cool then u will be fine with few water changes.
Guide to setup a Quarantine Tank (QT).
- Thread starter Dr. Reef
- Start date
cool then u will be fine with few water changes.
michfish5
New member
Great thread! Been reading this one for a few days now. Thank you for sharing your wisdom, over and over again. Your patience is without bounds. I actually started taking notes for my own notebook. At any rate, I have been working on my setup for a 65 gallon FOWLR - finally have all the equipment now (and an empty wallet...but don't tell my husband. Thus far my Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy seems to be working) ;-)
While I was waiting for various parts for my DT to arrive, I got impatient so I set up my 10 gal. QT and started it cycling. I am using an Aquaclear 20 and a powerhead. In the AC20, I have all three components (the sponge, carbon, and BioMax pellets). I am running the carbon to clear up the bacterial bloom caused by my shrimp. I know to take it out for meds. But I thought I read here that perhaps I should just fill the HOB with ceramic rings instead.
Question 1: Do you recommend using more ceramic media IN LIEU of the sponge? I know the sponges get clogged and need to be rinsed or replaced (though I know not concurrently with any of the other media in there). Does ceramic media NOT have to be rinsed or removed ever? Can I get away with NO mechanical filtration in the QT?
My overall plan is once I get my DT up and cycled, that I keep a separate bag of ceramic media (or extra sponge if you think that is good) in the AC70 to be used in my QT's AC20 for when I need to swap out the the AC20s media for cleaning etc since I don't have a sump to store these things. I will be running a skimmer on the DT and the rock with be the main bio filter for the DT. The DT HOB will primarily be for a place to keep backup seeded media for the QT and also a place to put carbon or for phosphate remover for the DT. Does this sound like a sound plan?
Question 2: Once my 10 gal. QT is cycled, should I decide to want to keep a PJ Cardinal in there to keep it cycled, can I put the Cardinal in with 2 small Oscellaris clowns in the 1QT or do I need to add the Cardinal first, dose with Prazipro etc. follow that protocol and then if all goes well, do WCs, run carbon to get rid of the meds and THEN add the clowns to the QT and start the whole process over? Thanks in advance!
While I was waiting for various parts for my DT to arrive, I got impatient so I set up my 10 gal. QT and started it cycling. I am using an Aquaclear 20 and a powerhead. In the AC20, I have all three components (the sponge, carbon, and BioMax pellets). I am running the carbon to clear up the bacterial bloom caused by my shrimp. I know to take it out for meds. But I thought I read here that perhaps I should just fill the HOB with ceramic rings instead.
Question 1: Do you recommend using more ceramic media IN LIEU of the sponge? I know the sponges get clogged and need to be rinsed or replaced (though I know not concurrently with any of the other media in there). Does ceramic media NOT have to be rinsed or removed ever? Can I get away with NO mechanical filtration in the QT?
My overall plan is once I get my DT up and cycled, that I keep a separate bag of ceramic media (or extra sponge if you think that is good) in the AC70 to be used in my QT's AC20 for when I need to swap out the the AC20s media for cleaning etc since I don't have a sump to store these things. I will be running a skimmer on the DT and the rock with be the main bio filter for the DT. The DT HOB will primarily be for a place to keep backup seeded media for the QT and also a place to put carbon or for phosphate remover for the DT. Does this sound like a sound plan?
Question 2: Once my 10 gal. QT is cycled, should I decide to want to keep a PJ Cardinal in there to keep it cycled, can I put the Cardinal in with 2 small Oscellaris clowns in the 1QT or do I need to add the Cardinal first, dose with Prazipro etc. follow that protocol and then if all goes well, do WCs, run carbon to get rid of the meds and THEN add the clowns to the QT and start the whole process over? Thanks in advance!
Thanks for ur kind words. i try my best to help as much as i can.
and i wont tell ur husband of ur reef spending habit lol.
