Emergency setup question

[seamommie]

My fish are picking on a new addition that I definitely want to keep so I'm thinking of trying to set up another tank asap. Unfortunately I don't have a QT set up yet so I have no back up.

Anyway, if I use some of my sand from my existing tank, as well as live rock and water from it, could I set up a tank with a minimal cycle so that I could transfer the fish immediately? My rational is the situation of a leaking tank and having to transfer everything to a new tank.

Obviously, this not an ideal situation but it exists non the less. Any ideas? TIA.

Lisa

 

[artful-dodger]

If you're not going to populate it heavily (single fish for isolation) then your plan will work...don't even move the sand. Heater and powerhead would be the bare minimum hardware required. Live rock is good if you don't have to medicate the tank.

Feed lightly and do water changes to keep water quality good until you can get a more permanent QT setup going.

(Sorry to step into a local club's forum, but you did say emergency...)

Buena suerte

 

[seamommie]

I appreciate the input. I'll be making a tank run first thing tomorrow afternoon.

 

[jokeloma]

don' forget some sort of hiding place even if its nothing more than a 3" or 4" pvc T from home depot

 

[artful-dodger]

I converted an old FW 29g into my QT at virtually no expense. I use the glass top, NO strip light, 2 maxi-jets, 150w heater and cannister filter that were on it before. (I did add a digital thermometer and some live rock.) I think 20 to 30 gallons make good QTs. Depending upon how big the new addition is, you might be able to get by for a little while by just hanging the inside part of an overflow box or an old hang-on power filter inside the tank as an isolation chamber. Just try to place it where there will be some water flow. (I took an old aquaclear and drilled a whole bunch of holes in it for just this kind of need.)

 

[new day]

omas, does have an equipment library for Emergency needs I can't remember the name of the guy who has the list but we do have an extra tank 1, 10, 20 gal glass or a 100 gal vatt if anyone needs to loan it.

 

[seamommie]

Thanks everyone. You guys are great! I think I'll buy something tomorrow. I have several pieces of live rock that I could move to give the tank a more realistic feel and a xenia the little guy has taken to. Hopefully this will give him some familiar surroundings and not such a bare environment.

What size of maxi-jet should I get? I'm debating between a 20g and a 42g. Also, any suggestions for hang-on filters?

 

[artful-dodger]

Assuming this is going to be temporary quarters (2 weeks to 2 months) for quarantine of one or two fish at a time, I'd suggest that a couple of smaller powerheads to keep water circulating would be fine for a 20. (I use two M-J 900s that used to drive the undergravel filter.) Do you have any phs in the 105 that might need to be upgraded? If so, this might be the time to buy the bigger ones and move the old ones to the QT.

I thought there used to be a sticky thread in one of the general forums with a title such as "Everything you ever wanted to know about quarantining" but I didn't find it in a quick glance. You might want to do a little searching for "quarantine or Q.T." and see what ideas others have had.

 

[oddballs]

any of the emperor or penguin bio wheels are a great hang on filter.