Guide to setup a Quarantine Tank (QT).
- Thread starter Dr. Reef
- Start date
Hi Thunt55
i am sorry to hear the loss of fish you suffered, I will try to go in steps to help you with your questions.
1. DT can stay fishless for 10 weeks or longer to be sure. inverts and everything else if ok that you have in tank, just feed them regularly like every 3rd day or so.
2. Atleast 10 weeks or more for sure.
3. After copper treatment is over you can use copper/polyfilter/curprisorb aor combinations of those along with water changes to rid copper completely out of the system. If you can break it down and give everything a strong vinegar bath that would also help but i always had good luck with the 3 above.
4. No, after treatment is over use the 3 above mentioned products to rid copper out of the water, do a few 50% water changes and place new fish back in making sure you never lost the cycle.. As long as the filter/media remain submerged in saltwater you wont lose bacteria.
Good luck and safe reefing and i hope it answers you questions, please fell free to ask if any.
i am sorry to hear the loss of fish you suffered, I will try to go in steps to help you with your questions.
1. DT can stay fishless for 10 weeks or longer to be sure. inverts and everything else if ok that you have in tank, just feed them regularly like every 3rd day or so.
2. Atleast 10 weeks or more for sure.
3. After copper treatment is over you can use copper/polyfilter/curprisorb aor combinations of those along with water changes to rid copper completely out of the system. If you can break it down and give everything a strong vinegar bath that would also help but i always had good luck with the 3 above.
4. No, after treatment is over use the 3 above mentioned products to rid copper out of the water, do a few 50% water changes and place new fish back in making sure you never lost the cycle.. As long as the filter/media remain submerged in saltwater you wont lose bacteria.
Good luck and safe reefing and i hope it answers you questions, please fell free to ask if any.
Not all fish can handle copper nor its best to run copper at all times. I recommend prazipro for all fish then observations. If disease occurs then and then only use copper if its the best cure for that particular disease.
Thanks for your help. Two more questions.
Since I set the QT tank up as an emergency tank I don't know if it did cycle. I just used water and a piece of poly filter from my DT. Since that water was contaminated with ich wouldn't it just be better to start over with new water (after the tank, filter, and heater get a vinegar bath) and a new cycle?
Also, do I need a new bio wheel for my bio filter? I assume the ich gets stuck in the wheel and can't be removed. Maybe it is just easier to get a new wheel.
Thanks again.
Since I set the QT tank up as an emergency tank I don't know if it did cycle. I just used water and a piece of poly filter from my DT. Since that water was contaminated with ich wouldn't it just be better to start over with new water (after the tank, filter, and heater get a vinegar bath) and a new cycle?
Also, do I need a new bio wheel for my bio filter? I assume the ich gets stuck in the wheel and can't be removed. Maybe it is just easier to get a new wheel.
Thanks again.
if you do things right then there will be no ich left in qt but for beginner i would go with your idea of cleaning and replacing bio filter as a newbie can make a mistake and pay heavily later. i agree in replacing.
any regular white vinegar sold at grocery stores. Its acidic and cuts through/cleans well and has no side effects to our systems.
I generally use a 50/50 mix of ro/di and vinegar to spray and clean the tanks.
It also kinda binds with copper and rids it as we do to clean pennies with vinegar.
hope it helps.
new quarantine setup
new quarantine setup
just about to remove all of my fish from old tank into new quarantine for 12 weeks so that I can leave my new tank fallow. fish currently have ich and will be treated with cupramine. quarantine is a 100 litre tank I am worried that quarantine tank will be too crowded? fish are
1 blue tang
1 scopas tang
1 emperor angel
1 flame angel
1 bristle tooth
5 chromis
1 6 line wrasse
1 red scooter dragonet
tank is set up with hob filter and pvc pipe. can dragonet be treated with copper? any suggestions ?
new quarantine setup
just about to remove all of my fish from old tank into new quarantine for 12 weeks so that I can leave my new tank fallow. fish currently have ich and will be treated with cupramine. quarantine is a 100 litre tank I am worried that quarantine tank will be too crowded? fish are
1 blue tang
1 scopas tang
1 emperor angel
1 flame angel
1 bristle tooth
5 chromis
1 6 line wrasse
1 red scooter dragonet
tank is set up with hob filter and pvc pipe. can dragonet be treated with copper? any suggestions ?
