Freaked out about QT

[Pau Hana Reefer]

I can be a pretty frugal person (in the wrong hobby... I know). I struggled with the cost of a QT but it has saved me on 3 different times already, saving myself hundreds of dollars and a lot of stress and frustrations. I thought I set it up cheap... and tried saving money by buying a cheap API copper tester. Wished I saved that money and put it right towards the more expensive Hanna tester.

I’m lucky to have TSM 30 minutes away from me. I asked one of the owners if he recommends QT’ing his fish due to their stringent QT process. He said I should be okay, but recommended I QT for a few days and observe just to be safe. He also mentioned that his recommendation would be different if my fish were shipped rather than pickup.

 

[Matt Miller]

I always start the clock over if I decide to add a new invert into my QT because I cannot tell which ones where added when. For coral though, I know exactly which ones were added on what date so I do not reset the clock for the whole tank, but keep a spreadsheet so I know how long each one had been in QT and when to move them.

For you though since they are in your main display already and will not be moving, the clock restarts every time you add a new invert. So I would not start the clock until you have stocked all the inverts you want initially.

On a side note: All my tanks are fully stocked with inverts, but I still keep an invert QT with several Turbo Snails, Nassarius Snails and a conch or shrimp for restocking my tanks at all times so I don't have to wait 76 days when a snail dies. ;Happy

I just put them in a week ago, so I think I'll try to get the rest ordered so I at least have some life in the tank while I count down.

 

[Tcook]

Just to put it out there, Diver's Den does not do a proper QT. They may hold the fish 1-2 weeks. They may be in better shape than fish from the LA side but still need to go through a proper QT.

 

[Matt Miller]

I think I've been emailing with TSM and will probably go with them. I'm calling another store tomorrow to see what they can do.

My lfs orders on some Sundays so hopefully I can get my shrimp and crabs ordered. Maybe a couple more snails lol.

 

[Doglips56]

Should I pitch the cupramine and get copper power?
Is there anything else I need to treat for or is the copper enough?

I'm really stressed about starting this qt

This hobby is expensive but paying a little upfront is better than losing ALOT later, take it from me. I was QT’ing everything I got including corals and inverts (in separate tanks). Then I got a fish from a local LFS that is notoriously difficult to QT and allegedly didn’t carry disease. Well, it was sick, it did die and I infected my entire 125 gallon DT. I lost multiple beautiful fish that I’d had for a long time, a couple from the very beginning. Then I lost coral because I had to treat the tank. We are finally, just now, at the point where we are ready to start replacing fish. They are in QT. I will never again take the chance of not QT’ing anything. It is not worth the cost EMOTIONALLY let alone financially.

 

[Matt Miller]

This hobby is expensive but paying a little upfront is better than losing ALOT later, take it from me. I was QT’ing everything I got including corals and inverts (in separate tanks). Then I got a fish from a local LFS that is notoriously difficult to QT and allegedly didn’t carry disease. Well, it was sick, it did die and I infected my entire 125 gallon DT. I lost multiple beautiful fish that I’d had for a long time, a couple from the very beginning. Then I lost coral because I had to treat the tank. We are finally, just now, at the point where we are ready to start replacing fish. They are in QT. I will never again take the chance of not QT’ing anything. It is not worth the cost EMOTIONALLY let alone financially.

Sorry for your loss, that sounds rough. I am trying to do this the right way so I. Slowly counting down the 76 days. I will be buying quarantined fish, then watching them for at least a couple weeks in my qt before adding to the DT.

I'm mostly irritated with myself for putting the snails in first, It would be so much nicer having fish to look at instead.

 

[Doglips56]

Sorry for your loss, that sounds rough. I am trying to do this the right way so I. Slowly counting down the 76 days. I will be buying quarantined fish, then watching them for at least a couple weeks in my qt before adding to the DT.

I'm mostly irritated with myself for putting the snails in first, It would be so much nicer having fish to look at instead.

