#@*#@ QT TANKS!!!! arg!!

[fishman]

Ok guys....I have taken the advice of the forum and got a 20 long QT tank. I have have it up for about 4 weeks and seeded it with a spounge form my main tank. Also I had some extra LR so I threw it in there as well. However the tank over time now has debris from the LR and brown algea in it. I guess this is ok? It just looks bad and to think Im going to throw a fish in there for 4-6 weeks? All of the levels seem to be ok and holding except for the PH. I had it around 8.2 when I started it and it dropped to around 7.8. I now have it back to around 8.2 to 8.4. Once I put a fish or 2 in there, this is going to be nutes trying to keep all of the levels right isnt it? Being that it is a small tank? Any advice? I really want to protect my main tank but Im wondering if I will end up killing fish before they even get to the main tank....
THANKS

 

[BillyZ]

It's usually too much work to keep a QT tank running all the time. Most folks will simply prepare a QT tank just prior to purchasing new livestock. Keep the spong you plan on using for the QT in your display tank (sump or wherever in your system it can stay out of sight and still get water flow) and then use water from your display tank to fill the QT and put the sponge in the HOB (or whatever filter your using for the QT). Leave the QT up for a day or two then get your fish. It's getting rough and nasty now because it's been 4 weeks, which is about how long you'll have new fish in there. Keeping your levels in the QT stable can be as easy as weekly 1-2 gallon water changes. Remove 1 gallon of water from your QT tank. Replace that with 1 gallon of water from your display tank and add 1 gallon of new SW to your display tank.l

hope that helps a little.

 

[Atari]

The problem with setting everything up 4 weeks in advance is that all the beneficial bacteria that were on the sponge and rock will have diminished by now since there's no livestock producing waste to feed them.

And you'd be better off replacing the LR with some inert materials like PVC or something just incase you need to treat with meds once you get fish in there. It's just for hiding places since no bacteria will survive the meds.

Like Billy said, frequent water changes will keep everything in check.

 

[revhtree]

When dealing with certain desiese's (ich, velvet,etc...) it becomes a whole different ball game when dealing with the qt. I am treating with cupramine a 20g tank, and a 5 gallon a day water change, still isnt enough. I have 4 fish in. 1 big, 3 small. I am not over feeding, and the trite, and ammonia levels are driving me crazy...... 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O 8O

Sorry.

 

[fishman]

I guess Im just paranoid about the tank looking bad...its got brown algea growing in it and looks bad...but the levels are good so far.
I think I will get some fish for it this weekend and just go for it. And yes I hope that I dont have to use it as a QT tanks per say. This tank is to introduce new fish to my main tank.
Thanks

Any and all suggestions are appreciated..