1. i have always ran qt with only ceramic media with no filters. i watch my feeding to where its just enough for fish to consume in 3 min. i think 6-8 weeks of observation in a cycled qt is not a problem without mechanical filtration. at worse u can buy some filter floss and place it in HOB to catch debris and discard it every so often. but no needed.
i generally complete the treatment or observation without any filters. then once qt is empty i take the hob apart and media bags out and rinse them in the qt tank with its own water and shake off as much debris i can. key is to make sure keeping the media in water at all times. then replace and change 100% water.
this give me clean HOB and clean media back again and still instant cycled tank for round two. u can do floss or sponge this way as long as the main bacteria surface is ceramic rings then anything additional like sponge or floss can be replaced. this is a practice i generally dont recommend as it leave a window of mini spike open as u never know where the bacteria has resided. thus if bacteria colonized on filter/sponge or floss and removing it can cause ammonia spike. if u go go this route then last the floss filter sponge out through out the time fish are in qt. only change once qt is fishless.
U can keep additional media in HOB of main tank for seeding no problem with that.
2. after qt cycles ghost feed the tank for couple days to build up the bacterial colony to handle 3 fish bio load. do siphon extra food out before placing fish in the tank. even if u dont do that i think a cycled qt should be able to handle 3 small fish. if u dont have any experience with qt or tanks then add 1 peaceful fish like a cardinal or green chromis to make sure of ur tanks ability to sustain life then add the 2 clowns and start ur treatment process.
I hope i answered everything u asked. if there is any more concerns please feel free to post.
Good Luck and Safe Reefing.
and i wont tell ur husband of ur reef spending habit lol.
1. i have always ran qt with only ceramic media with no filters. i watch my feeding to where its just enough for fish to consume in 3 min. i think 6-8 weeks of observation in a cycled qt is not a problem without mechanical filtration. at worse u can buy some filter floss and place it in HOB to catch debris and discard it every so often. but no needed.
i generally complete the treatment or observation without any filters. then once qt is empty i take the hob apart and media bags out and rinse them in the qt tank with its own water and shake off as much debris i can. key is to make sure keeping the media in water at all times. then replace and change 100% water.
this give me clean HOB and clean media back again and still instant cycled tank for round two. u can do floss or sponge this way as long as the main bacteria surface is ceramic rings then anything additional like sponge or floss can be replaced. this is a practice i generally dont recommend as it leave a window of mini spike open as u never know where the bacteria has resided. thus if bacteria colonized on filter/sponge or floss and removing it can cause ammonia spike. if u go go this route then last the floss filter sponge out through out the time fish are in qt. only change once qt is fishless.
U can keep additional media in HOB of main tank for seeding no problem with that.
2. after qt cycles ghost feed the tank for couple days to build up the bacterial colony to handle 3 fish bio load. do siphon extra food out before placing fish in the tank. even if u dont do that i think a cycled qt should be able to handle 3 small fish. if u dont have any experience with qt or tanks then add 1 peaceful fish like a cardinal or green chromis to make sure of ur tanks ability to sustain life then add the 2 clowns and start ur treatment process.
I hope i answered everything u asked. if there is any more concerns please feel free to post.
Good Luck and Safe Reefing.
thomchantharasy
New member
Do you need a qt if I am using water sanitizer?
i didnt get the question? what are u using?
even if u had a water conditioner, uv light or anything like that fish still needs to be qt'ed and observed over 6-8 weeks. longer the better.
water alone dont have parasite fish carry it too so it goes hand in hand.
You will need best water quality and properly qt'ed fish in order to make this all work.
More after you.
Depends a bit on the wrasse, and on the QT. Not sure if it is true of all wrasses, but the sand divers will get really stressed out in a bare bottom QT. Is one of he reasons that Leopards, for example, are such poor shippers - no sand to dive into (speculation on my part though).
I've had plenty of sand divers over the years (actually just bought my first Leopard) and I either put them into an 'introduction' tank, which is a fully functioning 30 gal reef, or directly into the DT (risky, I know, though these wrasses have a natural resistance to ich, though susceptible to worms). If one clearly requires treatment, I will move it into a hospital/treatment tank including a dish of sand. Sand ends up getting thrown out post treatment. Hospital tank is not fully setup permanently. I actually run my water changes through the HT, so it is always full, but not heated or lighted.
At various times in my reefing I've had this 'introduction' tank when budget, space allows and it is a nice luxury to have. Not only as a way to observe fish that may need treatment, but as a way to also QT inverts. If a fish in observation gets ich, I just keep that tank fallow for a few months.
That's a good point. In actual fact, of the 6 or so sand diving wrasses I've had none ended up actually needing any HT treatment other than prazipro which I do actually in the 'introduction' tank. Perhaps I shouldn't be doing that?
