I'm Doing My QT All Wrong

[metweezer]

As the title states, I am not doing things right and I want to make it right. I have LR, LS and 3 fresh water mollies in my QT. Also I have my False Percula in there and he is the guy I am QT'ing. He has been in there over 3 weeks and I am going to put him into my DT this weekend. I have a 29 Gal DT and 10 Gal QT. In my QT I have some barnacles (great hiding places) and 3 pieces of PVC. I have a HOB emperor 400 in my DT and I have no sponges nor sump.
How do I make things right? Should I get rid of the mollies, LS & LR? The clownfish is the 1st fish I will be placing in my DT. I do want more fish and will be ordering them 1 at a time and adding them to my QT for the required 3 weeks or so (watching out for problems). If I remove the clownfish this weekend what should I do to my QT to keep it ready for future fish I plan on buying?
If I remove the LR, LS and the 3 freshwater fish what do I do to keep the QT on standby for future fish purchaszes?
Thanks, Steve

 

[geridoc]

I firmly believe that a QT should have nothing but some PVC piping for shelter. LR and LS look nice, but there will be a big die-off if you have to hypo a fish in the QT (as will happen sooner or later!). I keep a HOB running on my QT (a 20 gal long), and feed the tank some fish food once or twice a week to keep the bacterial load happy. I have followed this system for more than 30 years with good success. The only time I have gotten diseases like ich in my DT was when I foolishly didn't QT an organism.

 

[raymondcookjr]

Originally Posted by GeriDoc
http:///forum/post/2518613
I firmly believe that a QT should have nothing but some PVC piping for shelter. LR and LS look nice, but there will be a big die-off if you have to hypo a fish in the QT (as will happen sooner or later!). I keep a HOB running on my QT (a 20 gal long), and feed the tank some fish food once or twice a week to keep the bacterial load happy. I have followed this system for more than 30 years with good success. The only time I have gotten diseases like ich in my DT was when I foolishly didn't QT an organism.
SO FEED YOUR QT 1 A WEEK HEY THANKS FOR THE INFO

 

[dpeter51]

I have to admit I got impatient and got a fish before my QT was cycled. I started worrying about having to do water changes every day so I put in a piece of live rock. Now I have to wait a few weeks to make sure it's safe to put back in my DT--and if the fish does start to show signs of ich, I will have to set up a separate container for that rock before I can hypo. Woops.

 

[metweezer]

I don't care if I lose my LR & LS, I should have never put it in there anyway. What do I do with the 3 freshwater mollies?
Can I leave the rock and sand in there anyway and keep it a QT

If the rock and sand dies is it still suitable for a QT or do I physically have to remove it?
Thanks, Steve

 

[metweezer]

Originally Posted by metweezer
http:///forum/post/2518821
I don't care if I lose my LR & LS, I should have never put it in there anyway. What do I do with the 3 freshwater mollies?
Can I leave the rock and sand in there anyway and keep it a QT

If the rock and sand dies is it still suitable for a QT or do I physically have to remove it?
Thanks, Steve
Anyone

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by metweezer
http:///forum/post/2518821
I don't care if I lose my LR & LS, I should have never put it in there anyway. What do I do with the 3 freshwater mollies?
Can I leave the rock and sand in there anyway and keep it a QT

If the rock and sand dies is it still suitable for a QT or do I physically have to remove it?
Thanks, Steve
Take the rock and sand out. If you have to use copper in the qt, not only will the rock and sand die, causing an ammonia spike, but they will also soak up the medication. The mollies should not be in there either. You can take them to your lfs.

 

[metweezer]

Thanks Sep,
The mollies and LR will be easy to take care of. The LS will be a bit of a problem. Am I correct to assume that the algae in the tank and whats in my filter will keep my QT at the ready for new fish and disease treatment?
Thanks, Steve

 

[alix2.0]

i would ghost feed it, not just rely on the algae and bacteria. just toss in a little pinch of food about once a week. it will rot and make ammonia, which will keep your beneficial bacteria alive & your tank cycled.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by alix2.0
http:///forum/post/2520439
i would ghost feed it, not just rely on the algae and bacteria. just toss in a little pinch of food about once a week. it will rot and make ammonia, which will keep your beneficial bacteria alive & your tank cycled.

She's got it. Steve, it won't be hard to remove the sand. Just use a cup and scoop it out.

 

[faqbch99]

If there is no LR or LS in the QT, and you feed the tank to build up amm. then where does the bacteria live and grow to break it down? I feel lost.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by faqbch99
http:///forum/post/2521325
If there is no LR or LS in the QT, and you feed the tank to build up amm. then where does the bacteria live and grow to break it down? I feel lost.

The bacteria colonizes on the surfaces of the tank, and in the filter.

 

[rad]

^In your filter. there are three types of filtration, mechanical: filter pads. chemical: carbon. and biological: which is usually bio balls but sometimes its a bio wheel or on some really cheap filters its just a piece of plastic the water runs thru.

 

[mattinwa]

in my experience, over 5 years now i have never used a quarantine tank nor needed to. i buy from a lfs and they only sell healthy fish that they have had for a couple weeks. i did have a clownfish with ich once and i simply removed him and dipped him into freshwater for 15 minutes and he was cured. ich did not spread to my other fish and in my opinion a quarantine tank is an unnecessary evil for worry warts.

 

[alix2.0]

Originally Posted by MattinWA
http:///forum/post/2521743
in my experience, over 5 years now i have never used a quarantine tank nor needed to. i buy from a lfs and they only sell healthy fish that they have had for a couple weeks. i did have a clownfish with ich once and i simply removed him and dipped him into freshwater for 15 minutes and he was cured. ich did not spread to my other fish and in my opinion a quarantine tank is an unnecessary evil for worry warts.
thats like saying ive been eating raw meat all my life and nothing bad has happened YET...

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by alix2.0
http:///forum/post/2521756
thats like saying ive been eating raw meat all my life and nothing bad has happened YET...

Exactly!