QT Tank Stabilization help!

[Mini Coop]

I need help please! I have 4 fish in a 20 gal QT tank. Fox Face, Sailfin and 2 purple fire fish. I got Ich in my main tank, and am running fallow for 76 days (until Christmas). My nitrates are still high in the QT. I have a sponge filter with bio bag in it, used Seachem's stability in it for 7 days, and now use a capful when I do a water change as well. Changing water every 2-3 days. I finally got the ammonia levels stable, but nitrates and nitrites are high, ph is low. It has an OTT filter and 20 gal power head running. I need to treat them with copper, but I don't want to put them through that until I get the water stable. The sailfin looks like she might have a couple spots on her tail now (none of them have shown any signs of ich since I moved them out of the DT). I am worried the nitrates are going to make them sick, and I have no idea what to do for the ph level. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have gone through quite a bit of effort to save these beautiful fish, and would hate to kill them in QT. I have already lost a ton, and had to start over in DT. THANK YOU!

 

[Duke4Life]

@melypr1985 @Humblefish

 

[Humblefish]

The short of it: Don't worry about nitrates in fish QT, only ammonia. How low is the pH?

For the most part, nitrates only affect corals/inverts. They won't impact fish until it reaches into the hundreds.

 

[Mini Coop]

I thought nitrates were bad for fish, but nitrites were ok. I just have the strip tests to test for those things. . . nitrates are measuring around 40-80 now, but were probably close to 100 a couple days ago. ph looks on the strip test like it is about 7.4 ish. My nitrites are really high - looks like the strip test goes to 10, and they are there or beyond.

 

[domination2580]

I thought nitrates were bad for fish, but nitrites were ok. I just have the strip tests to test for those things. . . nitrates are measuring around 40-80 now, but were probably close to 100 a couple days ago. ph looks on the strip test like it is about 7.4 ish. My nitrites are really high - looks like the strip test goes to 10, and they are there or beyond.

It's the opposite, nitrate are ok for most part, nitrite on the other hand can kill

 

[Pugfishluv3]

Ammonia (toxic) turns to nitrites (toxic but less than ammonia) then turns to nitrates the least toxic. Water changes an bottled bacterial (as long as no meds) would be my best advice

 

[Mini Coop]

Ammonia (toxic) turns to nitrites (toxic but less than ammonia) then turns to nitrates the least toxic. Water changes an bottled bacterial (as long as no meds) would be my best advice

Ok. Well, that is what I am doing. Used bottled bacteria for a week straight, and using a capful with each water change. Doing water changes every 3 days. Thinking every other day or every day even?

 

[Mini Coop]

It's the opposite, nitrate are ok for most part, nitrite on the other hand can kill

The nitrites are REALLY high on my strip tests . . . . starting to worry me.

 

[melypr1985]

You can up your water change schedual to compensate, but it sounds like your QT is just about cycled. The ammonia is zero and the nitrites are high. Keep up with the water changes, adding bacteria like you're already doing and be patient. It will cycle pretty soon now. You're out of the worst of it with the ammonia at zero

 

[Mini Coop]

You can up your water change schedual to compensate, but it sounds like your QT is just about cycled. The ammonia is zero and the nitrites are high. Keep up with the water changes, adding bacteria like you're already doing and be patient. It will cycle pretty soon now. You're out of the worst of it with the ammonia at zero

Ok! Thank you!! I wish I could have cycled it without fish in it :) Pretty sure I had a diatom algae bloom in there - all the pvc pipe is covered in brown. That was actually pretty exciting! :)
I do need to treat them with copper once it is stable (they are there until Christmas, so I wasn't in a huge hurry to treat since they weren't showing any signs of the ich).
Two questions:
1. Would it be of benefit to sacrifice a piece of live rock (treating with copper eventually) to help with all of the cycling? Especially since I plan on using the QT for 30 days for each fish that I bring in as I restock my tank after christmas? It will be up for quite a long time.
2. Even after I treat with copper - - - I fI let the levels come down through water changes, etc, I can just use it as QT for any new fish without completely draining it, right? I have Prazipro to treat any new fish with. The first plan is to put the QT fish into DT the week of Christmas, then get 2 clowns the same week and QT for 30 days before putting them into DT.
(been trying to do my reading on the proper way to do things :))

 

[melypr1985]

1. Would it be of benefit to sacrifice a piece of live rock (treating with copper eventually) to help with all of the cycling? Especially since I plan on using the QT for 30 days for each fish that I bring in as I restock my tank after christmas? It will be up for quite a long time.

