setting up quarantine tank

[AquaAdam]

I'm going to be setting up a quarantine tank. I'm getting a 10 gal. tank and from what I understand I need the following:

heater
light
air pump
sponge filter
pvc pipe

Am I missing anything?

If the tank has a hob filter should I use that, along with the sponge filter or just the sponge? I know I can't use biomedia in the hob, but what do you do after you finnish quarantine with a fish to get the chemicals out of the water?

I have a current tank that's been running for over 2 years but I'm wondering about the cycle in the qt tank. I read some people use water from the main tank but whats the ratio and how much does that speed it up?

I've also heard of people putting the sponge filter in the main tank sump for a while.

Is one better than the other in this situation?

By using the water from the main tank, do I still go through the full cycle? I haven't done a cycle of a tank since I set up my main one so I just want to make sure I do it properly.

Any help on this is appreciated


Thanks!:thumbsup:

 

[Bruce51]

I use this
10 gallon tank
hangon the back filter(filled with filter floss from dt)
heater
power head

no light, don't need it room lighting is enough

 

[AlSimmons]

The link below might help.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/quarantining-marine-fish-made-simple

 

[Uncle99]

I never cycle my QT but keep do water changes for the ammonia.
I don't leave my fish in qt for any more than 2 weeks, provided, no health concerns are noted...

Your ready to go

 

[Indymann99]

I run an Ammonia "badge" in QT. Helps keep track of Am. Essential in uncycled QT.

https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-0010...&qid=1522021068&sr=8-1&keywords=ammonia+badge

 

[AquaAdam]

The link below might help.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/quarantining-marine-fish-made-simple

I liked the article but the mixed comments and opinions left me wondering..

I never cycle my QT but keep do water changes for the ammonia.
I don't leave my fish in qt for any more than 2 weeks, provided, no health concerns are noted...

Your ready to go

So do you just put fresh saltwater in before you buy a fish then? Trying to understand how the fish survives without having a cycled tank.

I run an Ammonia "badge" in QT. Helps keep track of Am. Essential in uncycled QT.

https://www.amazon.com/Seachem-0010...&qid=1522021068&sr=8-1&keywords=ammonia+badge

Just picked one of those up yesterday

I use this
10 gallon tank
hangon the back filter(filled with filter floss from dt)
heater
power head

no light, don't need it room lighting is enough

I didn't know a light wasn't necessary. Thanks.


What do you guys do after the quarantine process is complete? I'm assuming you need to remove all the copper and other meds from the water. Do you keep doing water changes? ad some type of biomedia?

 

[kiMxD]

I liked the article but the mixed comments and opinions left me wondering..




So do you just put fresh saltwater in before you buy a fish then? Trying to understand how the fish survives without having a cycled tank.




Just picked one of those up yesterday



I didn't know a light wasn't necessary. Thanks.


What do you guys do after the quarantine process is complete? I'm assuming you need to remove all the copper and other meds from the water. Do you keep doing water changes? ad some type of biomedia?

You have to understand that QUARANTINE is different from HOSPITAL tank.
You (normally) won't have Copper in your quarantine system, unless you have to treat a sick fish.
What you need to observe during quarantine is if the fish will display any signs of illnesses and then you treat them.

Remember, when you treat fish with copper, you're most likely reducing their lifespan, avoiding copper treatment if possible isn't a bad idea.

Good luck!

 

[AquaAdam]

You have to understand that QUARANTINE is different from HOSPITAL tank.
You (normally) won't have Copper in your quarantine system, unless you have to treat a sick fish.
What you need to observe during quarantine is if the fish will display any signs of illnesses and then you treat them.

Remember, when you treat fish with copper, you're most likely reducing their lifespan, avoiding copper treatment if possible isn't a bad idea.

Good luck!

I thought you were supposed to treat new fish in a quarantine with copper and other forms of medication before putting them in the main tank.

From what you are saying, I would just be putting him in a quarantine tank, observing, and then putting in my main tank. Am I correct?

 

[Carpathian]

That's the idea, if you notice signs it's often best to have the meds ready as opposed to having to run out and prolong treatment.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Dmorty217]

I thought you were supposed to treat new fish in a quarantine with copper and other forms of medication before putting them in the main tank.

From what you are saying, I would just be putting him in a quarantine tank, observing, and then putting in my main tank. Am I correct?

Most of us that use a QT tank also treat meds in the same tank, it would be silly to have a tank for observation only to have to setup a new tank for actual treatment (most fish will come in with one thing or another)((you should have a separate tank for corals and inverts)) I for one treat everything no matter if I see signs or not. A healthy fish can have temporary immunity to ich and sometimes velvet, so if you don't treat you can wipe out a tank in short order. I also use a product called TLC startsmart complete to instantly cycle my QT tanks and use a HOB filter with sera siporax to provide enough biological filtration capacity so I'm not always performing water changes to keep ammonia in check

 

[Dmorty217]

Also nitrifying bacteria grows on surfaces of rock, sand, glass ect... Not in the water column so you can use water from the DT but it won't help with ammonia, nitrite and nitrates

 

[AquaAdam]

I for one treat everything no matter if I see signs or not. A healthy fish can have temporary immunity to ich and sometimes velvet, so if you don't treat you can wipe out a tank in short order. I also use a product called TLC startsmart complete to instantly cycle my QT tanks and use a HOB filter with sera siporax to provide enough biological filtration capacity so I'm not always performing water changes to keep ammonia in check

Thats what I've heard, that fish can have an immunity to it, but they can still carry it and pass it on, which is why I had planned on treating every new fish before it goes into my DT.

I've never heard of the smartstart or the sera siporax so i'll look into those.

Thanks.

 

[Uncle99]

I might "cycle" a QT if fish staying more than 3 weeks.
I use 1.018 salinity for first week no meds unless required.
1 use 1.018 salinity plus cupramine at half dose unless fish sick, then 3/4 dose.....
For the last week, increase salinity daily, slowly to reach 1.025 by weeks end, run carbon for last three days.

At this point a judgement call is made to either continue watching, or off to the DT

Water changes every two days and vacuuming up left over food keeps ammonia at zero, no need to cycle..