qt help!!

[Jaxs]

hey everyone so my DT tank has been cycled for a bit now and I have two clown fish in a qt tank. I used water from my dt and a filter sponge I had running in there for 2 weeks is now in an hob filter on my qt tank. My fish are eating and acting normal and they started prazipro this morning. but I can not seem to keep nitrites levels down. They are low and I have zero ammonia but I have a nitrite reading of about 0.05-0.1. am I supposed to be doing a water change every single day?? Also like how do I do that when they are currently being treated with prazi? do I do a water change then retreat for the amount I replaced?

 

[Pbh-reef]

It sounds like the QT may not have fully cycled. did you dose bacteria in a bottle? Can you get your hands on some? Products like doctor tim's, fritz turbo start, bio-spira, etc can help a QT process ammonia into nitrate.

Prazipro is really mostly active for 24 hours after dosing, so doing water changes should be ok after 24 hours from the dose

 

[RegalMark]

Also Nitrite is not as toxic to saltwater fish as freshwater.

 

[reef lover]

I always like to have some prime on hand just in case ammonia shows before the water change is do for meds.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

I would not panic as long as ammonia is very low to undetectable. I dont even test nitrite when I QT. As long as you can detect some nitrate, it indicates that the cycle is completing the entire process from ammonia to nitrate I would recommend water changes every now and then to keep the water clean, but wouldnt stress over low nitrite.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

I always like to have some prime on hand just in case ammonia shows before the water change is do for meds.

I agree Prime is great, but just to expand for the OP, be careful if dosing copper as it can make copper much more toxic to fish.

 

[Jaxs]

would medication like prazi pro or copper(I plan on using cupramine) throw off ammonia test kits(using red sea one) I have the seachem badge alert but it just always says zero lol which maybe is true but idk if I'm trusting it

 

[Nburg's Reef]

Paging: @HotRocks @4FordFamily
What type of copper? I don't think copper power or chelated copper affect test kits, definitely not the ammonia alert. Cupromine might mess with some but I am not an expert. I did use a seachem badge once and it showed no color change, but I had pretty high ammonia. Not sure why, but I think it was a bad badge. Lots of people use them and some of the board experts recommend them so should be good.

 

[4FordFamily]

I agree Prime is great, but just to expand for the OP, be careful if dosing copper as it can make copper much more toxic to fish.

Agree

Paging: @HotRocks @4FordFamily
What type of copper? I don't think copper power or chelated copper affect test kits, definitely not the ammonia alert. Cupromine might mess with some but I am not an expert. I did use a seachem badge once and it showed no color change, but I had pretty high ammonia. Not sure why, but I think it was a bad badge. Lots of people use them and some of the board experts recommend them so should be good.

I do recommend the ammonia alert badge, some have had some issues but I have used dozens without issue, luckily. I would recommend Copper Power and the Hanna Copper checker for accuracy.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

Agree


I do recommend the ammonia alert badge, some have had some issues but I have used dozens without issue, luckily. I would recommend Copper Power and the Hanna Copper checker for accuracy.

I will second the Hanna Copper Checker. I got one based on HumbleFish's testing and it has made QTing fish a breeze!

 

[4FordFamily]

I will second the Hanna Copper Checker. I got one based on HumbleFish's testing and it has made QTing fish a breeze!

It was actually @HotRocks that pioneered that! :D @Humblefish deserves all of the credit in the world but it was @HotRocks that moved forward. I helped but heck -- I told him it was a waste of money and time, probably! :D

 

[Humblefish]

It was actually @HotRocks that pioneered that! :D @Humblefish deserves all of the credit in the world but it was @HotRocks that moved forward. I helped but heck -- I told him it was a waste of money and time, probably! :D

^^ Agree; I had nothing to do with discovering the Hanna Copper Checker.

 

[Nburg's Reef]

^^ Agree; I had nothing to do with discovering the Hanna Copper Checker.

You guys all do so much great work, I can't remember who said what anymore! lol

 

[HotRocks]

^^ Agree; I had nothing to do with discovering the Hanna Copper Checker.

You had a whole lot to do with driving the ship that landed on it though! More than you probably know, and I still wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for you sir!!! :)