QT Tank question

[ozorowsky]

Hey all,

I got Ich, lost half my fish; went out bought a QT tank, and been treating with copper safe. The fish that are in there are doing well.

Is it a good idea to change my water every few days from my main tank into my QT tank? I don't have a biological filter in there (just bought a sponge sitting in my sump) but for now, would it be a bad idea to take my main tank water and put into QT?

[Wrench]

It is not ok. If you add water from your DT into your QT you will have to start the medication regimen all over again. I would only do so in an emergency such as needing to do an immediate water change but don't have any RO water made up.

[Wrench]

By the way, stop in and read my thread from a few months back. I was in a similar situation to yours. It's kinda long but has lots of good info.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2057875

[ozorowsky]

Originally Posted by Wrench

By the way, stop in and read my thread from a few months back. I was in a similar situation to yours. It's kinda long but has lots of good info.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2057875

Wil do ty. What should I keep salinity at in qt?

[T Diddy]

Originally Posted by ozorowsky

Wil do ty. What should I keep salinity at in qt?

If treating with copper and avoiding the DT water change you mentioned, just keep it at the same concentration as your display. Patience is the key.

[ozorowsky]

Originally Posted by T Diddy

If treating with copper and avoiding the DT water change you mentioned, just keep it at the same concentration as your display. Patience is the key.

Also, what size PVC did you guys put in your tank? I have some 1 1/2" down in there; got some 4" yesterday to add; but the 4" just floats. I dunno why I can't get the 4" to sink; think drilling small holes in it will help?

[sandwi54]

Originally Posted by ozorowsky

Hey all,

I got Ich, lost half my fish; went out bought a QT tank, and been treating with copper safe. The fish that are in there are doing well.

Is it a good idea to change my water every few days from my main tank into my QT tank? I don't have a biological filter in there (just bought a sponge sitting in my sump) but for now, would it be a bad idea to take my main tank water and put into QT?

just to make sure you understand this. water does not cycle a tank, bacteria does. the bacteria responsible for making up the biological filter lives in the live rocks and substrate and not in the water. so the water from DT won't help with seeding the bio filter. if you take some live rocks or sand from the DT, then that will, but you can't do that since you're treating the QT with copper.

definitely do not take water from DT after the initial QT setup. Your DT has ich, and if you keep taking water from DT, you'll be introducing new ich into the QT. Take extreme care not to mix water between QT and DT during the entire treatment period. That means, no sharing of anything wet like buckets, nets, even your hands. If you feed one tank and get your hands wet, wash with soap and clean them well before you feed the other tank.

[sandwi54]

Originally Posted by ozorowsky

Also, what size PVC did you guys put in your tank? I have some 1 1/2" down in there; got some 4" yesterday to add; but the 4" just floats. I dunno why I can't get the 4" to sink; think drilling small holes in it will help?

it depends on the material of the PVC. the regular material would sink, but there is one kind that's made of a lighter material and that would float in the water. your 4" one is like made of the lighter material. you may drill lots of holes on the top and that should make it sink. If not, buy the regular schedule 40/80 ones.

[ozorowsky]

Originally Posted by sandwi54

it depends on the material of the PVC. the regular material would sink, but there is one kind that's made of a lighter material and that would float in the water. your 4" one is like made of the lighter material. you may drill lots of holes on the top and that should make it sink. If not, buy the regular schedule 40/80 ones.

This piece of PVC is fairly thick. I believe it is the sched 40/80. I'll ask lowes tonight what schedule is; I just can't understand for the life of me why a hollow piece of pvc floats.

[sandwi54]

Originally Posted by ozorowsky

This piece of PVC is fairly thick. I believe it is the sched 40/80. I'll ask lowes tonight what schedule is; I just can't understand for the life of me why a hollow piece of pvc floats.

yeah that surprised me too. i had one that floated too so i returned it and got one that's made thicker.