Substrate in QT

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
If you put sand in your QT will you have to get rid of the substrate after every treatment?
IMHO, you would need to either bleach it/clean it - or change it. Most people do not use substrate in QT for a variety of reasons. I have heard (and believe that I read) - that CI does not attach well to glass, but does much better with sand/rock. This is the reason most people tend to not use rock/sand in QT. I.e. anything that slows down the multiplication in the tank will be better for the fish.
 

Joe's Coral Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
238
Reaction score
228
Location
Michigan
Rating - 50%
1   1   0
I believe the opposite of what most say about sand in qt. The beneficial bacteria need somewhere to live. Glass is very difficult for them to live on, sand is very easy. Sand will help getting the nitrification cycle started and keep it running. If you only use a little bit of sand it wont effect any treatments you do. Between Dr. Tim and Humblefish I've learned to use just a little bit of sand in my QT to keep the nitrification cycle going strong. You only need a very small amount.
 

Lost in the Sauce

BANGERANG!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
91,536
Location
Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I believe the opposite of what most say about sand in qt. The beneficial bacteria need somewhere to live. Glass is very difficult for them to live on, sand is very easy. Sand will help getting the nitrification cycle started and keep it running. If you only use a little bit of sand it wont effect any treatments you do. Between Dr. Tim and Humblefish I've learned to use just a little bit of sand in my QT to keep the nitrification cycle going strong.
If you have an appropriately sized filter for your qt, the mechanical media should be all the bac surface needed.

My qt runs a 4x4x2 foam block on the intake. I have never been able to register ammonia.

If you put sand in your qt, and end up needing to use copper, the sand will absorb the copper making it a nightmare to hold steady levels during treatment.
 

Uncle99

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2018
Messages
8,731
Reaction score
12,861
Location
Province of Ontario
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I only use sand in a small dish for those folks who need sand, otherwise bare.
I would never reuse it. I even toss the marine pure.
The rock I dry out and keep for future.
I would be concerned of contamination.

DD8D90B3-FA5A-4EE4-AD7E-AFB66D5E2D03.jpeg
 
OP
OP
StPatrick89

StPatrick89

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 21, 2021
Messages
743
Reaction score
307
Location
Perry Hall
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
IMHO, you would need to either bleach it/clean it - or change it. Most people do not use substrate in QT for a variety of reasons. I have heard (and believe that I read) - that CI does not attach well to glass, but does much better with sand/rock. This is the reason most people tend to not use rock/sand in QT. I.e. anything that slows down the multiplication in the tank will be better for the fish.
What about dr
I believe the opposite of what most say about sand in qt. The beneficial bacteria need somewhere to live. Glass is very difficult for them to live on, sand is very easy. Sand will help getting the nitrification cycle started and keep it running. If you only use a little bit of sand it wont effect any treatments you do. Between Dr. Tim and Humblefish I've learned to use just a little bit of sand in my QT to keep the nitrification cycle going strong. You only need a very small amount.
So instead of 10lb bag of sand for a 10G then like 5lbs of sand instead?
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
What about dr

So instead of 10lb bag of sand for a 10G then like 5lbs of sand instead?
I assume by 'dr' you mean 'dry rock'. That would have the same problem. CI attaches to rock/sand. Part of this question also revolves around what you mean by 'QT' - if you mean observation only, I would definitely avoid any rock/sand. If you mean treatment - prophylactically - like with copper etc that can also be an issue - due to adsorption of the drugs onto the rocks/sand. And you constantly have to be measuring levels. If you were going to use sand - I would use a very minimal amount - like just a scattering. Again - its just my opinion - but I think its based on some science. Hope this makes sense
 

revhtree

Owner Administrator
View Badges
Joined
May 8, 2006
Messages
47,603
Reaction score
85,991
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
If you want to keep sand then I would suggest keeping it in some type of tray so it can easily be removed and cleaned. :)
 
OP
OP
StPatrick89

StPatrick89

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 21, 2021
Messages
743
Reaction score
307
Location
Perry Hall
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I assume by 'dr' you mean 'dry rock'. That would have the same problem. CI attaches to rock/sand. Part of this question also revolves around what you mean by 'QT' - if you mean observation only, I would definitely avoid any rock/sand. If you mean treatment - prophylactically - like with copper etc that can also be an issue - due to adsorption of the drugs onto the rocks/sand. And you constantly have to be measuring levels. If you were going to use sand - I would use a very minimal amount - like just a scattering. Again - its just my opinion - but I think its based on some science. Hope this makes sense
Yea it makes sense. But from reading what you just put it almost sounds like you need to have a tank for observation and one for treatment
 
OP
OP
StPatrick89

StPatrick89

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 21, 2021
Messages
743
Reaction score
307
Location
Perry Hall
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
If you want to keep sand then I would suggest keeping it in some type of tray so it can easily be removed and cleaned. :)
I was looking at something that spoke about fish that need something to dive into would be deprived until they got in a display tank. Goby, wrasse and any other sand dweller.
 

Joe's Coral Reef

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
238
Reaction score
228
Location
Michigan
Rating - 50%
1   1   0
If you have an appropriately sized filter for your qt, the mechanical media should be all the bac surface needed.

My qt runs a 4x4x2 foam block on the intake. I have never been able to register ammonia.

If you put sand in your qt, and end up needing to use copper, the sand will absorb the copper making it a nightmare to hold steady levels during treatment.
Its been over a year since I researched it, but humblefish had tested how much copper the sand would absorb and it was negligible.

What about dr

So instead of 10lb bag of sand for a 10G then like 5lbs of sand instead?
I would just put a couple cups. Don't even try and cover the bottom. Just a small amount.
 

Lost in the Sauce

BANGERANG!!!!
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2021
Messages
18,889
Reaction score
91,536
Location
Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Its been over a year since I researched it, but humblefish had tested how much copper the sand would absorb and it was negligible.


I would just put a couple cups. Don't even try and cover the bottom. Just a small amount.
This is anecdotal since I don't have the exact day by day numbers written down but when I started copper,I had a Tupperware of sand for the wrasse to sleep in. For the first 5 days, known copper levels were dropping daily and needed small redoses. Levels did not hold steady until completely removing it. Once removed, levels stayed very stable.
 

Grumblez

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
May 16, 2021
Messages
422
Reaction score
483
Location
Roanoke
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I do observational quarantine so I normally use sand and some LR even. If I have to treat for something I set up a separate tank using half new water and half from current tank.
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Yea it makes sense. But from reading what you just put it almost sounds like you need to have a tank for observation and one for treatment
No - not really. You buy 3 fish at one place. on day 3 of observation, you notice xxxx disease. You treat all of those fish for xxx disease. The problem with rock or sand - is that if you need to treat (sand less a problem than rock) - you have the adsorption potential problem. so - thats why I suggested not using 'live rock' or sand - in a QT tank.
 
OP
OP
StPatrick89

StPatrick89

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 21, 2021
Messages
743
Reaction score
307
Location
Perry Hall
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
No - not really. You buy 3 fish at one place. on day 3 of observation, you notice xxxx disease. You treat all of those fish for xxx disease. The problem with rock or sand - is that if you need to treat (sand less a problem than rock) - you have the adsorption potential problem. so - thats why I suggested not using 'live rock' or sand - in a QT tank.
How do you run copper in a QT consistently? Are their any known fish that don’t do well with copper?
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
How do you run copper in a QT consistently? Are their any known fish that don’t do well with copper?
There are numerous threads here on both topics - and various opinions on how to run copper in QT, as well as many opinions and ways to treat fish that do not do as well with copper
 
Back
Top