QT with TTM. How to avoid Ammonia spikes?

[huckjai]

Hi Reefers. I current QT 2 fish at a time using TTM in 5 gallon tanks. Is there a good chance of Ammonia spikes? How do you prevent it? Do you do water changes daily? Or dose Prime daily?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mr Fishface]

With TTM there shouldn't be much worry of ammonia. I have done TTM where I transfered once a day just to be sure but I have also added ammonia neutralizer I bought at petco to the bucket too. Just to make sure it doesn't hurt them. Thats when I did the TTM every couple days. Its been a while so I forget the important steps now like exactly how long you have. I want to say 72 hours?

 

[Marco S]

I have never heard of anyone doing a water change during the TTM. I have only used it once, but I did not even use an Ammonia Badge since three days is not enough to worry about it. I am not a scientist so I can't give you scientific proof, but I have been actively involved in QT for almost a year straight, (I QT everything wet that is going into my 750 XXL) and I have never seen any signs of Ammonia until at least day 3 or 4 and never at levels high enough to worry and water changing on day 3 would be pointless since you are switching tanks that day anyway. I guess you can dose Prime if you are really worried, but I didn't since I was dosing MetroPlex and PraziPro as well and wasn't sure if Prime would affect that.

I should add that I think the TTM is extremely effective and one of the fish I used it on visibly had ICH show up after day 2 and has been ICH free since day 6, (had it for about three months now) but it was just too much for me while also maintaining 2 main saltwater tanks, 2 freshwater tanks, an Invert QT and a Coral QT so I went back to copper for 2 weeks and a transfer to a clean tank then PraziPro and MetroPlex, (insert any other meds needed at this stage)for 2 weeks then a transfer to a clean observation tank for two weeks.

 

[Bryknicks]

Yes as long as you transfer the fish in time I would not be worried about ammonia. I'm assuming they are smaller fish since they are in a 5 gallon tank. Just make sure you transfer by the end of the third day and you should be fine. Also make sure not to overfeed or leave excess food in the tank during the process. Use an ammonia badge to make sure and do a small water change if necessary. I only had to do that once but I was QT 5 fish at one time.

 

[huckjai]

Thanks guys. I switch tanks every 60-68 hours. And use a turkey baster to siphon food and waste twice a day. Also have alert badge.

 

[MERKEY]

I have never heard of anyone doing a water change during the TTM. I have only used it once, but I did not even use an Ammonia Badge since three days is not enough to worry about it. I am not a scientist so I can't give you scientific proof, but I have been actively involved in QT for almost a year straight, (I QT everything wet that is going into my 750 XXL) and I have never seen any signs of Ammonia until at least day 3 or 4 and never at levels high enough to worry and water changing on day 3 would be pointless since you are switching tanks that day anyway. I guess you can dose Prime if you are really worried, but I didn't since I was dosing MetroPlex and PraziPro as well and wasn't sure if Prime would affect that.

I should add that I think the TTM is extremely effective and one of the fish I used it on visibly had ICH show up after day 2 and has been ICH free since day 6, (had it for about three months now) but it was just too much for me while also maintaining 2 main saltwater tanks, 2 freshwater tanks, an Invert QT and a Coral QT so I went back to copper for 2 weeks and a transfer to a clean tank then PraziPro and MetroPlex, (insert any other meds needed at this stage)for 2 weeks then a transfer to a clean observation tank for two weeks.

This is what I do now as well. TTM is great but with a lot going on copper was the easier route for me as well.