Coral Beauty in QT

[MarkW19]

No problemo

I've got an internal Fluval 2plus filter in there with 2 seeded sponges, and 4 large pvc elbows. The fluval creates quite a bit of surface agitation, no powerhead (I tried it before but it was simply too much flow for the size of the tank (15 gal).

 

[revhtree]

Sounds like your qt is set up right!!

 

[MarkW19]

Good

Will wipe the bottom and get out as much as I can, then do a 50% change before I put my fish in (I guess the filter sponges will be ok out of the water for a couple of mins).

 

[MarkW19]

Will it actually hurt anything in the QT (ie. add to the ammonia etc.) if I leave the powder/stuck on food on the bottom?? I've just looked now and most of it is this way, ie. I won't be able to get much out at all without wiping the bottom, which I guess will just mix the powder into the water even more.

It'll be quite a task and I certainly won't be able to get all of it even if I attempt it...

Should I do it or not?

I'm going to be doing 50% waterchanges each week anyway, so if leaving the food in probably won't mean I'll have to do any extra, I won't bother!

 

[quarryshark]

It won't hurt anything. besides Coral Beauties like to pick. Will give her something to do.

 

[MarkW19]

Cool, I wont bother doing anything with it then! Just the 50% waterchange.

Was just concerned it may add to the ammonia if its left in there to "rot"...

Will she be ok eating "old" hard food though?

 

[quarryshark]

As long as the ammonia doesn't start to rise. If it does, then I would scrape it.

 

[MarkW19]

But, by the time my test kit has shown presence of ammonia, it could be too late to bother scraping?

 

[quarryshark]

Well the ammonia you are going to battle with water changes. My qt tanks get covers with a decent amount of algae, I basically just ignore it. It has never bothered my water quality.

 

[MarkW19]

But, surely rotten food is going to be more harmful than algae?

Bottom line is, if it's likely to cause ammonia problems, I'll have a good go at it, and perhaps risk killing a few bacteria off in the process. Gotta be the better option!

 

[quarryshark]

I'm going to be doing 50% every week. Hopefully that'll be ok - I've cycled the QT this time to cut down on the hassle!

Mark, IF ammonia becomes a problem, I would do more like a 20% daily water change.
If ammonia does not become a problem, I would do a 10-20% water change every 2-3 days. This would be more effective and better allow a good cycle to maintain than a massive change every week.

 

[MarkW19]

In QT, is 12 hours for mixing the saltwater ok (as opposed to the 24 for the main)?

I was told I would probably be able to do the one big change a week, with my cycling it first. That's the only reason I cycled! It's diffucult for me to do that many waterchanges over 4 weeks!

 

[MarkW19]

Is it more than likely the 50% every week be ok, regardless of whether I scrape the food off the bottom or not?

 

[quarryshark]

The only problem with a 50% (as I see it) is that it may mess with the biofilter in such a small system. IMO, large changes like this are for emergencies (ammonia problems,etc). But thats just my opinion. What is it, a 10 gallon? Is she in there already?

 

[MarkW19]

It's a 15gal, she's not in there yet

It's as easy for me to do 50% waterchanges as 10, that's all. I figured more would give me a better chance of keeping the ammonia down!

 

[quarryshark]

Small frequent water changes are a pain, I agree. All I know is that they worked for me.
Its your call, besides in the beginning at least, they may be helpful.

 

[MarkW19]

How's about weekly 25% instead then, as a happy medium?

I was told cycling would mean I could get away with 1 a week. So, for bacteria, if I have to cut it down to 25% a week, that's fine...

I was intending doing a 50% before I put her in - you agree with that?

 

[quarryshark]

I agree with that as long as ammonia stays down.
If it doesn't, I'm goin back to my old way....small frequent changes

 

[MarkW19]

Hehe, well which would you do before I put her in (aim is to get nitrates down etc. as water hasn't been changed for 5 weeks during cycle) - 25% or 50?

 

[quarryshark]

25% is what I would do. You'll love the Coral Beauty, mine is a very nice fish.