How do you keep an ongoing QT tank?
- Thread starter Salty150
- Start date
jstack
New member
small cuc fed everyother day imo less ur dosing then you could ghost feed or maybe a damsel as some old sea dogs love to do
No damsel, please. They aren't suited to a tank that small, and would be outraged if you put another fish in: likely a fight to the death. Frankly, you don't need a cycled qt, and if you're doing tank transfer process (recommended: see: fish disease forum) a cycled qt is pretty well a no-go.
Salty150
Active member
You still keep a fish in QT after the TTM, don't you?
I go another 6 weeks, 4 would be minimum. I usually have a qt running. The bacteria will live a long time without food (up to a year), but I try to drop some dry flake fish food in there once a week or so just to be safe.
I keep a 30L running as a full analog of my main display for certain fish and inverts. When it is fish-free for longer periods of time, I just 'ghost' feed it a few Mysis every few days. However, most of my fish are QT'd in a second tank that is only setup when I require it. Not sure I really see the benefit of a permanently setup QT tank for normal fish quarantine.
MondoBongo
Obligate Feeder Obsessed
i keep a fully cycled grow out system. it functions as my stage II QT after the fish has cleared TTM.
it's grown over the years to include reef lighting and a large skimmer, as well as a sump (it started life as a 20 long with some HOB stuff).
it's got live rock, and a load of macro algae in it. when there's not fish, typically i ghost feed a bit to keep it humming along, or just let the deaths of my chocolate chip stars at the hands of my harlequin shrimp take care of adding bioload.
it's a great place to observe for a few additional weeks after TTM, and also gives me a good opportunity to introduce new foods and get the fish used to me hovering the tank before they get moved in to the big pool.
i'm actually looking in to converting this to a different setup. two larger tanks (35 cube and 40b) linked a to 55 gallon sump. the cube will likely house a mantis, or something else that can't get fish diseases, and the 40b would be for fish.
my girlfriend is really going to regret saying the words "i don't care what you do with the basement space"
it's grown over the years to include reef lighting and a large skimmer, as well as a sump (it started life as a 20 long with some HOB stuff).
it's got live rock, and a load of macro algae in it. when there's not fish, typically i ghost feed a bit to keep it humming along, or just let the deaths of my chocolate chip stars at the hands of my harlequin shrimp take care of adding bioload.
it's a great place to observe for a few additional weeks after TTM, and also gives me a good opportunity to introduce new foods and get the fish used to me hovering the tank before they get moved in to the big pool.
i'm actually looking in to converting this to a different setup. two larger tanks (35 cube and 40b) linked a to 55 gallon sump. the cube will likely house a mantis, or something else that can't get fish diseases, and the 40b would be for fish.
my girlfriend is really going to regret saying the words "i don't care what you do with the basement space"
jd371
New member
Since I'm done adding fish to the DT, I broke down the 20 gal QT. I keep a filter pad in the sump and always have at least 20 gal of mixed water for my water changes that I could use in an emergency if I needed to put up a QT or hospital tank.
The longest the QT went without a fish was about a month and a half with no problems.
The longest the QT went without a fish was about a month and a half with no problems.
Yes, give a little food on occasion. You should not need to add bio-spira if you feed the tank once in a while. It is a good idea to keep some Prime or Amquel on hand in case you do see an ammonia spike while you have fish in quarantine, but unless you add several fish at once this is rare.
solitude127
Proud user of IO Salt!
When a system is fishless, do you still try and keep the temp stable?
cougareyes
New member
I keep mine going with a few drops of Dr Tims ammonium chloride once a week, it feeds the bacteria and keeps everything alive. Clean, simple, and inexpensive.
Salty150
Active member
Hmm... I will have to look into that.
