hey everyone so my DT tank has been cycled for a bit now and I have two clown fish in a qt tank. I used water from my dt and a filter sponge I had running in there for 2 weeks is now in an hob filter on my qt tank. My fish are eating and acting normal and they started prazipro this morning. but I can not seem to keep nitrites levels down. They are low and I have zero ammonia but I have a nitrite reading of about 0.05-0.1. am I supposed to be doing a water change every single day?? Also like how do I do that when they are currently being treated with prazi? do I do a water change then retreat for the amount I replaced?
qt help!!
- Thread starter Jaxs
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It sounds like the QT may not have fully cycled. did you dose bacteria in a bottle? Can you get your hands on some? Products like doctor tim's, fritz turbo start, bio-spira, etc can help a QT process ammonia into nitrate.
Prazipro is really mostly active for 24 hours after dosing, so doing water changes should be ok after 24 hours from the dose
Prazipro is really mostly active for 24 hours after dosing, so doing water changes should be ok after 24 hours from the dose
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I always like to have some prime on hand just in case ammonia shows before the water change is do for meds.
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I would not panic as long as ammonia is very low to undetectable. I dont even test nitrite when I QT. As long as you can detect some nitrate, it indicates that the cycle is completing the entire process from ammonia to nitrate I would recommend water changes every now and then to keep the water clean, but wouldnt stress over low nitrite.
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I agree Prime is great, but just to expand for the OP, be careful if dosing copper as it can make copper much more toxic to fish.
would medication like prazi pro or copper(I plan on using cupramine) throw off ammonia test kits(using red sea one) I have the seachem badge alert but it just always says zero lol which maybe is true but idk if I'm trusting it
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Paging: @HotRocks @4FordFamily
What type of copper? I don't think copper power or chelated copper affect test kits, definitely not the ammonia alert. Cupromine might mess with some but I am not an expert. I did use a seachem badge once and it showed no color change, but I had pretty high ammonia. Not sure why, but I think it was a bad badge. Lots of people use them and some of the board experts recommend them so should be good.
What type of copper? I don't think copper power or chelated copper affect test kits, definitely not the ammonia alert. Cupromine might mess with some but I am not an expert. I did use a seachem badge once and it showed no color change, but I had pretty high ammonia. Not sure why, but I think it was a bad badge. Lots of people use them and some of the board experts recommend them so should be good.
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
Agree
I do recommend the ammonia alert badge, some have had some issues but I have used dozens without issue, luckily. I would recommend Copper Power and the Hanna Copper checker for accuracy.
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I will second the Hanna Copper Checker. I got one based on HumbleFish's testing and it has made QTing fish a breeze!
4FordFamily
Tang, Angel, and Wrasse Nerd!
It was actually @HotRocks that pioneered that!
@Humblefish deserves all of the credit in the world but it was @HotRocks that moved forward. I helped but heck -- I told him it was a waste of money and time, probably! It was actually @HotRocks that pioneered that!
^^ Agree; I had nothing to do with discovering the Hanna Copper Checker.
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You guys all do so much great work, I can't remember who said what anymore! lol
HotRocks
Fish Fanatic!
You had a whole lot to do with driving the ship that landed on it though! More than you probably know, and I still wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for you sir!!!
