Mikes QT thread...

[am3gross]

Hello all,

looking to start a discussion on my Qt. I have been out of the hobby for a long time, so just now getting back in. I gave the hobby a break when I started to develop issues both with coral and with keeping fish alive. I will say that back then I never Qt'd, ever.. Just in they went. So with that being said with me getting back in, I want to limit the amount of disasters that I put in my tank. My tank is a 375 gallons, with a 75 gallon sump and a 40 gallon fuge.

My Qt.. is a 20 long aquarium. I have an emperor 400 with biowheels. I have removed the carbon pads. I use a maxijet 1200 for flow and a heater. I have some big pipe elbows in there for the fish to hide in. Also have a Seachem ammonia alert in there for quick observation.

So here is the intro, I will start the questions in the next thread!

 

[am3gross]

So lets talk about heating the Qt 1st, I keep the heat at around 82, mostly because that is what it runs with the heater off. At night time when the temp drops it keeps it around 80 ish.

What is the opinion on the Qt temp? Hotter? colder? Thoughts?

I read on Qt all the time, I have been on the Humblefish website and watched the videos online, to include the 2 hr interview with Marc.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I keep my temp/salinity/ph at the same range i do in my main tank.

 

[am3gross]

I keep my temp/salinity/ph at the same range i do in my main tank.

Which I will do the same before I transfer to the display.

When it comes to the temp, I have heard multiple thoughts, colder will slow the metabolism and make the fish less active, slow fish that may be breathing rapidly... Hotter it makes them more active. Eat more in warmer temp, which means maybe they can get more of the "xyz" that may have been treated in the tank.

Either way before my subject comes out of the QT tank, the temps and salinity will be where the display is at before transfer.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Makes sense, I've been thinking about hyposalinity and trying that to see if there is really an advantage. I've read it does help in some ways.

 

[am3gross]

I am still trying to figure out the process I want to try, Right now I have a Coral Beauty in there and I am trying copper power. I am thinking about trying Hypo at the end, but we will see how she looks in about 2 weeks.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

I've got all fish in qt at the moment. Had to yank everything out of my main tank as I got hit hard with ich. Lost several... Trial by fire as they say

 

[am3gross]

My original process was going to be hypo first during the observation phase.. Then if no signs of sickness and as long as they were eating well, I would stick them in the display. If they show any signs of sickness then I would treat with copper or what ever treatment as required. My Coral Beauty had 2 white spots pop up, which are since gone now. She is looking good, but she has not been eating as much as I would like to see

 

[am3gross]

Hopefully they get better Rob.bucek!!!

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Thank you, I'll need some luck as this is my first time actively medicating. I expect to make some mistakes.

 

[mrbacony]

I highly suggest not relying too much on the Seachem ammonia badge. I put a fish in QT a week or so ago and had no measurable ammonia via a test kit. So I put the ammonia badge on the tank, threw in my fish and woke up to a dead fish. Ammonia badge still showed yellow, but as soon as I tested with the kit, it turned green meaning at least 0.5ppm. I left the badge in and checked this morning. Still yellow but again tests around 0.5ppm... Never again will I rely on that badge.

 

[am3gross]

I highly suggest not relying too much on the Seachem ammonia badge. I put a fish in QT a week or so ago and had no measurable ammonia via a test kit. So I put the ammonia badge on the tank, threw in my fish and woke up to a dead fish. Ammonia badge still showed yellow, but as soon as I tested with the kit, it turned green meaning at least 0.5ppm. I left the badge in and checked this morning. Still yellow but again tests around 0.5ppm... Never again will I rely on that badge.

Do you have any medications in the tank? I understand that the seachem badge is one of the better ones to use when using medications. Some of the other test kits will give false readings. I have never experienced this however.

 

[mrbacony]

No medications in the tank yet.

 

[am3gross]

Ok, here is my next mind struggle...

Black mollies... Youu can stick them in your tank and use them to see if there are any kind of things going on in your tank, can someone explain this to me.

Do I need to QT them before they go in the display after they are acclimated?
Can I keep them in the QT the entire time even if I have copper in the QT system?

I have so many questions..