fresh quarantine tank for new fish, water is hazy, this ok for fish?

[nemo g]

hey,

i just set up my quarantine tank for a new (first) fish addition. the water parameters are clear, but the water is not.

not milky, just hazy like a soft "glow". is this typical for a fresh quarantine/isolation tank?

the tank has a small peice of live rock, some aragalive sand, and a penguin 350 filter.

the water looks exactly the same before and after the sand (after 2 hours). used some fine 50 micron filter media inside the penguin for removal of fine particles. im also about to do a 15% water change, and see how that goes.

nonetheless, the rock has been in there for a week now, with tiny snails making their way out, as well as some tiny super fast bugger (copepod or something around 1.5mm long) which runs in and out of holes like a tiny train.

if the water is testing fine is ok to toss a fish in there?

any other ideas on how to get the haze out?


NG

[PatMayo]

I would not use live rock or sand. A QT tank should be bare. Read this it will give you a good sense of how a QT tank should work. I have 2 sponge filters that I keep in my sump of my main tank. When I add a new critter I set up my QT and add the sponge filters to the tank for the bio system. No live rock or sand. I have 2 pieces of PVC pipe in the tank that the critters can hide in and a heater only.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.php

Regards,

Pat

[supertech3]

If you have gravel and live rock it will absorb chemicals used possibly during treatments that is why people tend to leave it barebottom and lrg pvc pipe for hideouts

[old salty]

Though it is nice to hear that you are taking the time to QT your fish, I would agree with some of the above. Sand is gonna trap detritus and leftover food. You want to be able to easily remove these items. I don't know if someone told you or not, but after every QT period, you should completely break everything down and sanitize it. This way you kill off any unwanted parasites and won't give the next fish something he may not have had before. Since you haven't actually added anything yet, you can keep the LR in there; it will help seed the biowheel with beneficial bacteria. Take it out before you add anything.


The hazy water is most likely coming from the sand and should clear up in a few days.

[nemo g]

i guess i forgot to mention:

A- ive read that article and others, and they usually disagree as to the use of subrates.

B- this is a transition tank, and if anything needs to be medicated it can go into an empty 10, so this is more of an isolation tank. as i am currently getting together my main tank. this tank is actually the soon to be sump, i just wanted to get things jump started a bit

C- thats exactly wha the live rock was for, to seed the bio-wheel (which will eventually go into the 10g tank)

D- like i mentioned before, the water looks exactly the same before i added the sand, except for a 2 hour cloudy period. now it is as it was before the addition of sand.

so, the questions:

would this "hazy" yet supposedly chemically fine water hurt/stress a new additon?

as has been mentioned, quarantine tanks are usually put up instantly as needed; so is the water expected to be like this in a quick quarantine set-up?

[EdwardMinor]

so you move the sick fish to another tank when you don't have to move it if you used a qt tank. I think you should think that over.
Who knows what the haxy is, what if your water numbers?

[nemo g]

sal. 1.020
ammo 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
temp 76

[old salty]

Though this may sound silly, but have you cleaned the glass both inside and out? Just checking all possibilities.

Any cloudiness should clear up in a few days, especially if you are running carbon in the filter. I'm sure that after a few days, the water will be crystal clear for you.

Salinity is a bit on the low side, though if that is the same as the store you will purchase fish from then it's alright (less acclimation stress.)

[nemo g]

no its not the glass :D

for now its just a fowlr; and with what i have read a lower salinity is ok.

besides, until i get my refractomer, i would rather be in a middle range. so if its off by 5, higher or lower, im still in a "safe" range.

[rochestertank]

any way you can move the live rock to your main tank (if you have it already) take out all of the sand and water, put new water in with a little pvc pipe cut in two, add salt and run the pump, test it, make sure all parameters are good, and THEN put your new fish in? I'm not a genius but the cloud could be from the live rock. otherwise something wicked is going on with one of the other elements... ignore this if the cloud goes away and parameters stay good. // everybody likes LR but I personally think one has to be a bit careful with it b/c you really don't know what's in it. peace.

[nemo g]

its a bit clearer now, but im about to do a big water change. and if i do, its gonna stir up the water and sand and probably back to haze :confused:

lets see what happens, maybe ill wait till morning to do the water change