I don't see anything wrong with that setup you have in mind. Only thing I can see with poly filter is it might absorb medication that might be used in tank. Example: antibiotics or chemi clean or algae removing products etc.
Guide to setup a Quarantine Tank (QT).
- Thread starter Dr. Reef
- Start date
I don't see anything wrong with that setup you have in mind. Only thing I can see with poly filter is it might absorb medication that might be used in tank. Example: antibiotics or chemi clean or algae removing products etc.
rockerboi09
New member
Is the Aqua Clear 70 what you still find best to use?
I read that you have 2 QTs hooked up to 1 sump. Do you use a filter on each tank, or just one on the whole system?
My plan is to make a QT system with a 40 breeder QT and a 55 gallon sump also set up as a QT. Should I place an Aqua Clear 70 on both tanks?
Should I also place ceramic rings in the return area?
How many grams of ceramic rings do you suggest?
i have a dual tank (20+40) all attached to a 20gal sump. i do have AC70 on 20gal and AC110 on 40gal. i have both HOB full of ceramic media as much as you can pack in there. I have a total of 1500g in the whole system with most of it in the sump (90%) while 10% in between the two HOB. the reason i have HOB's on each tank is to separate the tanks if needed. i can run them individually as 2 separate tank or as 1 tank with sump or 2 tank with sump etc.
If your using 2 tanks and a sump i would do the same say place as much you can in HOB and rest in a sock in sump. If you dont think u will ever separate the 2 tanks then HOBs are not required.
i recommend 25g per gal for ceramic media.
isomorphic85
New member
awesome thread!
I still have a couple questions regarding QT and cycling.
my dt is currently cycling. I have a 29 gallon biocube for my QT.
I'm going to be using the QT for observation for 6-8 weeks first for 2 clown fish. I will treat with prazi during this observation period as a precaution.
If all is good with them after the 6-8 weeks i will add them to the dt.
I will then add the next fish to the qt for another 6-8 week period and repeat.
What makes the most sense to do here? Do i cycle the tank normally? if not how do i deal with the ammonia without doing constant water changes?
I will not be placing anything in the QT except for a 2" pvc fitting. I have removed all of the bioballs, there is currently one sponge in filtration area.
Should i run carbon etc?
The qt tank has a protein skimmer and UV as well.
I just filled the QT with fresh salt water, trying to figure out if i should cycle the tank now or what the next best move is here!
Thanks in advance on this.
I still have a couple questions regarding QT and cycling.
my dt is currently cycling. I have a 29 gallon biocube for my QT.
I'm going to be using the QT for observation for 6-8 weeks first for 2 clown fish. I will treat with prazi during this observation period as a precaution.
If all is good with them after the 6-8 weeks i will add them to the dt.
I will then add the next fish to the qt for another 6-8 week period and repeat.
What makes the most sense to do here? Do i cycle the tank normally? if not how do i deal with the ammonia without doing constant water changes?
I will not be placing anything in the QT except for a 2" pvc fitting. I have removed all of the bioballs, there is currently one sponge in filtration area.
Should i run carbon etc?
The qt tank has a protein skimmer and UV as well.
I just filled the QT with fresh salt water, trying to figure out if i should cycle the tank now or what the next best move is here!
Thanks in advance on this.
Its best to cycle the tank, there are many reason for that which are already mentioned in the thread. if you dont cycle the tank then you will need to do water changes daily or use products like amquel/prime/ammolock etc to keep ammonia from building up. those products will give you more headaches due to many reasons already discussed. for example you cant use other medications with them. carbon is not required in qt as it will take out anything you put in the tank for medication.
Use of protein skimmer will also take out medications dosed in tank.
yellowRubi
New member
Great Thread, bnumair thank You so much for all the help!
was wondering if I can ask you something...
Iam in the process of setting up my 135gal tank and I have been doing lots of reading on quarantine tanks, I know I want to setup a 20gal in my garage , it would be a temporary setup, my list of what I need so far is:
20gal tank, heater, Eheim Liberty 150 hang on filter, light
I will also get the Seachem Amonia Badge, and Prazipro & seachem cupramine
Iam sure that filter comes with a carbon insert that I would remove, but I wont be able to seed any good bacteria from my tank as I don't have the tank running yet,
would I be OK with just often water changes ? ( let say 10%-20% every 2-3 days ?) or I need something that would be seeded with good bacteria?
I don't plan of having to many fish there at once, 2 clowns, hawkfish and a yellow tang ( not sure if I could put more with them or not )
also would I have to wait for it to cycle? or I can just set it up and add my fish in a day or two?
Thank You again for the help!
was wondering if I can ask you something...
