Quasi-QT Tank

[Fishnfun]

I want to setup a 20g Red Sea QT tank, but I want to have it up and running constantly. So, my goal is to have a bare-bottom tank with a nice live rock structure, no coral, but a couple of permanent fish (clowns, small wrasse, etc). When I get a fish that I want to put in my big DT in the living room, I plan to QT it in this tank and treat with copper for 1-2 months, then once the new fish is placed into the DT, allow the copper levels to disappear again.

Is this a possible thing to do? Will raising copper levels to a therapeutic level every so often (it won't be often, since my DT is pretty well stocked already), cause a problem?

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

this is a good question for one of our disease guys @HotRocks @4FordFamily @Big G

 

[Big G]

I want to setup a 20g Red Sea QT tank, but I want to have it up and running constantly. So, my goal is to have a bare-bottom tank with a nice live rock structure, no coral, but a couple of permanent fish (clowns, small wrasse, etc). When I get a fish that I want to put in my big DT in the living room, I plan to QT it in this tank and treat with copper for 1-2 months, then once the new fish is placed into the DT, allow the copper levels to disappear again.

Is this a possible thing to do? Will raising copper levels to a therapeutic level every so often (it won't be often, since my DT is pretty well stocked already), cause a problem?

I wouldn't advise keeping a tank constantly up and running that has copper and probably meds (antibiotics for bacterial infections that are somewhat common when using copper) running. You run the risk of developing a resistance to the med treatments that may be necessary.

I do advise keeping a QT tank up and running for corals, inverts, nems that does not get meds dosed into the tank continually. Corals get dipped, rinse, rinse, rinse (but not with Bayer as the even minute residual of Bayer can kill inverts ); inverts go straight into the tank, nems may need bath treatments with Cipro, rinse, rinse, rinse and then into the tank.

 

[sharpimage]

The rock will also absorb copper and leach it back at varying rates. Making consistent treatment levels difficult. You wold also subject the permanent residents to copper over and over again.

 

[4FordFamily]

I wouldn't advise keeping a tank constantly up and running that has copper and probably meds (antibiotics for bacterial infections that are somewhat common when using copper) running. You run the risk of developing a resistance to the med treatments that may be necessary.

I do advise keeping a QT tank up and running for corals, inverts, nems that does not get meds dosed into the tank continually. Corals get dipped, rinse, rinse, rinse (but not with Bayer as the even minute residual of Bayer can kill inverts ); inverts go straight into the tank, nems may need bath treatments with Cipro, rinse, rinse, rinse and then into the tank.

The rock will also absorb copper and leach it back at varying rates. Making consistent treatment levels difficult. You wold also subject the permanent residents to copper over and over again.

I concur with these posts 100%. I do not recommend this course of action, it won’t be effective.