Question on QT

[mot ii]

When we set up our DT we did not establish a QT tank. Live and learn....
We recently purchased a blue hippo tang that developed ich within 3 days of being in the tank. We also have 3 pajama cardinals in the tank with no sign (yet) of ich. Our LFS gave us Quick Cure to treat the tank (which I am now thinking was NOT a good idea.) We are on day 3 (of 3 day treatment) of the Quick Cure and haven't had any problems from it yet, but I can only imagine what is yet to come. We have LR and a few snails, but no other inverts, etc. Our LFS said the Quick Cure would be okay with the LR and snails... hummm...now I am wondering if that is really a true statement. We have a 65 gal tank. As of now the tang still has signs of ich but since we're still in the treatment period I am hopeful maybe some will go away. The tang doesn't seem to be labored in breathing, etc and is eating very well. The cardinals don't seem phased by anything...they just keep swimming around like nothing has happened.
We want to create a QT tank. In setting up the tank could we use existing DT water so our QT tank is ready fairly soon? I know the water is now infested with the ich parasites, but if our objective is to move the fish into QT and do the hyposalinity method won't this ultimately kill what is in the DT water that we moved?
We will leave the fish (or any survivors) in the QT tank for many weeks and allow our DT to be fish free until ich would be gone (about 6-8 weeks if I am reading correctly.)
Any insight would be greatly appreciated!!!

 

[oniel21]

What kind of "quick cure" are you using? Hopefully it is not copper!
Have you read Beth's thread on Ich and other diseases (sticky on the disease thread)? There is a lot of great info there.
You can put DT water into the QT. Try to use 50% DT water and 50% new water. To help the cycle along, you could put a piece of LR or a cup of Live Sand in the QT, but you should remove it after the cycle is complete to avoid another spike (as a result of die-off). Remember to have a powerhead, heater, some type of filtration, and some ornaments for hiding. You will have to run hypo for 3 weeks while leaving the DT fishless (ok to keep inverts in DT) for at least 6. I suggest putting the fish in the QT and let them get used to the surroundings for a week, then lower the SG to 1.009 over 48 hours. That number is VERY important! Ich can live with SG of 1.010 but can't in 1.009. Fish can live in SG 1.009, but CAN'T in SG 1.008. So monitor your levels very closley to ensure the SG is at 1.009. You'll have to top off once or twice a day. Also, if you don't have a refractometer to measure SG, it would be wise to invest in one. They are much more accurate than the alternative. Amequl is a great product to eliminate trites, trates, and amonia. It's very helpfull to have that on hand in case you get a surprise spike. Also, PH buffers can come in handy.
Don't worry about the parasites you'll transfer by using the DT water. Because you are treating the QT with Hypo, you'll kill them off. Hope this helps!

 

[mot ii]

Thanks for your quick reply! The stuff the LFS gave us is actually called "Quick Cure" and contains malachite green and formalin. We put it in the tank once a day for 3 days (with carbon out of filter.)
Yes, I read Beth's info on ich, etc. It was very helpful, but also impressed on us the need for a QT tank. My husband was pretty upset last night when he found out we might lose all 4 of our fish to ich. We didn't realize how invasive that little parasite really is within the tank. I am just hoping that our fish can ride out the storm until we have the QT ready to go... hopefully that is what the Quick Cure will do for us (as I now know it isn't really a "cure" but perhaps more of a relief for the fish...)
I'm going to pick-up the necessary things for the QT tonight and will keep in mind the things you mentioned that we should have for it.

 

[oniel21]

Good luck! In regards to the SG - I was missinformed. Fish can live in water with 1.008 SG, but I don't think for long. 1.009 is the safest way to go.

