Guide to setup a Quarantine Tank (QT).

[billy mitchell]

question.....I am setting up a QT with eco hang on back refugium and would like to know if I can use reef rubble that I have had in my sump for a few months along with live sand and macro algae
If I treat new fish with seachem paraguard would this method be ok
is there anyone who has done this QT and treatment of new fish ?????

 

[Dr. Reef]

Paraguard is not recommended reef safe nor recommended for plant or algae nor for inverts. Some people have encountered problem with it in reef setups so I will strongly advise against using in a tank with a refugium.
Secondly it's never a good idea to have sand and rocks or algae in qt. Due to simple fact that they all can absorb metals and make dosing correctly or hold correct quantity hard and at some point they can also release what they took in and causing more issues.
Good luck and safe reefing.

 

[billy mitchell]

quarantine

quarantine

thank you for your advice
what I had in mind was a holding tank with Eco refugium to observe new fish over a 4 week period and acclimatize and to make certain that they are healthy and eating
I will take your expert advice and get another hospital tank with just bio wheel filter and airstone so in case I do get a sick fish then I could transfer to hospital tank and do chemical treatment
I have lots of room with QT and HT both located under stairs and is all concrete
with light from glass bricks in wall so temp will be no problem and would be a quiet environment ...being in Bangkok I would not need a heater but just a fan to keep temp down to 28c
would take in any more advice you may have on this matter
regards

 

[joshyross70]

Ok so im trying to cycle my QT but it seems to be stuck with high nitrites and is not cycling thru to nitrates. Its been this way for about two weeks. What should i do? I dont wanna go without cycling since i was unsuccesful with just water changes

 

[Dr. Reef]

Nitrite usually take twice as long as ammonia so 2 weeks is not too long yet to worry. Also make sure test kit is good. What is nitrate levels?
You can try seachem stability to boost bacteria. Also how much filtration media do u have in tank. Coz If Surface Area Is Not Enough For Bacteria To Go On You Will remain In Same problem

 

[joshyross70]

Nitrite usually take twice as long as ammonia so 2 weeks is not too long yet to worry. Also make sure test kit is good. What is nitrate levels?
You can try seachem stability to boost bacteria. Also how much filtration media do u have in tank. Coz If Surface Area Is Not Enough For Bacteria To Go On You Will remain In Same problem

Nitrite reads over 5ppm. Teat kit is good cuz if i compare it to my DT water it is totally diffrent. Just have a HOB filter however i do have three decent size sponges in the water for the bacteria to thrive in.

 

[Ryanrttu]

In two months time I went from not wanting to do a QT to next week about to cycle two QT's, one of which will be a permanent QT.

Question on the permanent, is there a really easy fish that is peaceful that I could just leave in there? I feel like if I just have 1 fish in there it would make keeping a permanent a lot better.

Second Bnumair, you said above 'Also make sure test kit is good,' what in your opinion is a good test kit?

 

[Dr. Reef]

Nitrite reads over 5ppm. Teat kit is good cuz if i compare it to my DT water it is totally diffrent. Just have a HOB filter however i do have three decent size sponges in the water for the bacteria to thrive in.

try adding some ceramic media in a media sock and place it in heavy flow area and add seachem stability for boosting bacteria. that should solve the issue.

 

[joshyross70]

try adding some ceramic media in a media sock and place it in heavy flow area and add seachem stability for boosting bacteria. that should solve the issue.

Will do. What if i cant get my hands on seachem stability. I dont have any lfs around lol

 

[Dr. Reef]

Will do. What if i cant get my hands on seachem stability. I dont have any lfs around lol

bio spira, dr tims bacteria, seachem stability, any bacteria boosting bottles will do the job.

 

[Ryanrttu]

Qt

Qt

I have an 20g/aquaclear 70 filter and am about to cycle this tank, it has the foam it comes with but would it not make sense to put some small LR pieces above the foam in the aquaclear filter as just one other form of filtration while it cycles?

 

[Dr. Reef]

I have an 20g/aquaclear 70 filter and am about to cycle this tank, it has the foam it comes with but would it not make sense to put some small LR pieces above the foam in the aquaclear filter as just one other form of filtration while it cycles?

rock or sand is never a good idea for many reasons explained in this forum. Its best to get ceramic media and place it in there for more surface area. ceramic media does not absorb metals like copper out of medications. rocks and sand will.

 

[Ryanrttu]

Do you have a picture of what your QT's look like?

 

[joshyross70]

bio spira, dr tims bacteria, seachem stability, any bacteria boosting bottles will do the job.

How much of bio spira should i add? Whats recomended on the bottle? My QT is a 20gallon

 

[Dr. Reef]

Do you have a picture of what your QT's look like?

Yes pics are posted in some earlier pages. I can post some more in few minutes as I am on my phone and not my laptop.

 

[Dr. Reef]

How much of bio spira should i add? Whats recomended on the bottle? My QT is a 20gallon

Every manufacturer will have different recommendation but generally 1 bottle will be fine to add. If I remember correctly small 100ml bottle of bio spira is good for 30gal.

 

[Ryanrttu]

Bnumair do you still use prazipro for all new fish? Was reading some earlier post from you about that.

Also saw you says its not necessary to QT your CUC?

 

[Dr. Reef]

Bnumair do you still use prazipro for all new fish? Was reading some earlier post from you about that.

Also saw you says its not necessary to QT your CUC?

correct, yes i still use prazipro on all new fish. I dose recommended amount in QT, run it for a week then do 25% water change, run second dose for a week and then 25% water change.
I dont QT cuc. some people do just to be on the safe side. I dont because i have run copper and hypo through my QT system and inverts cannot survive both. Also Nitrates creep up in QT which dont effect fish unless in access on 90ppm and up but for inverts 40-50ppm and up can be dangerous.

 

[Dr. Reef]

Here are the pics,

 

[joshyross70]

Every manufacturer will have different recommendation but generally 1 bottle will be fine to add. If I remember correctly small 100ml bottle of bio spira is good for 30gal.

Ok so the only thing i have local is a petsmart and they dont have any bio spira. They sell instant ocean products but dont see ny bacteria boosters. Any alternatives?