Hi James,
26 gal tank is a bit small for all the fish mentioned but if u can divide the tank out with egg crates it might work.
If you can go 40-55gal tank that would be fine for the load. Also cupramine is ok to use with all the fish you have. Only advise i have for cupramine is: Seachem wants to dose and attain 0.5mq/l in 2 days, i strongly recommend 4-5 days to attain that. then start your clock for 4-5 weeks then use carbon/water change/cuprisorb to bring copper down to 0. observe for the rest of the time while DT sits fallow.
Good luck.
Note:
here is a guide for step by step process to administer cupramine. hope it helps.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20614751#post20614751
26 gal tank is a bit small for all the fish mentioned but if u can divide the tank out with egg crates it might work.
If you can go 40-55gal tank that would be fine for the load. Also cupramine is ok to use with all the fish you have. Only advise i have for cupramine is: Seachem wants to dose and attain 0.5mq/l in 2 days, i strongly recommend 4-5 days to attain that. then start your clock for 4-5 weeks then use carbon/water change/cuprisorb to bring copper down to 0. observe for the rest of the time while DT sits fallow.
Good luck.
Note:
here is a guide for step by step process to administer cupramine. hope it helps.
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=20614751#post20614751
I have a question about filtration. I just set up a QT and I'm using an old hang on back filter with a bio wheel. I haven't used this filter for years but when I put it away I put the bio-wheel in a ziplock bag. Can I still use this bio-wheel or should I purchase a new one? Also I used Instant Ocean's Bio Spira bacteria for the QT, would I be able to add fish soon? All test show water is fine.
Mhay
Crazy Cat Lady
Just about ready to get my QT going! But just a few questions before I move forward.
I am using a 10 gallon tank that was previously used to house rats. I cleaned it with just tap water and then a 50/50 mix of tap water and vinegar to be sure I got any remaining traces of rat out of there. I plan to wait for the vinegar smell to go away and then just rinse it out with some RO/DI water. Will that be enough in regards to cleaning or should I take some additional steps?
My second question is similar to mchammer's. I have a use biowheel filter I plan to use that was previously used in a brackish as well as a saltwater tank. Can I use the same bio wheels to help seed it? I plan to take the filter pads out and use ceramic rings.
Thanks!
I am using a 10 gallon tank that was previously used to house rats. I cleaned it with just tap water and then a 50/50 mix of tap water and vinegar to be sure I got any remaining traces of rat out of there. I plan to wait for the vinegar smell to go away and then just rinse it out with some RO/DI water. Will that be enough in regards to cleaning or should I take some additional steps?
My second question is similar to mchammer's. I have a use biowheel filter I plan to use that was previously used in a brackish as well as a saltwater tank. Can I use the same bio wheels to help seed it? I plan to take the filter pads out and use ceramic rings.
Thanks!
yes you can still use the bio wheel. not sure on bio spira.. i dont have much faith in bacteria in bottle. just check for ammonia and make sure it doesnt creep up. To test if your tank is ready for fish, u can add some fish food to tank and check for ammonia 24 hrs later. if it registers zero ur tank is ready.
Good luck.
Hi
i am not sure if the rat tank will work. to my knowledge the tanks made for reptiles are generally not water holding tanks and glass and their thickness makes then break due to high pressure of water.
Make sure it is an actual fish tank and not a reptile tank.
If its a fish tank then yes it will be fine with a simple vinegar/water 50/50 wipe. Once cleaned you can rinse it with water and your good to go.
old bio wheel will be fine to use and it will eventually harbor bacteria.
