Quarantine - Aquarium Advice

MarkW19 · 03-03-2005, 06:57 AM

Hi Guys,

I've had an empty quarantine running for a few months now, with a filter in it and 4 large [acronym:1058c0741a="Plastic pipe"]PVC[/acronym:1058c0741a] tubes for bacteria (and a heater).

I've been dropping in food every 2-3 days.

There's been just one waterchange done in it since it was started about 4 months ago, so therefore there's a lot of rotted food stuck to the bottom and on the fittings etc. (just looks like brown powder, it was frozen gamma/mysis etc.). This will be almost impossible to get out, so it'd have to stay in there.

I'm just wondering, if I now do a 50% waterchange, do you think I'll still be ok to use the [acronym:1058c0741a="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:1058c0741a] for a new fish?

I havent tested my readings for a couple of months, but the last time I checked ammonia was 0 and nitrite was about 2. I just checked today, and ammonia is 0 and nitrite is also 0. pH is fine and so is [acronym:1058c0741a="Specific gravity"]SG[/acronym:1058c0741a].

After the waterchange, do you think I'll be ok to go ahead with putting a new fish in it? It's 15gal by the way.

Cheers!

Mark

mjvincent · 03-03-2005, 08:49 AM

I think it should be fine... The food acted as a protein for the bacterial action. Without the food rotting your beneficial bacteria would have died and you would have had problems using the tank as a [acronym:7a247b628c="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:7a247b628c] for any period of time. Just don't overload it...

MarkW19 · 03-03-2005, 11:07 AM

I'm just going to put one small fish in (Royal Gramma).

I guess the fish wont eat the rotten food thats in there??

03-03-2005, 06:57 AM	#1
MarkW19 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,671	Quarantine Hi Guys, I've had an empty quarantine running for a few months now, with a filter in it and 4 large [acronym:1058c0741a="Plastic pipe"]PVC[/acronym:1058c0741a] tubes for bacteria (and a heater). I've been dropping in food every 2-3 days. There's been just one waterchange done in it since it was started about 4 months ago, so therefore there's a lot of rotted food stuck to the bottom and on the fittings etc. (just looks like brown powder, it was frozen gamma/mysis etc.). This will be almost impossible to get out, so it'd have to stay in there. I'm just wondering, if I now do a 50% waterchange, do you think I'll still be ok to use the [acronym:1058c0741a="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:1058c0741a] for a new fish? I havent tested my readings for a couple of months, but the last time I checked ammonia was 0 and nitrite was about 2. I just checked today, and ammonia is 0 and nitrite is also 0. pH is fine and so is [acronym:1058c0741a="Specific gravity"]SG[/acronym:1058c0741a]. After the waterchange, do you think I'll be ok to go ahead with putting a new fish in it? It's 15gal by the way. Cheers! Mark

03-03-2005, 08:49 AM	#2
mjvincent Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Waxahachie, TX Posts: 436	I think it should be fine... The food acted as a protein for the bacterial action. Without the food rotting your beneficial bacteria would have died and you would have had problems using the tank as a [acronym:7a247b628c="quarantine or quart depending on context"]QT[/acronym:7a247b628c] for any period of time. Just don't overload it... __________________ Mike Jones 32 gallon hex, 34 lbs [acronym:9256a99a06="Live rock"]lr[/acronym:9256a99a06], Prizm protein skimmer, fluval 104, 1 maxi jet 750, 1 maxi jet 1200 [acronym:9256a99a06="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]ph[/acronym:9256a99a06], current 40w 50/50 [acronym:9256a99a06="Power compact fluorescent"]pc[/acronym:9256a99a06], 1 [acronym:9256a99a06="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:9256a99a06] powerglo 19watt, 1 daylight [acronym:9256a99a06="Normal Output Fluorescents"]NO[/acronym:9256a99a06] 65w (equiv), two damsels, 1 green brittlestar, 1 peppermint shrimp, turbo snails, red legged hermit crabs, kenyan tree coral, leather coral, pumping xenia, mushroom coral, green star polyps, orange button polyps

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03-03-2005, 11:07 AM	#3
MarkW19 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: UK Posts: 1,671	I'm just going to put one small fish in (Royal Gramma). I guess the fish wont eat the rotten food thats in there??