Quarantine System Tests

[Graz]

When I run a quarantine system (new fish or corals), what water tests should I run and how frequently. Obviously, test copper when you are medicating with copper, but how often should that be tested (my guess would be daily)? How often do you test ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, etc.? And, how do tests differ when quarantining different types of creatures?

 

[cmcoker]

Copper daily, look into the hannah copper checker.

Salinity. Match to the water the fish arrives in and slowly bring it up by adding saltwater to replace evaporation, until the salinity is the same as my display. Usually bring it up over a week or two

Ammonia is the only other thing I test for. An ammonia alert badge is a must, imo. Once you add copper the liquid tests dont work.

I usually do water changes regularly so dont worry about nitrates.

If you were to do hyposalinity for some reason, you need to watch pH

 

[Graz]

How frequently, and what percentage, do you do water changes on your quarantine systems?

 

[Friday24]

Depends on the meds you are using. Every type of treatment is going to have a different requirement for testing and water change intervals.

 

[Graz]

That makes sense.

What would you do when you are just observing? What would you do when dosing copper? Those seem like the two most common states (unless something goes wrong), so those are the ones that I am most interested in.

 

[cmcoker]

Observation or copper, I do 10% weekly as a matter of course. If tank looks hazy, water change. Ammonia goes up, water change. Antibiotics and dewormers call for water changes at certain intervals, I just follow directions.

When copper is in the water, I add the copper to the new water before adding it to the tank. Have to make sure the copper level in the tank doesn't drop.

They get a bit of a water change daily also when I suck out uneaten food and detritus using airline tubing. Ends up being about 20oz or so a day. I will make up a gallon or so that has copper in it to replace that small amount (assuming I'm dosing copper at the time)