Quarantine tank with nitrite spikes (NEED REMEDY A.S.A.P)

[CC-Star]

**IMPORTANT**

Alright I have a dilemia and its driving me and my husband bonkers bc every night for 4 nights it does not seem to matter what we do the nitrites still are high.

We have had this QT tank set up for 2 weeks -due to ich reasons(15+gallon rubbermaid container, with powerhead, and aquaclear hangon sponge filter, and pvc pipe). We feed the fish only as much as they eat.

Our 1st mistake was changing 24% of the water with just mostly 1-2 pails pure RO water, and only .5 of a pail from our display. Last night and 2nite we have changed 25% w. purely display tank water (that has 0 nitrites) and its still crazy high.

We need to bring it down as I think its starting to stress out the fish (royal gramma is lossing some of his purple colour), everyone is still out and about and eats. Yet I have this feeling everyday I am going to come home to some floaters. Any day now I can just feel it. Its hard to treat them when I am sure I have them in an horrible environment.

I am not sure just what will bring the water down.

I am tempted to just set up another rubbermaid containor w. purely water from the display and place them all there. (as I can not put them in the display tank yet bc I need to let the tank fallow for a couple of weeks yet).

ANY IDEAS or thoughts ...would be HIGHLY appreciated I am sure my gramma would just love you for it.

ASAP Please!!!!!

 

[CC-Star]

Nevermind on the asap remedy as I couldnt bear it another minute esp w. the flamer and a couple of hte chromis and clown coming to the top to get air...obivious I had to take immediate action.

So I made a new rubbermaid bin w. display tank water (nitrites=zero).

QT TANK SPECIFIC QUESTION:
So to keep Nitrites to a minimum what do people do to keep it that way so I do NOT make the SAME mistake again.

1. How frequent do they change the water? (guess it depends on bioload)
2. What do you change your water with each time? (ex. 50%-100% tank water??)

 

[ChrisRD]

For the future, one thing that would help a lot is if you can keep one of the sponge filters in the sump of your main system so it's already got a healthy population of bacteria on it. Then, when you have to setup the QT, the sponge filter is fully functional from day 1. Of course, after use in the QT you should dispose of the sponge filter or at the very least sterilize it in a mild bleach solution and rinse well before starting the process over. My preference would be the former (ie. ditch it and get a new one).

As for what's required with the water changes - as you metioned, it will really depend on the bioload, how much is being fed and how effective your sponge filter is.

HTH

 

[CC-Star]

Ya I will def. have to keep that in mind for the next time i need to crack out the QT. (sponge idea)

Ya i do have quite the heavy bioload in the QT (esp when they all eat like pigs and are messy eaters ie. Yellow Tang eating seaweed)).

I have a spong on the aquaclear filter and on the powerhead that I take out and rinse each time, and was doing water changes every second day (unfort. w. mostly RO water).

Tonight and every night or every 2nd night I plan on doing a water change (35% or so...unless someone thinks more would be better) from the display tank. And to keep the salinty down add a tad bit of pure RO water.

I just hope that keeps the nitrites down...if not I am going to have to keep doing that ...starting up new QTs w. pure display water if the nitrites keep getting so high.

ICH related Question:
As for ich just letting the tank fallow (no fish) for 1 month will it be safe to put the fish back in? (providing they are healthy and not have ich anymore) Or is there other ways to help your display tank get rid of the ich while the fish are out? (yes there is inverts)

Is there a better way to add them or will it stress them back out again?

 

[Anonymous]

This may be a really dumb ?, but why are you doing water changes from the display if your letting it go fallow because of ich? Seems to me that your just putting ich into your qt. I'd think it would be better to use aged sw for qt water changes just like you'd do on the display. I would also think that keeping the display fallow for more like 8-10 weeks would take care of the ich as oppossed to just a month or so. There's also no reason to take down the qt. after use. Just keep it set up but in the future just one fish at a time!

 

[CC-Star]

Ya I know but it did not seem to matter how much water I took out of the QT tank and replaced w. new RO water the nitrites were still so high.

Knowse, what is your opinion on how big of water change should I do every second day??

Like 2nite came home..again nitrites are starting to go back up... sigh...
I must be missing something..

 

[sediener]

I think that you may want to consider moving up to a larger rubbermaid container because it sounds like your quarantine tank isn't large enough for the number of fish you have. What size is it and what fish do you have in there?

I would only feed them every 3-4 days until the bacteria in the tank can catch up.

Keep up with the daily 20% (or larger as needed) waterchanges to keep the nitrites to a reasonable level.

If it is possible, remove the sponge from inside your cannister filter from the main tank and put it in quarantine to jumpstart the cycle. Just don't put it back in the main tank if you are using medication, get a new one.

- steve

 

[Anonymous]

How many fish are in qt and in what size qt is it?
As sediener said, you may need to seperate the fish into several different containers, depending on how many fish are in qt. And if they can't be seperated out, then go with daily wc's of 20% or so and you don't need to feed them daily!

But the one thing I did notice, is that your only using ro water? Have you tested it? That in it's self may be part of the problem. I would fw test it and see what your coming up with as far as #'s go, then go on from there.

Oh and how's that bta doing?

 

[CC-Star]

Sediener (Steve): To answer your questions:
1. 15 gallon rubbermaid container, with 1 maroon clown, 1 Yellow tang, 1 royal gramma,, 6 chromis, 1 Flame Angel and 1 regal tang (a buddies).
To sum it up yes WAY to many fish in a small rubbermaid containor.
2. I was feeding them everyday (some flake food am, and a piece of seaweed and at night either flake or mysis).
3. I have been changing almost 35+ water now the everyday.
4. hmmmm I will have to look into seeing if I can remove that sponge...

Knowse: To answer your questions:
-see no 1 above.
2. I am really considering splitting them up seeing as its just to much bioload...thing is I am afraid of wreaking how everyone gets along by doing so. (well that is not entirely true..the gramma everyone chases/hates, and the yellow swats at the blue guy once and a while).
3. I have tested the RO and it has no nitrites...
4. BTA I am afriad even though I tired moving him more near the lights, and now he does not have the stress of the clown is doing about the same..comes up mostly at night and is still a medium pink (not deep rose), but still eats.... :/

Man the past few months I tell you...test of patience as well as a test on just how much I love the hobby.

 

[Anonymous]

One thing I don't see listed is an airstone in your quarantine tank

I do not use any sort of air pump or airstone in my display tank which is 55 gallons with tons of flow and a nice splashy sump, but when I set up my Q-tank which is a 20 gallon with no skimmer and only a powerhead and a small hang on back filter I have had a better success rate with an airstone in there than without.

Since its a Qtank salt creep is not really an issue and the addition of all that extra Oxygen to the water really helps.

Also you should mix up enough fresh saltwater right after each waterchange to do the next one with. That way it can age a bit before use.

One last thing, you are matching temperature and salinity before changing water right???