All is not roses tho, as I'm not as good with husbandry in the intro tank and it has a hairy case of aptasia and majano - I wonder if the spores can be transmitted on fish?
All is not roses tho, as I'm not as good with husbandry in the intro tank and it has a hairy case of aptasia and majano - I wonder if the spores can be transmitted on fish?
thomchantharasy
New member
Well how big does the qt be?
hogfanreefer
Active member
I have a H. claudia (which I believe is a "sand diver") in a bare bottom QT for about 7 weeks. He has survived Ich and hyposalinity and actually thrived. He's fat, happy and very tame. He goes in the DT in two more weeks.
I also QT'd a H. melanarus for 6 weeks without any problems in my other bare bottom QT. Both wrasse spent the first couple of days with their nose down looking for a place to bury when I approached the tank but after a few days both were fine.
This is only a series of two and not scientific at all. Your mileage may vary.
I also QT'd a H. melanarus for 6 weeks without any problems in my other bare bottom QT. Both wrasse spent the first couple of days with their nose down looking for a place to bury when I approached the tank but after a few days both were fine.
This is only a series of two and not scientific at all. Your mileage may vary.
hogfanreefer
Active member
Oh, absolutely. Completely different ball game than a leopard. You're exactly right. Just pointing out that not all sand sleepers will be stressed in a bare bottom. Those two were actually much easier tha some of the fairys and all of the flashers I've tried so far.
Agreed, both are very nice wrasse's BTW. Have always been my favorite group of fish.
I have a 37 gallon I've set up to to use as a permanent qt. it came with a job bio wheel filter but the replaceable filter that goes in it has carbon in it. If I were gonna use prazipro as you do I suppose I should not use this filter right? And if not should I purchase some additional filters without carbon to be using for bacteria colonization or is the bio wheel enough? Just put a frozen shrimp yesterday to start cycle. Thanks
DH50, first off i want to say you are doing things the right way. qt is a must.
Now regarding the carbon in filters, i generally dont use filters at all. i take the filters out and replace it by filling the space with ceramic media in a media sock. this way you dont have to change it or clean it during treatments. i know it doesnt sound like much mechanical filtration but trust me once cycled you wont need much filtration. Nitrates dont hurt fish unless they exceed 90ppm.
So i use ceramic media and run the qt term and once i transfer the fish to DT, only then i take the HOB and ceramic media out and rinse it in the QT water and clean it out. making sure the media stays submerged 99% of the time. After cleaning media and HOB, change the QT water out 100% and you still get an instant cycle.
i have noticed over time and specially with newbies changing filters during treatments causes tank to go into mini cycle and in some cases killing fish. Replacing filters in something we cannot avoid either during treatments as they get clogged. So for carbon and clogging reasons i do without.
i hope it helps you in your setup. Shrimp is fine to kick start the cycle. once ammonia reaches 1.5-2ppm pull the shrimp out.
Good Luck and Safe Reefing.
Now regarding the carbon in filters, i generally dont use filters at all. i take the filters out and replace it by filling the space with ceramic media in a media sock. this way you dont have to change it or clean it during treatments. i know it doesnt sound like much mechanical filtration but trust me once cycled you wont need much filtration. Nitrates dont hurt fish unless they exceed 90ppm.
So i use ceramic media and run the qt term and once i transfer the fish to DT, only then i take the HOB and ceramic media out and rinse it in the QT water and clean it out. making sure the media stays submerged 99% of the time. After cleaning media and HOB, change the QT water out 100% and you still get an instant cycle.
i have noticed over time and specially with newbies changing filters during treatments causes tank to go into mini cycle and in some cases killing fish. Replacing filters in something we cannot avoid either during treatments as they get clogged. So for carbon and clogging reasons i do without.
i hope it helps you in your setup. Shrimp is fine to kick start the cycle. once ammonia reaches 1.5-2ppm pull the shrimp out.
Good Luck and Safe Reefing.
Thanks bnumair. I'm a little confused about the rinsing of the filters in the qt water. Do u mean rinse it in the new water with no meds. Also if I understood u right I do a 100% water change all at once after fish are moved to dt? Do you still need to acclimate to dt when using a qt? And lastly I think I read correctly where you use prazipro on all fish could you outline that procedure or tell me where to find it? I know you've probably answered this before but thanks for all the good help
