QT water parameters

[SaraJames]

I tested my water for my 20 gallon QT this morning because I have a fish that is in jeopardy and the best I can tell the Ammonia is around 0.5-1ppm, the nitrates are between 10-20ppm, and the PH is around 7.4ppm. I am going to add some RODI to the tank today. I currently have the following to treat the tank with.

Marine Buffer - to raise PH
Prime - for Ammonia Nitrate and Nitrites

Would these be good to do what I'm trying to do? Or should I just add the RODI and retest then?

 

[Tahoe61]

What's the specific gravity?
Consider an ammonia badge.
I would not use the buffer without knowing the alkalinity value. For now ignore the pH until you know the SG and alkalinity.
What did you use to initiate the cycle?

Good on you for being proactive and starting a QT.

 

[SaraJames]

I don't have a hydrometer yet. I don't have anything to test alkalinity either. I have several things on order that haven't arrived yet. I could take some water to the store today and get it tested.

The tank has been up and running for a few months. I think I used ammonium chloride?

This is the first time it tested outside the normal parameters. Note that I had two snails die in it this week and was only able do a partial water change so far.

 

[NeedAReef]

You could try a bigger wc but use yoir main tank water...gives you a wc in your main tank too. This assumes your main tank params are good and it is the water your qt inhabitant will go to sooner or later

 

[slingfox]

@Reefmedics can help advise

 

[SaraJames]

You could try a bigger wc but use yoir main tank water...gives you a wc in your main tank too. This assumes your main tank params are good and it is the water your qt inhabitant will go to sooner or later

I’m totally doing this! Thank you for the idea.

 

[Tahoe61]

You could try a bigger wc but use yoir main tank water...gives you a wc in your main tank too. This assumes your main tank params are good and it is the water your qt inhabitant will go to sooner or later

If you don't know the SG and basic alkalinity and calcium values of the main tank?

 

[Kooma]

I don't have a hydrometer yet. I don't have anything to test alkalinity either. I have several things on order that haven't arrived yet. I could take some water to the store today and get it tested.

The tank has been up and running for a few months. I think I used ammonium chloride?

This is the first time it tested outside the normal parameters. Note that I had two snails die in it this week and was only able do a partial water change so far.

Let’s break this down and make it simple.

You have a QT, and that is great. Buy an seachem ammonia badge for it. With Ways, you need to have the ability to change 100% of its water at any time, your ammonia is high and likely what killed the snails.

You absolutely must have a hydrometer. Buy this before anything saltwater animal related. You cannot run a tank safely without one.

For your current situation, you need to perform between a 50 and 100% water change as soon as you can. You need to mix the water or buy saltwater from the store and heat it before you do a 100% change if there are fish in the QT.

A QT can be a few types

Fallow QT tank, used for snails, corals, rocks.

A observation tank for fish if you don’t plan to treat them.

A copper QT for fish for treatment. I use my copper tank for antibiotics and deworming meds as well.

What are you trying to achieve with this QT?

In a QT for fish, you only need to watch salinity, temp, ammonia and possibly nitrates. Nitrates don’t usually become a problem for qt periods.

For a coral qt you need to test calcium and alk. Ignore these for a fish QT.

 

[Marine Betta]

I tested my water for my 20 gallon QT this morning because I have a fish that is in jeopardy and the best I can tell the Ammonia is around 0.5-1ppm, the nitrates are between 10-20ppm, and the PH is around 7.4ppm. I am going to add some RODI to the tank today. I currently have the following to treat the tank with.

Marine Buffer - to raise PH
Prime - for Ammonia Nitrate and Nitrites

Would these be good to do what I'm trying to do? Or should I just add the RODI and retest then?

Are you currently running copper in the QT, and what symptoms are the fish experiencing to make you say they are in jeopardy? If you are running copper, do NOT use prime or similar products with copper. They will react with each other, and become extremely toxic. Most copper products contain an amine group which acts as a chelator. This will often cause a false positive ammonia reading. The most reliable way to monitor ammonia is with a Hanna ammonia test, but badges can work too. If there is ammonia present, water changes are the way to go if you want to reduce and remove it until the tank is cycled and stabilized.

Buffer would raise pH, but ammonia becomes more toxic at higher pH values. Nitrite is really only toxic in freshwater, and monitoring it is only applicable to SW as evidence of a disturbed nitrogen cycle. Those levels of nitrate are fine for a FOWLR and most reef tanks.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal may have other comments.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I tested my water for my 20 gallon QT this morning because I have a fish that is in jeopardy and the best I can tell the Ammonia is around 0.5-1ppm, the nitrates are between 10-20ppm, and the PH is around 7.4ppm. I am going to add some RODI to the tank today. I currently have the following to treat the tank with.

Marine Buffer - to raise PH
Prime - for Ammonia Nitrate and Nitrites

Would these be good to do what I'm trying to do? Or should I just add the RODI and retest then?

Dont add buffer and if accurate reading, reduce ammonia with water changes of 2-g gas daily for a week. Prime is a water conditioner and not ammonia remover as bottle implies.
Add air stone and what test kit are you using?

 

[SaraJames]

This tank would be used for incoming fish and sick fish as needed. I rearranged some decor last week and moved the rock out but I plan to add some new rock today. I will probably add snails when the tank cycles enough.

