QT Questions for New Set UP

[Boochika]

I'm new to the hobby and slowly setting up my tank,trying to do things correctly.

I have a Berlin BS-2 sump with a very large skimmer section and was curious if I could do 1 or 2 things with it. Since my skimmer isn't very large (Tunze 9410) I was hoping to add a stage as a quarantine tank or refugium.

Is it possible to have a quarantine tank in your sump? My only concern would obviously be the parasites/diseases getting up to the display tank. I know a UV filter could help with this but wouldn't be 100% effective.

In the case of a refugium, should it go before or after my skimmer? I've seen it done multiple ways. thanks for the help.

 

[ScottF83]

I'm new to the hobby and slowly setting up my tank,trying to do things correctly.

I have a Berlin BS-2 sump with a very large skimmer section and was curious if I could do 1 or 2 things with it. Since my skimmer isn't very large (Tunze 9410) I was hoping to add a stage as a quarantine tank or refugium.

Is it possible to have a quarantine tank in your sump? My only concern would obviously be the parasites/diseases getting up to the display tank. I know a UV filter could help with this but wouldn't be 100% effective.

In the case of a refugium, should it go before or after my skimmer? I've seen it done multiple ways. thanks for the help.

QT should be no where near your DT

People have it in other rooms just to avoid even a drop of QT getting into the DT

Plus you'd want to dose chemicals in your QT which you'd probably not want in your main tank

Refugiums can be anywhere except the return pump bit but usually in the first section

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

 

[Boochika]

Does anyone run a breakdown QT?

For example I could leave a HOB filter running on my sump and when I get a new fish or have an issue with one of my fish I could set up my ten gallon as needed instead of always having it running?

All I would need to do would be to siphon water from sump into 10 gallon and move HOB filter over (with a heater). This should work in theory to me.

This way I wouldn't have to have an additional tank running all the time.

 

[mako61]

I have a 20g long tank that I setup for QT. Petco special. I use a Aquaclear HOB filter. When I do a QT I use a few marine pure balls + sponge in HOB. I keep them in my sump to be ready. I toss them when I tear down. Not sure they are needed, just lets me be lax on water changes for the QT.

Excluding saltwater I burn about 10-15 bucks each time I setup my QT. 5 in marine pure, 2 for sponge, 6 for ammonia alert disk. I dont QT that often, so I find keeping it all dry is easier.

 

[kmbyrnes]

When you are active populating a new tank, it makes sense to keep at QT running all the time. When up are stocked, keep a sponge in your sump and setup the QT only when you need it.

 

[Boochika]

May be old news and common sense, but how should or or do I need to sterilize a QT tank before adding another fish to it?

Prior fish in there passed without apparent disease except parasites (it stopped eating) but I have dosed it with prazi.

 

[Boochika]

I have a powerhead for my QT, and it has what looks like an air valve on it, when I open it it allows air bubbles into the powerhead stream.

When I close it it's just pumping straight water. Is this OK or should I get an air pump with air stone instead?

 

[Imaexpat2]

QT should be no where near your DT

People have it in other rooms just to avoid even a drop of QT getting into the DT

Plus you'd want to dose chemicals in your QT which you'd probably not want in your main tank

Refugiums can be anywhere except the return pump bit but usually in the first section

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Yeah, what he said!

I have a QT tank set up and running 24/7 as I usually add something every month or so and if I pick up a new coral or fish I dont want to have to go home and scramble to set something up. After I get off work at 6 pm and get home the last thing I need to "discover" is my filter aint working, my tanks leaking or my light is not working and the LFS is closed!

Typically I use old water after a water change. I suspect the reason I am able to do this is I have very few if any fish in my tanks and feed very little so my water is ususally in pretty decent shape. After I get a victim in there I will mix up some water and do a 25% to 50% water change to provide some decent water quality even if it happens to be something as delicate as a SPS coral colony. It really doesnt take much to keep a 10-15 gallon tank running and ready at your Beck and Call.

In this Hobby if your not utilizing a QT tank I can promise you one of two things. You will regret it one day I promise and you will possibly have to end up breaking down a tank and killing everything off in your display. Now stop and think about how much time and money you have invested in your display tank. Now ask yourself if you wanna risk having to start from scratch again...cause I can assure you an Ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure if there even is one in your case! I am sure there are a number of "OG Reefers" here that can attest to that as we have probably seen that movie a few times, we just learned from our mistakes.

Just a suggestion....

 

[Imaexpat2]

Does anyone run a breakdown QT?

For example I could leave a HOB filter running on my sump and when I get a new fish or have an issue with one of my fish I could set up my ten gallon as needed instead of always having it running?

All I would need to do would be to siphon water from sump into 10 gallon and move HOB filter over (with a heater). This should work in theory to me.

This way I wouldn't have to have an additional tank running all the time.

That idea looks good on paper, but here in lies the problem with that...If you used any chemicals they will leach into your display. For some of the inhabitants that could result in a death sentence for them. Any nasties you picked up somewhere will now have a possibility of contaminating your sump and then your display and then your back to square one. Keep all that equipment seperate!!!