Tank Transfer Process

[pdiehm]

So this is what I'm planning on doing, with dates. Please advise if I'm missing something.

Equipment:

2 10 gallon tanks
PVC pieces for each tank
50W heater for each tank
Powerhead for each tank

6/9/2015: Remove 25 gallons of water from my 120 gallon display (trying to get nitrates down, part of my 25 gallon change twice a week). STORE this water in a 32 gallon brute.

Set up a 10 gallon tank, with pvc, heater, and powerhead overnight.

6/10/2015: Go to store (Not petco or petsmart) and get 2 occellaris clownfish. Hopefully 1 is larger than the other.

Acclimate via drip if salinity and temp is different from store. My water typically runs 1.023-1.025.

By 8pm or so, place in 10 gallon aquarium. This is Transfer #1.

6/12/2015: Set up 10 gallon #2 with water from water change that I stored. Heater, Powerhead, PVC, let sit overnight and come to temperature. This should leave me 5 gallons left from original change, however, This is also the day of a 25 gallon water change, so I will keep 20 gallons.

6/13/2015 at 6:00am:

Transfer #2. This transfer will also include a praziquantel dosing. Clean out and sterilize tank #1 equipment and let dry.

6/15/2015: Prepare Tank #1 with water, heater, pvc, powerhead with water. Remaining water from water change after tank prep is 15 gallons.

6/16/2015 at 6:00am:

Transfer #3. Sterilize Tank #2 and equipment. Let air dry.

6/18/2015:

Set up Tank #2 for transfer #4 with stored water from water change.

6/19/2015 at 6:00am:

Transfer #4. Dose with Praziquantel.

6/22/2015 at 6:00am:

Move fish to permanent QT tank for 30 day observation.

7/21/2015:

Move fish to BioCube display tank.

Expected water changes on source tank:

6/9 - Store 25 gallons
6/12 - Discard
6/15 - Store 20 gallons
6/16 - Discard
6/19 - store 20 gallons for observation QT
6/22


I have 1 light for the 10 gallon tanks, but made an egg crate lid for each.

20 gallon observation QT has egg crate lid, and cheap 18" single bulb fluorescent light.

Medicine on hand:

Praziquantel
Paraguard
Cupramine (with Seachem Cupramine test kit)
Metro Tablets

 

[Humblefish]

So this is what I'm planning on doing, with dates. Please advise if I'm missing something.

Equipment:

2 10 gallon tanks
PVC pieces for each tank
50W heater for each tank
Powerhead for each tank

You'll also need a thermometer for each tank. Just my opinion, but air pump/air stones work better when doing TTM in a 10 gal. Less cleaning (I just throw away the used air stone.)

6/9/2015: Remove 25 gallons of water from my 120 gallon display (trying to get nitrates down, part of my 25 gallon change twice a week). STORE this water in a 32 gallon brute.

Remember to circulate/heat the stored SW in the 32 gal brute. Using water from your DT is only a good idea if you are sure it is disease free.

Set up a 10 gallon tank, with pvc, heater, and powerhead overnight.

6/10/2015: Go to store (Not petco or petsmart) and get 2 occellaris clownfish. Hopefully 1 is larger than the other.

Acclimate via drip if salinity and temp is different from store. My water typically runs 1.023-1.025.

Best to set your QT to match the "source water" the fish are coming from (SG/temp), so you can just float & release.

By 8pm or so, place in 10 gallon aquarium. This is Transfer #1.

6/12/2015: Set up 10 gallon #2 with water from water change that I stored. Heater, Powerhead, PVC, let sit overnight and come to temperature. This should leave me 5 gallons left from original change, however, This is also the day of a 25 gallon water change, so I will keep 20 gallons.

6/13/2015 at 6:00am:

Transfer #2. This transfer will also include a praziquantel dosing. Clean out and sterilize tank #1 equipment and let dry.

FWIW; you have up to 72 hrs to make the next transfer. So, if you add the fish on 6/10 @ 8pm, you have until 6/13 @ 8pm to make the transfer. Sooner is fine, but there's no reason to transfer @ 6am unless you want to for some reason.

6/15/2015: Prepare Tank #1 with water, heater, pvc, powerhead with water. Remaining water from water change after tank prep is 15 gallons.

6/16/2015 at 6:00am:

Transfer #3. Sterilize Tank #2 and equipment. Let air dry.

6/18/2015:

Set up Tank #2 for transfer #4 with stored water from water change.

6/19/2015 at 6:00am:

Transfer #4. Dose with Praziquantel.

6/22/2015 at 6:00am:

Move fish to permanent QT tank for 30 day observation.

7/21/2015:

Move fish to BioCube display tank.