 

[florida joe]

What kind of "quick cure" are you using? Hopefully it is not copper!
Have you read Beth's thread on Ich and other diseases (sticky on the disease thread)? There is a lot of great info there.
You can put DT water into the QT. Try to use 50% DT water and 50% new water. To help the cycle along, you could put a piece of LR or a cup of Live Sand in the QT, but you should remove it after the cycle is complete to avoid another spike (as a result of die-off). Remember to have a powerhead, heater, some type of filtration, and some ornaments for hiding. You will have to run hypo for 3 weeks while leaving the DT fishless (ok to keep inverts in DT) for at least 6. I suggest putting the fish in the QT and let them get used to the surroundings for a week, then lower the SG to 1.009 over 48 hours. That number is VERY important! Ich can live with SG of 1.010 but can't in 1.009. Fish can live in SG 1.009, but CAN'T in SG 1.008. So monitor your levels very closley to ensure the SG is at 1.009. You'll have to top off once or twice a day. Also, if you don't have a refractometer to measure SG, it would be wise to invest in one. They are much more accurate than the alternative. Amequl is a great product to eliminate trites, trates, and amonia. It's very helpfull to have that on hand in case you get a surprise spike. Also, PH buffers can come in handy.
Don't worry about the parasites you'll transfer by using the DT water. Because you are treating the QT with Hypo, you'll kill them off. Hope this helps![/QUOT
AmQuel is a water conditioner and detoxifies ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, chlorine and chloramine in your water. It does not eliminate them you will still get readings if any are present only they will we non toxic (hopfully)

 

[florida joe]

AmQuel is a water conditioner and detoxifies ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, chlorine and chloramine in your water. It does not eliminate them you will still get readings if any are present only they will we non toxic (hopfully)Quick cure has the same ingredients as Rid Ick which many people my self included have found not to work hypo or copper are still the only true ways to kill ick IMO

 

[mot ii]

Thanks. We will do the hypo on the fish once we get the QT set up and ready. Hopefully the Quick Cure will keep things a bit stable for the fish until that time.
It's too bad that our LFS didn't tell us that ultimately the only way to get rid of ich is to do either the hypo or copper. (They did tell us not to use copper unless we have the fish in a 'fish only' tank, though.)

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by MOT II
Thanks. We will do the hypo on the fish once we get the QT set up and ready. Hopefully the Quick Cure will keep things a bit stable for the fish until that time.
It's too bad that our LFS didn't tell us that ultimately the only way to get rid of ich is to do either the hypo or copper. (They did tell us not to use copper unless we have the fish in a 'fish only' tank, though.)
they are right on that point take it from someone who learned the hard way set up and keep running a QT/HT if you can

 

[mot ii]

My tang is hanging in there. Last night the ich seemed to be going away, but this a.m. it looked bad again for a while...then started to look better (is it because the parasites are affected by the light?)
I picked up a tank set last night at *****. It is a 10 gal tank that included a 50w heater, a Whisper 10 power filter (carbon), and a 10w flor.light/cover. I also bought a small power head. I set the tank up and filled it with mostly water from my DT. I added a small amount of substrate from my DT too.
I still need to get some pvc pieces for hiding spots, but other than that my question is what else I need to do for on-going biological filtration... should I be using a different kind of filter, etc? We plan to do hyposalinity so I don't want to keep LR in there. This is the part I am most confused about...the filtration needed in the QT.
I don't know that we'd keep the QT going at all times down the road (just use as we need it) so I don't want to go the full route of all the equipment we use in our DT.
Also, assuming my water levels remain good how quickly should I be able to add the fish (I know I need to acclimate them to the QT...)
Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[beth]

If all you have is live rock and some inverts, i may be better to place the live rock in a rubbermaid container with powerheads, along with any inverts, and then use hyposalinity on your display tank. All fish need to be treated.

 

[oniel21]

Originally Posted by MOT II
I still need to get some pvc pieces for hiding spots, but other than that my question is what else I need to do for on-going biological filtration... should I be using a different kind of filter, etc? We plan to do hyposalinity so I don't want to keep LR in there. This is the part I am most confused about...the filtration needed in the QT.
I don't know that we'd keep the QT going at all times down the road (just use as we need it) so I don't want to go the full route of all the equipment we use in our DT.
Also, assuming my water levels remain good how quickly should I be able to add the fish (I know I need to acclimate them to the QT...)
Thanks for everyone's help!
The powerfilter should provide the appropriate filtration IMO. You'll want to watch your levels closely and be prepared to do water changes.