Iam in the process of setting up my 135gal tank and I have been doing lots of reading on quarantine tanks, I know I want to setup a 20gal in my garage , it would be a temporary setup, my list of what I need so far is:
20gal tank, heater, Eheim Liberty 150 hang on filter, light
I will also get the Seachem Amonia Badge, and Prazipro & seachem cupramine
Iam sure that filter comes with a carbon insert that I would remove, but I wont be able to seed any good bacteria from my tank as I don't have the tank running yet,
would I be OK with just often water changes ? ( let say 10%-20% every 2-3 days ?) or I need something that would be seeded with good bacteria?
I don't plan of having to many fish there at once, 2 clowns, hawkfish and a yellow tang ( not sure if I could put more with them or not )
also would I have to wait for it to cycle? or I can just set it up and add my fish in a day or two?
Thank You again for the help!
Spar
New member
Great Thread, bnumair thank You so much for all the help!
was wondering if I can ask you something...
Iam in the process of setting up my 135gal tank and I have been doing lots of reading on quarantine tanks, I know I want to setup a 20gal in my garage , it would be a temporary setup, my list of what I need so far is:
20gal tank, heater, Eheim Liberty 150 hang on filter, light
I will also get the Seachem Amonia Badge, and Prazipro & seachem cupramine
Iam sure that filter comes with a carbon insert that I would remove, but I wont be able to seed any good bacteria from my tank as I don't have the tank running yet,
would I be OK with just often water changes ? ( let say 10%-20% every 2-3 days ?) or I need something that would be seeded with good bacteria?
I don't plan of having to many fish there at once, 2 clowns, hawkfish and a yellow tang ( not sure if I could put more with them or not )
also would I have to wait for it to cycle? or I can just set it up and add my fish in a day or two?
Thank You again for the help!
you can kickstart the bacteria with a bacteria-in-a-bottle product like Seachem Stability or Bio-Spira, among plenty of other options common at fish stores. adding this along with just monitoring ammonia and dosing ammonia detox as necessary (may not even be necessary) is all you need to do. the cycle will complete on its own shortly after.
i add fish on Day 1 of a new QT and have had very few issues (unlikely due to ammonia anyway).
keep up with water changes as just standard husbandry.
I think ive read 20 pages of this thread, but still have a question that im running into now.
Perhaps this isnt a QT-specific question, but ill ask anyway.
DT has cycled and my QT is on week 5 of the cycle.
DT = 100 gallon with 30 gallon sump
QT = 10 gallon with HOB with ceramic rings, pvc pipes, heater, nano powerhead.
Around week 3 of the QT cycle, Ive had 0 ammonia (per seachem alert + API test kit). However, my nitrites are really high (> 5ppm). I dosed with Ammonia and checked the next day and still had 0 ammonia but nitrites still high. (other measurements are: ~10ppm Nitrates, 8.1 ph, 77 degrees). At week 4, still the same parameters. I havent dosed with Ammonia since week 3.
2 days ago, i decided to take my filter sock from the DT and rigged it to my QT-HOB filter. I then checked Nitrites last night and saw it drop to 0.25ppm.
Presumably, this is helping my cycle along. My question is, when can I remove that filter sock?
Just keep checking parameters until its cycled, then remove?
Will it start a mini one when I to remove it?
I also understand that nitrites is not as harmful to marine fine so it should be fine, but would like to get it to 0.
Perhaps this isnt a QT-specific question, but ill ask anyway.
DT has cycled and my QT is on week 5 of the cycle.
DT = 100 gallon with 30 gallon sump
QT = 10 gallon with HOB with ceramic rings, pvc pipes, heater, nano powerhead.
Around week 3 of the QT cycle, Ive had 0 ammonia (per seachem alert + API test kit). However, my nitrites are really high (> 5ppm). I dosed with Ammonia and checked the next day and still had 0 ammonia but nitrites still high. (other measurements are: ~10ppm Nitrates, 8.1 ph, 77 degrees). At week 4, still the same parameters. I havent dosed with Ammonia since week 3.
2 days ago, i decided to take my filter sock from the DT and rigged it to my QT-HOB filter. I then checked Nitrites last night and saw it drop to 0.25ppm.
Presumably, this is helping my cycle along. My question is, when can I remove that filter sock?
Just keep checking parameters until its cycled, then remove?
Will it start a mini one when I to remove it?
