Quarantine question

ocnluvr · #1 05/22/2007, 06:55 PM

I just bought a clown and a Lawnmower Blenny and found out my 30 g quarantine tank has high NH3/NH4. Should i do my premix in my 5g bucket and perform a water change or should I put them in the bucket? How long will they servive in .50 NH3/NH4?

mmgm · #2 05/22/2007, 07:02 PM

I would set up a quick 10 gallon QT tank until you get the 30 gallon straight. Fill the 10 gallon up with water from your 75 gallon. Set up a filter (hopefully you have a sponge thats been laying in your 75 gallon)

Change water as needed from your 75 gallon... I would not put any fish in a aqt with high NH3/NH4. Since Blennies/Clowns are so small the 10 gallon QT should work until you straighten out the problem with your 30 gallon....

Just my 2 cents....

Good Luck.....

ocnluvr · #3 05/22/2007, 10:23 PM

PS what causes a NH3/NH4 spike in a quarantine tank anyways?

drummereef · #4 05/22/2007, 10:32 PM

Anything over .2 ammonia is detrimental to fish. I would do a substantial water change in the qt or setup another small qt with an established filter sponge in the mean time. I would not add the fish to the qt as it stands. You will still have to watch ammonial levels in a qt and perform water changes as needed. Sometimes your bio filtration isn't established enough or can't keep up with the demand. Water changes are your friend.

ocnluvr · #5 05/22/2007, 11:22 PM

its been set up for 3 months with nothing in it, as in fish, they are already in it, now. Put them in my 5g water changing bucket?

ocnluvr · #6 05/23/2007, 12:27 AM

TOO late blenny died, but with mush of his shin disscolored. Moved clown to sump. Help!!!

mmgm · #7 05/23/2007, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ocnluvr
TOO late blenny died, but with mush of his shin disscolored. Moved clown to sump. Help!!!

Did you read my post?

This is what you need to do.... 10 gallon tanks run about $10.... If you don't have a sponge you can use as a biological filter ask for one at your lfs......

What other advise do you need? YOur 5 gallon tank idea won't work without a bilogicval filter.

By the way, if the clown is in your sump to main tank you might as well throw him into the tank with your other fish. Damage already done and risk to disease already introduced to your main tank.

I have a pond UV light attached to my skimmer.... Ever since I attached it I have not had any outbreak of ich occur ever..... Consider this as a possible next step if you are really concerned about ich.....

ocnluvr · #8 05/23/2007, 11:00 AM

I have a uv light but my guy said it didn't work with his tanks, so i took it out. My clown is in the sump for easy catching not to qt him, just until i get my qt stabalized. I have so much fish "stuff i could set up ANOTHER tank, but it seems exhausting and my house is soon to be an ocean. What is a biological filter or sponge everyone keeps talking about?

mmgm · #9 05/23/2007, 11:35 AM

I know.... the hobby can become quite involved..... Biological filter contains bacteria needed to beak down Ammonia into Nitrates and subsequently into nitrites that are harmless to most fish. Unless you have a biological filter your ammonia/nitrates cannot be broken down into the harmless nitrites. Keeping a sponge in your sump will provide enough bacteria in the sponge to support a small qt in case of emergencies such as you are experiencing now....

As mentioned since the fish is already in your sump your tank is at exposure. But if your set on removing the clown take a piece of CURED live rock from your tank amnd use this as your filter. As` long as you don't medicate with coppoewr you should be fine....

Good Luck......

ocnluvr · #10 05/23/2007, 05:13 PM

I already medicated with copper, that will hurt LR. SO now what? A sponge? Back to the fish store?

mmgm · #11 05/24/2007, 08:28 AM

Given you have not set up a QT as recomended.... Cross your fingers and hope for the best....

Make sure you change water in the 5 gallon daily and put a small power head in the bucket.

You still have time to set up a small QT.......

Good Luck

bureau13 · #12 05/24/2007, 09:35 AM

I'm going back to what mmgm said earlier...just put the clown in your display. Why do you want to QT it? If he has a parasite, your display tank has it now anyway, there's really no point in QT unless your display is fishless right now and you want to keep treating the clown with copper while letting the display stay fallow. Anything else, you may kill any infections on the clown but as long as there are fish in your display its going to stay infected (if the clown is infected).

jds

mmgm · #13 05/28/2007, 06:50 PM

Did your 5 gallon QT bucket work? Hope your tank is not ich infected......