 

[SaraJames]

I tested my water for my 20 gallon QT this morning because I have a fish that is in jeopardy and the best I can tell the Ammonia is around 0.5-1ppm, the nitrates are between 10-20ppm, and the PH is around 7.4ppm. I am going to add some RODI to the tank today. I currently have the following to treat the tank with.

Marine Buffer - to raise PH
Prime - for Ammonia Nitrate and Nitrites

Would these be good to do what I'm trying to do? Or should I just add the RODI and retest then?

Are you currently running copper in the QT, and what symptoms are the fish experiencing to make you say they are in jeopardy? If you are running copper, do NOT use prime or similar products with copper. They will react with each other, and become extremely toxic. Most copper products contain an amine group which acts as a chelator. This will often cause a false positive ammonia reading. The most reliable way to monitor ammonia is with a Hanna ammonia test, but badges can work too. If there is ammonia present, water changes are the way to go if you want to reduce and remove it until the tank is cycled and stabilized.

Buffer would raise pH, but ammonia becomes more toxic at higher pH values. Nitrite is really only toxic in freshwater, and monitoring it is only applicable to SW as evidence of a disturbed nitrogen cycle. Those levels of nitrate are fine for a FOWLR and most reef tanks.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal may have other comments.

No copper. Nothing in the tank at this time. Every morning I wake up to something dead or dying in my regular tank. Today it is a chromosome that looks like he has been beaten up. He’s not going to make it regardless of what I do for him.

I’m heading to the store right now to get some new water and rock.

 

[Tahoe61]

No copper. Nothing in the tank at this time. Every morning I wake up to something dead or dying in my regular tank. Today it is a chromosome that looks like he has been beaten up. He’s not going to make it regardless of what I do for him.

I’m heading to the store right now to get some new water and rock.

Get a device for measuring specific gravity, and a alkalinity test kit. Don't spend any more money until you can at least measure specific gravity.

 

[JP Reef]

No copper. Nothing in the tank at this time. Every morning I wake up to something dead or dying in my regular tank. Today it is a chromosome that looks like he has been beaten up. He’s not going to make it regardless of what I do for him.

I’m heading to the store right now to get some new water and rock.

If that is the case then don't use any water from the main display. For it to be a proper QT then everything should be kept separated. If nothing is in it then you can do water changes with clean saltwater until the bacteria builds.

 

[MikeReefs]

1. You need a Hydrometer to test the salinity
2. When you fill you QT with 1.025 salinity mark your waterline. Then you can fill your rodi water to that waterline whenever it drops
3. If you happened to need to use copper if you believe your new fish has ich or velvet then you will have to measure the copper with a copper device. Hanna Cooper is the best tool for it
3. Use a quality filter that breaks the water surface so your tank has plenty of oxygen. Some use a air stone to ensure this but that isn’t always needed
4. If you use copper the new salt water must be the same copper level as the QT. 2.25ppm is what it should be set at for a minimum of 30 days
5. Like stated above Ammonia is deadly in saltwater tanks. Water changes are necessary to keep it as close to 0 as possible. Don’t worry too much about PH and don’t add buffer

 

[SaraJames]

Get a device for measuring specific gravity, and a alkalinity test kit. Don't spend any more money until you can at least measure specific gravity.

So the salinity is 1.014. I'm assuming that means I need to add saltwater to the tank not RODI?
I hung the seachem ammonia tag and so far they are staying yellow but it does say it can take a day or so for them to become fully functional.

 

[JayM]

So the salinity is 1.014. I'm assuming that means I need to add saltwater to the tank not RODI?
I hung the seachem ammonia tag and so far they are staying yellow but it does say it can take a day or so for them to become fully functional.

Yes Add saltwater, though you'll need to do some math to figure out what salinity the additional water needs to be in order to raise the QT salinity. Alternatively, if there's no livestock and no immediate plans to add any, you can just wait for evaporation to raise it to 1.026 and just add fresh saltwater to bring the fill level to where you want it. Then just top off with RO/DI to make up for evaporation.

I don't think the badges are perfect, but I have found them useful and certainly good enough.

 

[SaraJames]

I just finished checking the water parameters again.
PH is 8.4
Ammonia is 0
Nitrites are 0
Nitrates are somewhere between 10 and 20.

Guess I am going to be fighting Nitrates again. I have Ammonium Chloride and Stability. Would either of those work?

 

[Uncle99]

I just finished checking the water parameters again.
PH is 8.4
Ammonia is 0
Nitrites are 0
Nitrates are somewhere between 10 and 20.

Guess I am going to be fighting Nitrates again. I have Ammonium Chloride and Stability. Would either of those work?

Those nitrate values are not bad at all provided they are not increasing or decreasing week over week.

 

[Ryanliyikun]

I wouldn’t add straight RODI to the tank since that can swing salinity and stress the fish more—the bigger issue is the ammonia at 0.5–1 ppm, which is dangerous. I’d dose Prime right away to detox the ammonia and do a water change with saltwater, not RODI, and hold off on the buffer unless the pH stays low after the ammonia is under control. Right now the priority is getting ammonia down first, then you can fine-tune everything else