MORE trouble need advice after qt. AMM spike WORRIED

[JVH]

So as some of you know I had ick and set up a QT on Tuesday..see pic in my Help wit ick thread

Started with 80% tank water fish were in and add a few gallon of fresh mixed SW. (matching temp, ph, salinity) My thinking was its like doing a water change so a little additional new sw mix would be ok but maybe that's the problem?
Regardless, I now have ammonia which I did hear it can happen in a QT...

what I have

20g long with few PVC pieces (see pic in my Help wit ick thread)
HOB filter
small PH
heater--temp at 78 (like in DT)
NO Skimmer NO carbon in hob

My numbers

salinity 1.024 (like in DT)
ph 8.0 appx (like in DT)
Ni 0
NA 20ppm
AMMONIA .25 (green on the API test kit)my test kit under normal conditions shows pale yellow dark yellow to bordering green last night (used Prime) today green!

Treatment

When I set up the Qt I added the copper treatment according to directions
Nite Out 2 for bacteria (recommended by another reefer since no rock was coming over to QT)
and I used Prime on the initial set up..

Problem!!

Today AMMONIA! I lost 2 fish due to this disease I don't want to loose anymore. I'm worried...I MUST go to work so I can't further address this until 5pm..
I gave another dose of Nite out since it says every other day.. (which would be tonight) and I did a dose of prime. (again)
I don't want to mess up the meds in the tank but I think I need to do a WC tonight!
What % would you recommend?
Fish are still STRESSED me too) from the transition and now with ammonia I want to just leave them be a few days but I'm afraid for there lives!

Pease someone let me know what I can do to get this under control asap that wont stress them out further....since that's what started this whole mess..
also added garlic to food and only feeding flake now since they were not eating and that was a favorite. Will try garlic soaked Mysis later

And finally, is it bad to add a rock from DT to help out? or is that truly a NO,NO

Sorry this is long, wanted to get it all the info needed..
THANK YOU for taking he time to read and I appreciate everyone who has been so helpful..

Judith

 

[Humblefish]

First problem ... You cannot mix Prime (or any ammona reducer) with copper. Mixing the two increases copper toxicity tenfold. In short, get those fish into a new QT with new water ASAP.

Second problem ... The presence of copper renders most ammonia test kits useless. You will get nothing but false positives. For this reason, I only use Seachem ammonia alert badges in QT.

Third problem ... Does your HOB contain any bio media capable of hosting nitrifying bacteria? Examples of this would be a sponge or foam, ceramic noodles, bio wheel, etc.

 

[JVH]

First problem ... You cannot mix Prime (or any ammona reducer) with copper. Mixing the two increases copper toxicity tenfold. In short, get those fish into a new QT with new water ASAP.

Second problem ... The presence of copper renders most ammonia test kits useless. You will get nothing but false positives. For this reason, I only use Seachem ammonia alert badges in QT.

Third problem ... Does your HOB contain any bio media capable of hosting nitrifying bacteria? Examples of this would be a sponge or foam, ceramic noodles, bio wheel, etc.

This hobby is the most confusing thing ever!!.. so many differences of opinion! Someone I know who has had several reef tanks told me to use to use the nite out to add bacteria in place of rock and prim is ok if I had an ammonia issue..Should I add a sponge from old tank?? I thought the water would have been enough since it was full of there bacteria... I ordered the ammonia badge yesterday...I'm at a loss! What you are saying is so different than another reefer told me was ok so I'm at a total loss.. I'm about to quit this hobby as much as I love it..
Thank you I appreciate your advice..
Since I don't have another tank I will do a water change and wait for my Seachem badge to see if I truly have ammonia..

 

[evolved]

I thought the water would have been enough since it was full of there bacteria...

Beneficial bacteria in the water column is really quite limited, and especially in regards to nitrifying bacteria. They need surfaces to colonies on, hence the needs for sponge or foam, ceramic noodles, bio wheel, etc.

At a minimum, do as big of a water change as you can on the QT ASAP.

 

[JVH]

Beneficial bacteria in the water column is really quite limited, and especially in regards to nitrifying bacteria. They need surfaces to colonies on, hence the needs for sponge or foam, ceramic noodles, bio wheel, etc.

At a minimum, do as big of a water change as you can on the QT ASAP.

oh geeze! I will do that as soon as I get home.. Should I add sponge from the DT?

 

[Humblefish]

Reading thru Cupramine's FAQ will back up all the advice I have given you: Seachem. Cupramine FAQ