How To Control Ammonia During Quarantine

[@cbarber5366]

This is my biggest worry with doing a hospital tank. I currently have something making my blue tang itch in my display tank, I know I should have started with a quarantine tank. Anyways I took some matrix that’s been in my canister for 8 months and put it in a hob filter that I’m letting go for a few days on my display tank. Hopefully that will be enough biological filtration to avoid an ammonia spike in the hospital tank. I’m also going to try my new marineland magnum 200, charged with diatomaceous earth, in the display to hopefully get the free swimmers. Have a small internal UV tuned down to a trickle to hopefully help also I the DT.

[@Whaleydavey]

Great content. Love it.

[@insanity4224]

How long does ammonia take to build up to toxic levels? For example I want to Hybrid TTM a 5” harlequin tusk in 5 gal buckets. Should I transfer every 2 days instead of 3 if I didn’t use bio media?

[@HumblefishReef]

A fish that size will foul 5 gallons of water rather quickly. I would dose an ammonia reducer every 24 hours, and also transfer the fish every 2 days for good measure.

[@insanity4224]

@@HumblefishReef thanks for the info. In reality I will have a bunch of sponge filter material maturing my sump that I will cut up and use/throw out for each bucket.

[@micahellundy6074]

Is the Python link, the link you were going to provide to your “no bucket water change” method?

[@HumblefishReef]

Yes. It connects to your faucet to siphon water out of the aquarium. You can then use tubing + small powerhead to fill the tank with clean water from a nearby vat, brute trash can, etc. No buckets!

[@silitekmodder5681]

What should I do if I'm using methylene blue?

[@HumblefishReef]

Read this: humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/methylene-blue.23/

[@silitekmodder5681]

Thanks! @@HumblefishReef

[@Jommybutler1234]

If the goal is more Hobbyists using QT; it this difficult seems counterproductive. Keeping a cycled tank available is not realistic for most Hobbyists. The 80/20 method advocated elsewhere are much simpler and get 80% of the result. Two 10 gallon tanks and 100% weekly water changes are much more manageable.