Substrate in QT

[StPatrick89]

If you put sand in your QT will you have to get rid of the substrate after every treatment?

 

[MnFish1]

If you put sand in your QT will you have to get rid of the substrate after every treatment?

IMHO, you would need to either bleach it/clean it - or change it. Most people do not use substrate in QT for a variety of reasons. I have heard (and believe that I read) - that CI does not attach well to glass, but does much better with sand/rock. This is the reason most people tend to not use rock/sand in QT. I.e. anything that slows down the multiplication in the tank will be better for the fish.

 

[Joe's Coral Reef]

I believe the opposite of what most say about sand in qt. The beneficial bacteria need somewhere to live. Glass is very difficult for them to live on, sand is very easy. Sand will help getting the nitrification cycle started and keep it running. If you only use a little bit of sand it wont effect any treatments you do. Between Dr. Tim and Humblefish I've learned to use just a little bit of sand in my QT to keep the nitrification cycle going strong. You only need a very small amount.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

I believe the opposite of what most say about sand in qt. The beneficial bacteria need somewhere to live. Glass is very difficult for them to live on, sand is very easy. Sand will help getting the nitrification cycle started and keep it running. If you only use a little bit of sand it wont effect any treatments you do. Between Dr. Tim and Humblefish I've learned to use just a little bit of sand in my QT to keep the nitrification cycle going strong.

If you have an appropriately sized filter for your qt, the mechanical media should be all the bac surface needed.

My qt runs a 4x4x2 foam block on the intake. I have never been able to register ammonia.

If you put sand in your qt, and end up needing to use copper, the sand will absorb the copper making it a nightmare to hold steady levels during treatment.

 

[Uncle99]

I only use sand in a small dish for those folks who need sand, otherwise bare.
I would never reuse it. I even toss the marine pure.
The rock I dry out and keep for future.
I would be concerned of contamination.

 

[StPatrick89]

IMHO, you would need to either bleach it/clean it - or change it. Most people do not use substrate in QT for a variety of reasons. I have heard (and believe that I read) - that CI does not attach well to glass, but does much better with sand/rock. This is the reason most people tend to not use rock/sand in QT. I.e. anything that slows down the multiplication in the tank will be better for the fish.

What about dr

I believe the opposite of what most say about sand in qt. The beneficial bacteria need somewhere to live. Glass is very difficult for them to live on, sand is very easy. Sand will help getting the nitrification cycle started and keep it running. If you only use a little bit of sand it wont effect any treatments you do. Between Dr. Tim and Humblefish I've learned to use just a little bit of sand in my QT to keep the nitrification cycle going strong. You only need a very small amount.

So instead of 10lb bag of sand for a 10G then like 5lbs of sand instead?

 

[MnFish1]

What about dr

So instead of 10lb bag of sand for a 10G then like 5lbs of sand instead?

I assume by 'dr' you mean 'dry rock'. That would have the same problem. CI attaches to rock/sand. Part of this question also revolves around what you mean by 'QT' - if you mean observation only, I would definitely avoid any rock/sand. If you mean treatment - prophylactically - like with copper etc that can also be an issue - due to adsorption of the drugs onto the rocks/sand. And you constantly have to be measuring levels. If you were going to use sand - I would use a very minimal amount - like just a scattering. Again - its just my opinion - but I think its based on some science. Hope this makes sense

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

If you want to keep sand then I would suggest keeping it in some type of tray so it can easily be removed and cleaned.

 

[StPatrick89]

I assume by 'dr' you mean 'dry rock'. That would have the same problem. CI attaches to rock/sand. Part of this question also revolves around what you mean by 'QT' - if you mean observation only, I would definitely avoid any rock/sand. If you mean treatment - prophylactically - like with copper etc that can also be an issue - due to adsorption of the drugs onto the rocks/sand. And you constantly have to be measuring levels. If you were going to use sand - I would use a very minimal amount - like just a scattering. Again - its just my opinion - but I think its based on some science. Hope this makes sense

Yea it makes sense. But from reading what you just put it almost sounds like you need to have a tank for observation and one for treatment

 

[StPatrick89]

If you want to keep sand then I would suggest keeping it in some type of tray so it can easily be removed and cleaned.

I was looking at something that spoke about fish that need something to dive into would be deprived until they got in a display tank. Goby, wrasse and any other sand dweller.

 

[Joe's Coral Reef]

If you have an appropriately sized filter for your qt, the mechanical media should be all the bac surface needed.

My qt runs a 4x4x2 foam block on the intake. I have never been able to register ammonia.

If you put sand in your qt, and end up needing to use copper, the sand will absorb the copper making it a nightmare to hold steady levels during treatment.

Its been over a year since I researched it, but humblefish had tested how much copper the sand would absorb and it was negligible.

What about dr

So instead of 10lb bag of sand for a 10G then like 5lbs of sand instead?

I would just put a couple cups. Don't even try and cover the bottom. Just a small amount.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Its been over a year since I researched it, but humblefish had tested how much copper the sand would absorb and it was negligible.


I would just put a couple cups. Don't even try and cover the bottom. Just a small amount.

This is anecdotal since I don't have the exact day by day numbers written down but when I started copper,I had a Tupperware of sand for the wrasse to sleep in. For the first 5 days, known copper levels were dropping daily and needed small redoses. Levels did not hold steady until completely removing it. Once removed, levels stayed very stable.

 

[Grumblez]

I do observational quarantine so I normally use sand and some LR even. If I have to treat for something I set up a separate tank using half new water and half from current tank.

 

[Floyd-]

I put a little sand in my QT with copper for my goby's. They looked too sad without it. My copper levels havent changed that much at all. Its a 30 gallon.

 

[StPatrick89]

So we use copper because it treats a few diseases but is there another option?

 

[Grumblez]

So we use copper because it treats a few diseases but is there another option?

Copper or hyopsalinity are the only options to totally kill ich. I believe hyposalnity won't treat velvet though copper is the only option.

 

[StPatrick89]

Copper or hyopsalinity are the only options to totally kill ich. I believe hyposalnity won't treat velvet though copper is the only option.

Oh ard

 

[MnFish1]

Yea it makes sense. But from reading what you just put it almost sounds like you need to have a tank for observation and one for treatment

No - not really. You buy 3 fish at one place. on day 3 of observation, you notice xxxx disease. You treat all of those fish for xxx disease. The problem with rock or sand - is that if you need to treat (sand less a problem than rock) - you have the adsorption potential problem. so - thats why I suggested not using 'live rock' or sand - in a QT tank.

 

[StPatrick89]

No - not really. You buy 3 fish at one place. on day 3 of observation, you notice xxxx disease. You treat all of those fish for xxx disease. The problem with rock or sand - is that if you need to treat (sand less a problem than rock) - you have the adsorption potential problem. so - thats why I suggested not using 'live rock' or sand - in a QT tank.

How do you run copper in a QT consistently? Are their any known fish that don’t do well with copper?

 

[MnFish1]

How do you run copper in a QT consistently? Are their any known fish that don’t do well with copper?

There are numerous threads here on both topics - and various opinions on how to run copper in QT, as well as many opinions and ways to treat fish that do not do as well with copper