Good luck
Mhay
Crazy Cat Lady
Is there an easy way to tell if it is a reptile tank or not? Or is it just a matter of measuring the thickness of the glass?
Thanks!
The biggest difference is that a FISH tank is taller, where a reptile tank is shorter and has a greater floor area. This is done for two reasons: It's easier to heat the bottom of the tank with heat lamps on a shorter tank. The reptile has more running around (slithering around?) room with the greater floor area.
The fish needs neither floor space (it swims in three dimensions) nor the need to heat the floor. So, fish tanks are taller, rather than wider, so that the owner doesn't take up valuable floor space in his/her home.
A few more things to look at is glass thickness. Reptile tank will be less thick. Also sealant on fish tank will be slim and not messy while reptile tank will be broad and messy. Also in reptile tank on the underside or somewhere it might say do not fill.
The fish needs neither floor space (it swims in three dimensions) nor the need to heat the floor. So, fish tanks are taller, rather than wider, so that the owner doesn't take up valuable floor space in his/her home.
A few more things to look at is glass thickness. Reptile tank will be less thick. Also sealant on fish tank will be slim and not messy while reptile tank will be broad and messy. Also in reptile tank on the underside or somewhere it might say do not fill.
Mhay
Crazy Cat Lady
adamwheel
New member
I posted this in the fish disease forum but hoped you could give me advice as well. I apologize if this is outside the focus of this forum:
I've QT'd every fish for the full 8 weeks and all received 2 treatments of Prazi. Chevron Tang recieved Cupramine as well.
My Chevron Tang and Rhomboid Wrasse are both showing signs of ich. My new 178 gallon has only been stocked for 6 weeks, so I think going fallow for 10-12 weeks would be my best bet since the system is so young.
Questions:
1. Do you agree with going fallow or should I just remove the 2 fish showing signs of ich.
2. Right now, since I've added mostly wrasses, I'm worried about Hypo vs Copper in my QT/Hospital (40 gal breeder fully cycled for over a year). I'm assuming hypo would be most gentle but am looking for advice. Tank transfer would be the least desirable as I have new fish in my second QT.
I am very willing to be patient and just want to do this right.
Thanks,
Adam
I've QT'd every fish for the full 8 weeks and all received 2 treatments of Prazi. Chevron Tang recieved Cupramine as well.
My Chevron Tang and Rhomboid Wrasse are both showing signs of ich. My new 178 gallon has only been stocked for 6 weeks, so I think going fallow for 10-12 weeks would be my best bet since the system is so young.
Questions:
1. Do you agree with going fallow or should I just remove the 2 fish showing signs of ich.
2. Right now, since I've added mostly wrasses, I'm worried about Hypo vs Copper in my QT/Hospital (40 gal breeder fully cycled for over a year). I'm assuming hypo would be most gentle but am looking for advice. Tank transfer would be the least desirable as I have new fish in my second QT.
I am very willing to be patient and just want to do this right.
Thanks,
Adam
adamwheel:
I would let the tank go fallow for 11 weeks which is enough time to go through the ick cycle. I had a similar problem as you. I had a new tank (6 mos) old and and started with fish from my old tank which had no diseases and one day made an impulse purchase at the local fish store and never QT the new fish. within a week all my fish had ick. had to catch and treat all fish in a hospital tank and let the main tank go fallow for 11 weeks. No problems since then (1 year). I now have a QT set up for new fish, lesson learned. I would use caution when it comes to wrasses and copper. Just my opinion.
I would let the tank go fallow for 11 weeks which is enough time to go through the ick cycle. I had a similar problem as you. I had a new tank (6 mos) old and and started with fish from my old tank which had no diseases and one day made an impulse purchase at the local fish store and never QT the new fish. within a week all my fish had ick. had to catch and treat all fish in a hospital tank and let the main tank go fallow for 11 weeks. No problems since then (1 year). I now have a QT set up for new fish, lesson learned. I would use caution when it comes to wrasses and copper. Just my opinion.