Most people add their cleanup crew first or very early. I totally get where you’re coming from because QT and copper scared me to death at first but Velvet scared me more. I don’t go straight for the copper though. I just got 4 fish from saltwaterfish.com. I picked them up from the FedEx terminal after they spent a very long 24 hours on planes. First I floated the bags in the QT because they were a bit cool despite the warmers they had in the packing. Then they were drip acclimated and “treated” with something called Hydroplex. It is completely safe but treats external parasites during the acclimation process. I then added them to my QT and shut off the lights. Later on (many hours) I turns one light channel on low and fed them. To my delight they all ate with vigor. **** the lights back off for the night.
Everyone looked very good this morning and they are eating and active.
So far I see no signs of illness but cannot see internal parasites so they are getting food soaked in Metroplex and Focus as a prophylactic treatment. If I see no signs of illness I do not treat. If I see any whiff of illness they will go into the 13 gallon hospital tank that I use for copper treatments. It is the ONLY tank I use copper in. My non copper QT is a 40gal breeder. I will never not QT again. I am glad you are concerned with the health of your inhabitants. When we started last year I actually set up a QT tank before I even had my DT plumbed! So once the DT was set up and cycled I was able to add my pair of clowns and several coral frags that I had also QT’d. I was so impatient but learned quickly. Please click on my build thread banner to see my progress. My tank is about 10 months old now and I just updated my build thread

 

[Matt Miller]

Most people add their cleanup crew first or very early. I totally get where you’re coming from because QT and copper scared me to death at first but Velvet scared me more. I don’t go straight for the copper though. I just got 4 fish from saltwaterfish.com. I picked them up from the FedEx terminal after they spent a very long 24 hours on planes. First I floated the bags in the QT because they were a bit cool despite the warmers they had in the packing. Then they were drip acclimated and “treated” with something called Hydroplex. It is completely safe but treats external parasites during the acclimation process. I then added them to my QT and shut off the lights. Later on (many hours) I turns one light channel on low and fed them. To my delight they all ate with vigor. **** the lights back off for the night.
Everyone looked very good this morning and they are eating and active.
So far I see no signs of illness but cannot see internal parasites so they are getting food soaked in Metroplex and Focus as a prophylactic treatment. If I see no signs of illness I do not treat. If I see any whiff of illness they will go into the 13 gallon hospital tank that I use for copper treatments. It is the ONLY tank I use copper in. My non copper QT is a 40gal breeder. I will never not QT again. I am glad you are concerned with the health of your inhabitants. When we started last year I actually set up a QT tank before I even had my DT plumbed! So once the DT was set up and cycled I was able to add my pair of clowns and several coral frags that I had also QT’d. I was so impatient but learned quickly. Please click on my build thread banner to see my progress. My tank is about 10 months old now and I just updated my build thread

I definitely want to do it right, I just got my stand for my 10g and I'm close to buying a 25g cube with sump and stand lol.

I think I am still going to get the metroplex and focus for the extra just in case. I will definitely check out your build too.

Thanks for the information

 

[Matt Miller]

Most people add their cleanup crew first or very early. I totally get where you’re coming from because QT and copper scared me to death at first but Velvet scared me more. I don’t go straight for the copper though. I just got 4 fish from saltwaterfish.com. I picked them up from the FedEx terminal after they spent a very long 24 hours on planes. First I floated the bags in the QT because they were a bit cool despite the warmers they had in the packing. Then they were drip acclimated and “treated” with something called Hydroplex. It is completely safe but treats external parasites during the acclimation process. I then added them to my QT and shut off the lights. Later on (many hours) I turns one light channel on low and fed them. To my delight they all ate with vigor. **** the lights back off for the night.
Everyone looked very good this morning and they are eating and active.
So far I see no signs of illness but cannot see internal parasites so they are getting food soaked in Metroplex and Focus as a prophylactic treatment. If I see no signs of illness I do not treat. If I see any whiff of illness they will go into the 13 gallon hospital tank that I use for copper treatments. It is the ONLY tank I use copper in. My non copper QT is a 40gal breeder. I will never not QT again. I am glad you are concerned with the health of your inhabitants. When we started last year I actually set up a QT tank before I even had my DT plumbed! So once the DT was set up and cycled I was able to add my pair of clowns and several coral frags that I had also QT’d. I was so impatient but learned quickly. Please click on my build thread banner to see my progress. My tank is about 10 months old now and I just updated my build thread

One more question about this, I hope lol.

Since I'm buying quarantined fish and I will just be using the focus/metroplex, I can have the fish, crabs and shrimp together right?

I'm going to use some rubble rock, more for aesthetic reasons. It is just the copper treatments that causes problems from leaching? The food treatment for parasites won't harm inverts or corals right?

 

[Doglips56]

One more question about this, I hope lol.

Since I'm buying quarantined fish and I will just be using the focus/metroplex, I can have the fish, crabs and shrimp together right?

