Ammonia Control in a Hospital Tank

[Humblefish]

If you have a big emergency like say 10 small to medium sized fish to Hospitalize - how big of a tank do you need to be able to manage the ammonia levels?

Probably at least a 40 breeder to manage the ammonia with daily water changes. A 29-30 gal might work, IF you are utilizing a working biofilter: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ammonia-control-in-a-hospital-tank.296119/

 

[ReefWithCare]

Probably at least a 40 breeder to manage the ammonia with daily water changes. A 29-30 gal might work, IF you are utilizing a working biofilter: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ammonia-control-in-a-hospital-tank.296119/

Ya that's what I thought. I figure you would want an emergency tank to house all your fish if something big happened.

So something like if you have a 120G tank you should have a 40G available in the event you have to hospitalize all fish at once etc? What about if you have your bio-media seeded from the main tank, but your main tank is the one that got infected (e.g. - velvet outbreak).

 

[Brew12]

Ya that's what I thought. I figure you would want an emergency tank to house all your fish if something big happened.

So something like if you have a 120G tank you should have a 40G available in the event you have to hospitalize all fish at once etc? What about if you have your bio-media seeded from the main tank, but your main tank is the one that got infected (e.g. - velvet outbreak).

I can share my emergency plan in case I needed to quickly pull and treat fish. I would buy a big plastic tote and move them into there with the rock I keep in my sump. I'd sacrifice the rock, but I would start raising copper levels quickly. Up until recently, that wouldn't be an option but I am confident that I could maintain proper copper levels now that we know the Hanna High Range Copper Checker works.

I would then set up multiple smaller QT's to split my fish up based on aggression so I could observe them better.

This is the tote I used when I moved my fish from a 120g to a 187g. They were only in there for 2 days so I didn't do much fancy but it worked very well.

 

[ReefWithCare]

I can share my emergency plan in case I needed to quickly pull and treat fish. I would buy a big plastic tote and move them into there with the rock I keep in my sump. I'd sacrifice the rock, but I would start raising copper levels quickly. Up until recently, that wouldn't be an option but I am confident that I could maintain proper copper levels now that we know the Hanna High Range Copper Checker works.

I would then set up multiple smaller QT's to split my fish up based on aggression so I could observe them better.

This is the tote I used when I moved my fish from a 120g to a 187g. They were only in there for 2 days so I didn't do much fancy but it worked very well.

Oh man that is perfect. Ya tote can carry quite a bit and easy to acquire in a pitch. I think they cal them stock tanks. You can get a 100 gallon version for less then $100.

 

[Ric365]

is it okay to fill our QT with matrix from seachem as a host for bacteria with copper medication?

 

[Humblefish]

is it okay to fill our QT with matrix from seachem as a host for bacteria with copper medication?

Yes

 

[jasonrusso]

is it okay to fill our QT with matrix from seachem as a host for bacteria with copper medication?

I use ceramic media in the HOB filter and I run a foam filter in the tank. You can't just throw ceramic media in the corner, you need to have some sort of flow through it.

XY-380 Aquarium Fish Tank Biochemical Sponge Filter, 4-1/2-Inch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051XIN78/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_LCvjBb1AB0VRW

 

[Averhoeven]

I know live rock is off the table, but what about the marine pure balls? It would be super easy (and beneficial) to keep a bunch in your sump and just transfer one to the HT filter when you need to. Then just toss the ball out when everything is done in HT/QT.

 

[B-ridge]

I was thinking the same thing. Marine pure balls or even Bio Fil by aquaforest. Curious to answers

 

[yepreef]

Live Bacteria Products:
Dr Tims One and Only
Instant Ocean BioSpira
Fritz Turbostart 900
ATM Colony
Two Little Fishies BioPronto


Inert Bacteria Products:
Seachem Stability
Aquaforest Bio S
Aquavitro Seed

what is the different between live bacteria and inert bacteria?

 

[Brew12]

what is the different between live bacteria and inert bacteria?

Basically the same bacteria, just in a different state of activation. They don't go into a cyst form as some bacteria do, but they do seem to go into a less active state.

 

[PeterG]

Am I cycled?

Setting up a 10 gal Coral/Invert QT tank and would like to know if I’m ready for frags?
Tank has an Aquaclear HOB 50 . I seeded both the sponge and the bio matrix with approx. 4oz of Bio Spira overnight. Tank also has 10lbs of Carib Sea Live sand.
On 7/4 I dosed with 40 drops of Dr Tim’s Ammonium Chloride. took 3 days for NH4 to go to zero but NO2 stayed at >1ppm. On day six I dosed with another 40 Drops of Ammonium Chloride. Next day NH4 was a zero but NO2 still >1. Was out of town for a a few days and tested again on day 11. NH4 and NO2 were both zero. Dosed 40 drops again. Today NH4 is between 0-.1 but NO2 is again >1ppm.

A bit surprised at latest results but I suspect NO2 will go to zero in a couple of days. Am I good to go? Should I wait? Add more Bio-Spira?

 

[Humblefish]

@PeterG I'd say you're good to go. You have sufficient nitrifying bacteria to handle corals/inverts.

 

[PeterG]

@PeterG I'd say you're good to go. You have sufficient nitrifying bacteria to handle corals/inverts.

Thanks HF. I thought I had read something about corals being more sensitive to NO2 & NO3 than fish

 

[Brew12]

Thanks HF. I thought I had read something about corals being more sensitive to NO2 & NO3 than fish

NO2 and NO3 are used as food by coral. Unless they are very high the worst that should happen is browning. I wouldn't worry about either in coral QT unless they get over 40ppm but it is easily corrected via water change.

Inverts can be more sensitive to both. Most snails and crabs don't care about either. I would get NO2 to 0ppm and NO3 to under 20ppm before doing any sensitive inverts like starfish and urchin.

 

[PeterG]

NO2 and NO3 are used as food by coral. Unless they are very high the worst that should happen is browning. I wouldn't worry about either in coral QT unless they get over 40ppm but it is easily corrected via water change.

Inverts can be more sensitive to both. Most snails and crabs don't care about either. I would get NO2 to 0ppm and NO3 to under 20ppm before doing any sensitive inverts like starfish and urchin.

Thanks Brew. No starfish or urchins on my radar at the moment. Think I'll plan a trip to my LFS for later this week.

 

[Ric365]

fellas can someone mention about what kind bacteria host whose can absorb a cooper?

 

[Humblefish]

does it good idea to fill matrix from seachem to fill in QT? and does it absorb cooper?

Matrix is a good/safe biomedia to use in QT.

 

[starypotter]

I put ammonia removing pads, the petco brand, in my HOB filter of my emergency tank. I used this to avoid prime because I planned to use copper once things settle in there. I didn't even think about the ammonia removing pads being similar to prime. Will that have any sort of interaction with copper? I've been adding MicrobeLift to help out the bacteria population in the mean time by my ammonia alert badge is reading alert so I'll be getting more bacteria tomorrow, probably biospira.

 

[Brew12]

I put ammonia removing pads, the petco brand, in my HOB filter of my emergency tank. I used this to avoid prime because I planned to use copper once things settle in there. I didn't even think about the ammonia removing pads being similar to prime. Will that have any sort of interaction with copper? I've been adding MicrobeLift to help out the bacteria population in the mean time by my ammonia alert badge is reading alert so I'll be getting more bacteria tomorrow, probably biospira.

Unfortunately I have no idea how the ammonia removing pads work. I don't know if it would be a problem or not.