Nitrates in QT - what can I do?

[mcarroll]

The sponge would provide surface area for good bacteria to grow. but honestly, qts are temporary for the most part, so a lot of us just rely on water changes to keep parameters in check.

Ammonia is constantly excreted, probably at a higher rate when they are stressed (most do, but it depends on the species), so some active bio-filtration is very much called for in QT.

If you're in a hospital tank where you'll be medicating, that's a different story. Water management is totally on you in that case. :)

You don't want to expose a potentially healthy fish to any concentration of ammonia if it can be helped. <1 ppm can have toxic effects...

An interesting quote: (highlighting is mine, but that's not the only interesting part...too bad the whole article is not available)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X02002278

Present ammonia criteria for aquatic systems are based on toxicity tests carried out on, starved, resting, non-stressed fish. This is doubly inappropriate. During exhaustive exercise and stress, fish increase ammonia production and are more sensitive to external ammonia. Present criteria do not protect swimming fish. Fish have strategies to protect them from the ammonia pulse following feeding, and this also protects them from increases in external ammonia, as a result starved fish are more sensitive to external ammonia than fed fish.

Ammonia sensitivity after starvation makes reason #4,752 why our new fish are so sensitive after arriving from the supply chain. Not sure if feed is offered at all during this phase...and it's hard to imagine any fish eating at this phase anyway...so I'm sure they are mostly/all starving.

 

[BummersReef]

Got back from LFS about an hour ago. Trace of nitrite this time so it is probably the extra poo and food for the 5 fish. That's what LFS guy seemed to think and this guy has been rock solid with all his advice. Nitrate still about 25. So just moved the sponge to the QT and did a 40% change. Will probably just keep testing each day and changing each day or at least every other day until these bad boys are ready to go into the DT. But LFS guy did seem to think sponge would help quite a bit.

 

[mcarroll]

Ammonia and nitrite are thankfully converted in a hurry...totally oxidized/ionized as nitrate so it's barely toxic, if at all. Still good to keep up with it vs letting it get out of control.

 

[code4]

In a quarantine tank, and sometimes display, amquel plus or prime can be your best friend. They can neutralize ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. They are not for long term use. They are good in an emergency. Though I must admit to having a lengthy emergency once

Dilution is always good. But I also rely on these two when I do quarantine, TTM, or go through a mini cycle when adding fish to a system. These are my experiences and advice.

Shelley

 

[BummersReef]

If I had it to do over again ..... lol .... I'd get a bigger QT! but I'll just water change like a maniac and maybe drop in a little piece of well seasoned rock. Hubby in charge of making the saltwater so he is more frustrated than I with all the changing

btw thanks everyone with all the info and advice. this place is always so helpful

 

[code4]

I use a seachem badge to monitor for ammonia in my quarantine. Ammonia is the silent killer in quarantine. I have never had an issue with nitrates in my quarantine tank. But then I usually am doing TTM for the first 2-3 weeks. I use the water from my DT to set up the second tank on day 2 of TTM. And treat with amquel plus or prime days 2&3. Once the new fish have undergone TTM I then place them into a cycled quarantine tank for further observation.

Good luck with the nitrate.

Shelley