I wouldn't put any live rock in there. Just be patient and it will all level out for you.

2. Even after I treat with copper - - - I fI let the levels come down through water changes, etc, I can just use it as QT for any new fish without completely draining it, right? I have Prazipro to treat any new fish with. The first plan is to put the QT fish into DT the week of Christmas, then get 2 clowns the same week and QT for 30 days before putting them into DT.
(been trying to do my reading on the proper way to do things :))

I would strongly recommend draining the QT and sterilizing it in between batches of fish. You would do well to put a sponge in your display's sump to get it seeded for the next batch. By the time you need it the tank will have gone through the entire fallow period and the sponge will be perfectly safe to use in the next QT.

 

[goatcorals]

Agree no live rock. It can make it difficult to maintain correct copper dosage. It probably would be a good idea to add 3 or 4 PVC elbows (maybe couple 2 1/2 inch and maybe some smaller ones for the fire fish) if you haven't already. My fishes seem be more comfortable with the cover/sleeping area.

 

[Humblefish]

It's the opposite, nitrate are ok for most part, nitrite on the other hand can kill

Actually, nitrites are mostly harmless to saltwater fish as well (but this doesn't apply to freshwater fish); the problem with getting a nitrite reading is it indicates a young/weak bio-filter. Specifically, not enough Nitrobacter are present to oxidize nitrite into nitrate.

 

[Humblefish]

@Jena Cooper As Meredith said, it sounds like your bio-filter isn't quite where it needs to be yet but the good news is you are getting close. :)

Just to be sure, you haven't started dosing copper or any other medications yet, have you? The presence of meds (especially copper) can throw off your test kit readings.

 

[Mini Coop]

@Jena Cooper As Meredith said, it sounds like your bio-filter isn't quite where it needs to be yet but the good news is you are getting close. :)

Just to be sure, you haven't started dosing copper or any other medications yet, have you? The presence of meds (especially copper) can throw off your test kit readings.

No. I have not :)

 

[Tek]

Ammonia is the main killer I monitor while fish are in QT. I typically do water changes every 3 days for the first two weeks until the tank cycles.

Many times people blame the QT process for killing fish and place new fish directly into the display. It is only a matter of when their fish will be infected.

 

[Mini Coop]

Ok - @Humphrey - Done - started with 3 that are gladly covered in diatom algae :)

@melypr1985 already had one seeding and went ahead and added 2 more for when I restock. I figure the longer they seed the better. :)

@Humblefish @melypr1985 while I have the experts here - the ph is measuring around 7.0-7.4. Is that too low? Will that fix itself with the cycling? Or is there something I can do to raise it?

And also while I have the experts - - - again . . . This is growing on a rock that is at the back and side of my tank. Any idea what it is? Is it bad? Will it just keep growing? The white stuff. It started small, with maybe 2 pieces, and now is growing quite a bit - and I noticed it all over tonight.

 

[Humblefish]

@Jena Cooper That pH is way too low. You want it between 7.8 - 8.3. I would double check using a different test kit, as unless you have the fish in hypo I don't see how a pH that low is even possible. o_O

 

[melypr1985]

And also while I have the experts - - - again . . . This is growing on a rock that is at the back and side of my tank. Any idea what it is? Is it bad? Will it just keep growing? The white stuff. It started small, with maybe 2 pieces, and now is growing quite a bit - and I noticed it all over

I believe that's a sponge and not harmful

 

[Mini Coop]

@Jena Cooper That pH is way too low. You want it between 7.8 - 8.3. I would double check using a different test kit, as unless you have the fish in hypo I don't see how a pH that low is even possible. o_O

Ok - I got my Reef Master and Saltwater master test kits last night. I tested the ph this morning. Looks like it is around 8ish from what I can tell! So, we are all good. The Ammonia is officially at 0. I have water mixing for more water changes. The nitrite was 5.0 and nitrate was a 5. Hopefully on the upswing. Let me know if you have any additional advice!

@melypr1985 awesome! I suppose that is a good thing! :)