I'm going to use some rubble rock, more for aesthetic reasons. It is just the copper treatments that causes problems from leaching? The food treatment for parasites won't harm inverts or corals right?

No it shouldn’t. I’m treating all fish in a 40 gallon breeder I use for observation and I have a separate 13 gallon I keep cycled as a copper hospital tank. I am currently treating with Metro/Focus and inverts and corals ok

 

[Matt Miller]

Should I get all these or just get metroplex and focus?

 

[Doglips56]

Should I get all these or just get metroplex and focus?

Personally I like to have as much stuff on hand as I can. I keep all kinds of meds on hand. You just never know when you’re going to have an emergency but it will always be sometime when the LFS isn’t open or doesn’t have what you need. I used to be scared to death of Copper but I have several different types but my definite favorite is Copper Power. I suggest you also get a Hanna Checker for copper. Even pre quarantined fish can get sick. Sometimes if they’re getting bullied they’ll get sick or it the get nipped by another fish they can develop a secondary bacterial infection that requires treatment. I know you can do it! If I could overcome all of my fears you surely can too
Nancy

 

[Matt Miller]

Personally I like to have as much stuff on hand as I can. I keep all kinds of meds on hand. You just never know when you’re going to have an emergency but it will always be sometime when the LFS isn’t open or doesn’t have what you need. I used to be scared to death of Copper but I have several different types but my definite favorite is Copper Power. I suggest you also get a Hanna Checker for copper. Even pre quarantined fish can get sick. Sometimes if they’re getting bullied they’ll get sick or it the get nipped by another fish they can develop a secondary bacterial infection that requires treatment. I know you can do it! If I could overcome all of my fears you surely can too
Nancy

Thanks Nancy, I think I'll order this pack now but hold off a little on the copper tester till my next order. I feel a little better if I space out my purchases now lol.

I think I've got about a month or so still till I get my next group in. I'm waiting to hear back prices and timelines for my main group now.

 

[Doglips56]

Thanks Nancy, I think I'll order this pack now but hold off a little on the copper tester till my next order. I feel a little better if I space out my purchases now lol.

I think I've got about a month or so still till I get my next group in. I'm waiting to hear back prices and timelines for my main group now.

Of course. I didn’t buy everything all at once, my tank is 10 month old now. I’m not sure if you looked at my build thread but I’m really happy with the maturation of our tank, even with the setbacks.

 

[Matt Miller]

Of course. I didn’t buy everything all at once, my tank is 10 month old now. I’m not sure if you looked at my build thread but I’m really happy with the maturation of our tank, even with the setbacks.

Yeah I did, your tank looks great! I had to go small getting back into salt and I'm struggling with the pace lol.

I had a 120 a few years ago that I picked up from someone who had been neglecting and I didn't realize how much I was taking on. Im hoping to make this one a lot more self sufficient, and already feels like I'm much better off.

All this time between steps gives me soo much time to doubt it all lol.

I think I'm going to make a couple rock structures from my leftover rubble to help keep my mind off it.

 

[Doglips56]

Yeah I did, your tank looks great! I had to go small getting back into salt and I'm struggling with the pace lol.

I had a 120 a few years ago that I picked up from someone who had been neglecting and I didn't realize how much I was taking on. Im hoping to make this one a lot more self sufficient, and already feels like I'm much better off.

All this time between steps gives me soo much time to doubt it all lol.

I think I'm going to make a couple rock structures from my leftover rubble to help keep my mind off it.

It’s very pretty already! I totally get the doubt and second guessing. And my husband fell off a ladder and broke his back just as we were about to start our build. My son in law helped me get all the rock into the tank because my husband couldn’t. Thankfully he’s doing much better now.

 

[Matt Miller]

It’s very pretty already! I totally get the doubt and second guessing. And my husband fell off a ladder and broke his back just as we were about to start our build. My son in law helped me get all the rock into the tank because my husband couldn’t. Thankfully he’s doing much better now.

Wow, glad to hear he's better now.

 

[Matt Miller]

I'm finally moving forward with a plan here lol.

I will be getting a fluval 13.5 tomorrow and using that for me QT. After it's cycled I will get my clowns from cultivated reef and keep them in there till the countdown is done.

I'm going to try to get more snails, pom pom crabs and sexy shrimp from my lfs. These will go in my DT for 45ish days.

Oh and I'm going to get the zoas, mushroom and leather to put in the QT till ready to transfer also.

Lights are now on in the DT so I'm going to have to bump up my cuc.