up so high in shipping bags). You don't want to grossly overfeed, but the fish need enough food to maintain good health.

Jay

 

[jmichaelh7]

My ears perked up at, "being fed every few days". Clownfish, especially small tank raised ones that are newly acquired, need to be fed daily, or better yet, small amounts twice a day. Managing ammonia by reducing food intake is not a good solution - ammonia is produced by the fish even if not fed at all (as evidenced by ammonia that builds up so high in shipping bags). You don't want to grossly overfeed, but the fish need enough food to maintain good health.

Jay

Jay

do you water change on a every x amount day routine or do you test ammonia and change?

 

[mike89t]

I like to paint the outside bottom of my QT white. A white bottom really shows any leftover food or fish poop accumulating on the bottom of the tank. When I see a buildup I syphon it out and replace the water.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Jay

do you water change on a every x amount day routine or do you test ammonia and change?

I always test for ammonia, and then change based on the current reading and the expected rate of increase overnight. I shoot for ammonia levels less than 0.25 ppm, but always less than 0.50. Remember that many brands of sea salt have ammonia in them, up to 0.20 or so. You also need a good ammonia test - the API test isn’t up to the challenge. I use Hach, but it isn’t a hobbyist product.
Jay

 

[Roloilly]

I always test for ammonia, and then change based on the current reading and the expected rate of increase overnight. I shoot for ammonia levels less than 0.25 ppm, but always less than 0.50. Remember that many brands of sea salt have ammonia in them, up to 0.20 or so. You also need a good ammonia test - the API test isn’t up to the challenge. I use Hach, but it isn’t a hobbyist product.
Jay

Jay I have a question. I read one of you post and you said that copper power had ammonia in it. So how do we keep ammonia in check if we're dosing copper?

 

[doubleshot00]

This out to be good.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Jay I have a question. I read one of you post and you said that copper power had ammonia in it. So how do we keep ammonia in check if we're dosing copper?

You need a really good, high precision ammonia test kit (not API). Copper Power, with a fresh full dose will give a 0.50 ppm ammonia reading. If you change, say 50% of the water and redose half the copper power, you would expect a residual reading of 0.25 ppm. Anything above those numbers would indicate ammonia also being present from another source. Smaller water changes would add less than 0.25 ppm ammonia, so any reading over 0.25 would indicate that there is ammonia from another source present.

I've heard that the ammonia present in copper power and coppersafe is bound up, so is not toxic (it just interferes with the test kits). I can't confirm that, but I suspect it is true.

Jay