All looks good. If you do decide to stick with the 6am transfers, then you'll have to do them at 6am every 72 hrs (or sooner.) Also, be sure none of your TTM tanks, permanent QT and/or WC vat are within 10 feet of one another to avoid any possibility of aerosol transmission.

I have 1 light for the 10 gallon tanks, but made an egg crate lid for each.

20 gallon observation QT has egg crate lid, and cheap 18" single bulb fluorescent light.

Wipe the light down thoroughly before reusing on the next transfer tank.

Medicine on hand:

Praziquantel
Paraguard
Cupramine (with Seachem Cupramine test kit)
Metro Tablets

I would also keep an ammonia reducer such as Amquel or Prime handy, just in case. It also would be a good idea to keep these two broad spectrum antibiotics on hand: Furan-2 & Kanaplex

 

[pdiehm]

You'll also need a thermometer for each tank. Just my opinion, but air pump/air stones work better when doing TTM in a 10 gal. Less cleaning (I just throw away the used air stone.)



Remember to circulate/heat the stored SW in the 32 gal brute. Using water from your DT is only a good idea if you are sure it is disease free.



Best to set your QT to match the "source water" the fish are coming from (SG/temp), so you can just float & release.



FWIW; you have up to 72 hrs to make the next transfer. So, if you add the fish on 6/10 @ 8pm, you have until 6/13 @ 8pm to make the transfer. Sooner is fine, but there's no reason to transfer @ 6am unless you want to for some reason.



All looks good. If you do decide to stick with the 6am transfers, then you'll have to do them at 6am every 72 hrs (or sooner.) Also, be sure none of your TTM tanks, permanent QT and/or WC vat are within 10 feet of one another to avoid any possibility of aerosol transmission.



Wipe the light down thoroughly before reusing on the next transfer tank.



I would also keep an ammonia reducer such as Amquel or Prime handy, just in case. It also would be a good idea to keep these two broad spectrum antibiotics on hand: Furan-2 & Kanaplex

1. Got them.
2. I am positive the water I'm pulling out is disease free. Tank has no livestock except snails/crabs. Will be running a powerhead in there.
3. Will try to match. Not quite sure how to do this but will try.
4. I'm up at 5:45am normally. Just easier for me to get in a routine of doing the transfers that early in the morning.
5. Will make sure.
6. Have separate lights for the tanks
7. Prime is always on hand. Son has a 20G long freshwater tank.

 

[Humblefish]

3. Will try to match. Not quite sure how to do this but will try.

If you know you will be buying from a particular LFS, you can ask them what SG they keep their fish in (but do double check the bag before adding the fish.) Temp is less important because you can float the bag to match that.

If their SG is lower than yours, then you can quickly lower the SG of your QT by replacing some saltwater with freshwater. If their SG is higher, then you will have to drip acclimate unless you have enough advanced notice and can add a little extra salt to your QT & vat.

Remember, it's easier for fish to acclimate into lower SG than higher.

 

[pdiehm]

I will call them tomorrow night and see if I can get an SG number. My water temp is 77, but as you said, floating will acclimate to the temp.

 

[pdiehm]

SG from where the clowns are houses is 1.023. I tested my water at 1.024 yesterday, will test again after I am home from work to double check.

Will be picking them up tonight since the kid has a baseball game the rest of the week (Hopefully).

Adding: 6/9 - figure about 6-7pm
Transfer 2: 6/12: 6am planned, but have wiggle room, working from home that day, may push the transfer to 8am. Prazi dose.
Transfer 3: 6/15: 7 am planned, but could have wiggle room based on the transfer on the 12th
Transfer 4: 6/18: 6am. Will be up getting ready for work. Will do transfer while wife is showering. Prazi Dose.
Transfer to observatory QT tank: 6/21, 6am.

 

[Humblefish]

SG from where the clowns are houses is 1.023. I tested my water at 1.024 yesterday, will test again after I am home from work to double check.

Will be picking them up tonight since the kid has a baseball game the rest of the week (Hopefully).

Adding: 6/9 - figure about 6-7pm
Transfer 2: 6/12: 6am planned, but have wiggle room, working from home that day, may push the transfer to 8am. Prazi dose.
Transfer 3: 6/15: 7 am planned, but could have wiggle room based on the transfer on the 12th
Transfer 4: 6/18: 6am. Will be up getting ready for work. Will do transfer while wife is showering. Prazi Dose.
Transfer to observatory QT tank: 6/21, 6am.

Sounds good and like you've got everything well planned out. I don't even know what I'm doing/where I'll be tomorrow.

 

[pdiehm]

haha, with my wife and kids...I need to know what I am doing the next 30 days.

 

[4FordFamily]

Kid you're absolutely certain the water from your dt is parasite free, it sounds good to me!

 

[pdiehm]

I know its parasite free. There's nothing in the tank

Not sure I'm a kid though at my age...though my wife would definitely agree with that word to describe me.