I also understand that nitrites is not as harmful to marine fine so it should be fine, but would like to get it to 0.
nitrites usually take twice as long compared to ammonia. though nitrites are no harm to fish even as high as 300ppm. so i wouldnt worry about them. you can remove the sock from the system anytime as it brought bacteria with it and i am sure some of that bacteria is residing and multiplying in the media now.
if u removed the sock it will not cause any spikes or mini cycles on ammonia which is the only harmful factor here. do keep an eye on ammonia after removing sock and let nitrites take their course. do not dose ammonia either any more. i am pretty confident that after removing sock ammonia will remain 0 and nitrites will be also under 1ppm. you can add fish to the system if you want (if in hurry) but best to wait about another few days or so.
Good Luck and safe reefing.
Thanks! In no hurry. I will likely start looking into fish next Friday.
I have another question that came to mind. I believe you have/had a PJ cardinal in your QT and im also planning to have a PJ cardinal. However, mine is a 10gallon.
Would that be too small for the cardinal, especially that ill likely have him in there until my DT is fully stocked (probably at least a year)?
If its too small for it, any other suggestions for which fish i can have in the QT?
I have another question that came to mind. I believe you have/had a PJ cardinal in your QT and im also planning to have a PJ cardinal. However, mine is a 10gallon.
Would that be too small for the cardinal, especially that ill likely have him in there until my DT is fully stocked (probably at least a year)?
If its too small for it, any other suggestions for which fish i can have in the QT?
PJ works well in qt and no its not too big for your setup.
im going to setup a QT Tank for my next fish i got one question its going to be about 30 Gallons (thats the biggest tank i can get as a QT), i want to get 2 Yellow Tangs and 1 Acreichthys tomentosus can i put them in a 30 Gallon Tank as QT or is that impossible from my QT Tank Size?
30 gal qt will be ok for these fish. file fish should have no issues but the 2 yellow tangs may go at it towards eachother. best introduce all fish at same time keeping the tank dark for 24 hrs and lots of pvc fittings for fish to hide in.
Good luck
Spar
New member
FWIW, i TTM treated 5 yellow tangs and a purple tang together in a 30g + observed over a 5-6 week period. since they were added at the same time, i got lucky and there was no aggression at all even in that very tight space. each person may experience something different though... luck plays a big role regardless of the tank size.
atraperegrinus
New member
So If i want to start up a 10 gallon QT, i picked up an aquaclear 30 or 20, from petco, i forget the model exactly off the top of my head.
10 gallons of fresh saltwater, add some seachem stability, ceramic media in the filter, a heater, pvc tubes, and good?
airstone or powerhead too? or will the aquaclear be enough surface agitation?
i wont have another fish for a bit yet, if its just sitting for awhile will i still need to do the waterchanges? or is it okay if its empty of fish?
10 gallons of fresh saltwater, add some seachem stability, ceramic media in the filter, a heater, pvc tubes, and good?
airstone or powerhead too? or will the aquaclear be enough surface agitation?
i wont have another fish for a bit yet, if its just sitting for awhile will i still need to do the waterchanges? or is it okay if its empty of fish?
Spar
New member
If you are worried about surface agitation you could always add (or solely use) an airpump instead. Having no fish is perfectly fine, but you still need to feed the bacteria. Just put in about 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of food you would otherwise be feeding a few fish, this will be plenty to keep the bacteria colony going until you add fish.
You will still want to siphon off the surface from built up gunk, but otherwise you don't have to worry about large routine water changes while fishless. Just make sure KH and temp stays consistent with your DT so that you don't have issues transferring fish between them.
Do you plan on this being for observation or for copper or hypo?
You will still want to siphon off the surface from built up gunk, but otherwise you don't have to worry about large routine water changes while fishless. Just make sure KH and temp stays consistent with your DT so that you don't have issues transferring fish between them.
Do you plan on this being for observation or for copper or hypo?
atraperegrinus
New member
only observation unless there is an issue, my local store i'd buy fish from follows pretty good rules themselves. I'll only be buying 2 maybe 3 fish anyway at the absolute most so it will hopefully be a one and done thing when it comes time.
i'm going to stick to 4 fish, and just a small handful of softies, i'll save any future purchases for when i have a sump setup ready to go in a more permanent location.
right now im just running a 55g with no sump.
atraperegrinus
New member
Okay so I have an Aquaclear 30, 10 gallon. i put my spare heater in, aswell as an ammonia badge and thermometer, and some pvc.
I'm going to use the sponge and the biomax ceramic, ill leave out the carbon, or should I run all 3 if im not using meds? I assume all 3 with no meds are ok? just remove carbon if i have to add any medications?
Also, i have bio-spira but not seachem stability, both accomplish the same goal correct? Or should I swap to the seachem stability?
and last question, do i need to run the filter 24/7 on this, or can i set it just to run 2-3 times a day for a little bit with a timer ( while its fishless, obviously. ) I could always add a cheap $10 airstone to supplement if need be? whats the best advice for that?
Similar threads
