Quarantine tank setup

[ibrat82]

Hi guys

So I'm setting up a qt tank. My question is why do some say a power head is necessary and some don't?

Here's what I bought so far. Am I missing anything?

10 gallon tank
Heater
Hob filter
Some pvc pipes
Air pump with air stone

Do I need a powerhead? Also do in need to cycle this tank? Can I use rock from a cycled tank? I've also seen some only use water from.cycled tank and do weekly water changes to handle ammonia and nitrates.

Please advise

 

[gone fishin]

Some folks will use a power head instead of an airstone. What we are trying to do with either one is to help with gas exchange at the surface and oxygenate the water.

Some folks will cycle a QT by placing a filter sponge into the sump or tank then transfer into the QT. I personally do not cycle a QT. I rely on WC's and prime to deal with any ammonia.

I would suggest not using any LR in the QT. This can be problematic with medicating and you would really not want to return it back to the DT.

I would also suggest getting a seachem ammonia alert badge. They are cheap and very handy in the QT.

 

[ibrat82]

So if I don't cycle the tank should I use water from my existing dt or fresh saltwater?

If I don't plan to put the rock back in dt then it's ok to use as a biological filter correct?

Some folks will use a power head instead of an airstone. What we are trying to do with either one is to help with gas exchange at the surface and oxygenate the water.

Some folks will cycle a QT by placing a filter sponge into the sump or tank then transfer into the QT. I personally do not cycle a QT. I rely on WC's and prime to deal with any ammonia.

I would suggest not using any LR in the QT. This can be problematic with medicating and you would really not want to return it back to the DT.

I would also suggest getting a seachem ammonia alert badge. They are cheap and very handy in the QT.

 

[gone fishin]

So if I don't cycle the tank should I use water from my existing dt or fresh saltwater?

If I don't plan to put the rock back in dt then it's ok to use as a biological filter correct?

If your sure your tank does not have any parasites or diseases then you could use some tank water.

You could use the LR but if you medicate the tank then be aware that the medicine may be absorbed into the rock or the medicine may kill off the bacteria?

 

[A.Astore]

If you want to have a surface for biological filtration I would suggest using MarinePure products which you can bake to ensure everything is killed that may be in the pores after each use. Rock would take a bit of time to ensure everything was gone from it since you can't really bake it. Once you would bake the MarinePure you could put it back in the sump to repopulate bacteria.

Regardless of which one you use though, adding medication becomes difficult because they will pull meds in and thus make the actual medication in the water column lower than you think it is. Then post medication they will expel it back out. It is one of the reasons a lot of people refrain from using actual rock. Having a tank that uses PVC elbows rather than rock allows from a very quick disinfection should it need to happen compared to having rock in the system as well as no worry of medication being reduced in the water column.

What you have right now though will get you through a QT cycle with little headache as long as you monitor water quality. If you set it up as gone fishin suggested without "cycling" the tank it becomes very easy to set up a QT. The hob will help with the air exchange and provides an easy place for small amount of carbon or floss also if no meds are being used (I use a HOB and a small air input to agitate the surface).

Now, water. Here is my take on water. I use the water from my DT because I have QTed my fish in there prior to placing them there and the only risk I have would be the inverts/coral which would much smaller risk than a non QTed fish. My other thing though for using it is, I KNOW the fish will be going in the tank after the QT anyway so am I doing myself any good not using the water that it will eventually end up in. The reason I am QTing the current fish is to remove anything it could be carrying so it doesn't get in the system. Regardless, the fish will go in the DT water anyway so why not allow the TTM and QT to benefit the DT with small water changes? Yeah, very different thought than most but it is why I use my DT water. I QT to keep what the new fish is carrying from entering the system. Again, my thought process and people will argue it. The water that the QTed fish is in never goes back in the tank so it is a one way cycle.

Again, I am probably going to get heat for using the DT water with the reasoning I do, but when you get to the concept of it there is really little reason not to unless you have multiple system possibilities the fish COULD go into vs my one tank it will definitely go into.

The answer to your question TECHNICALLY is to use freshly made water.

 

[Fish Keeper82]

I use a bit of live rock just to not deal with the ammonia issue and I isolate them in this QT tank for 2 months. However the only medication ive had to use thus far is prazi pro which is thought to be safe. Copper medications will make the live rock absorb the copper and if you ever move the rock back to the daytank it will leach back out.

If I had to use anything other than prazi pro I would take the live rock out.

Live rock is not a necessity and more than likely less of us use it. This is because Ich's life cycle has a stage where it needs a substrate or rock to help keep its life cycle alive.
If you don't use live rock, Prime and a badge is a must 4 sure. No live rock is probably the better way to go. Im just old school where we put rock in everything
Don't forget to do TTM for ICH

 

[gone fishin]

A.Astore your thinking with the DT water is sound. I am confident my DT is disease free and when I QT if I have some WC water I will use it in the QT. With the caveat that my salinity is already up to the DT. Initially my salinity is usually lower than the DT due to the shipping water being lower salinity. I will use fresh saltwater to bring it up.

The problem comes especially in this forum that a lot of folks will not QT their first few fishes and do not contemplate QT until the DT has something. Then I suggest using fresh saltwater.

 

[ibrat82]

So will my 10 gallon tank suffice? I'm reading that people have had issues dealing with ammonia ando nitrates in a small tank like that.

I'd this true? Also when I bring home a new fish and let's say the stores salinity is 1.018 and my tank is 1.026 when I drip acclimate them am I doing this in a bucket or container then after that's complete transferring to the qt tank?

A.Astore your thinking with the DT water is sound. I am confident my DT is disease free and when I QT if I have some WC water I will use it in the QT. With the caveat that my salinity is already up to the DT. Initially my salinity is usually lower than the DT due to the shipping water being lower salinity. I will use fresh saltwater to bring it up.

The problem comes especially in this forum that a lot of folks will not QT their first few fishes and do not contemplate QT until the DT has something. Then I suggest using fresh saltwater.

 

[Fish Keeper82]

I use a ten gallon but again i use live rock .

Do not drip acclimate. Just match your QT salinity to the salinity in the bag with the fish. Tempeture acclimate by floating in bag for 20 mins and drop right in.

Example: If stores salinity is 1.018 you make your QT tank 1.018. Float bag 20 mins and drop in. Then VERY slowly brig it up to your day tank salinity thought several days. The way i do it is just let the water naturally evaporate by not adding fresh top off to QT tank until it reaches the day tank salinity. Usually takes me a week or two depending how low it was.

 

[Brieninsac]

I keep my 10 gal. QT simple. Works for me.

 

[rjjr1963]

Some folks will use a power head instead of an airstone. What we are trying to do with either one is to help with gas exchange at the surface and oxygenate the water.

Some folks will cycle a QT by placing a filter sponge into the sump or tank then transfer into the QT. I personally do not cycle a QT. I rely on WC's and prime to deal with any ammonia.

I would suggest not using any LR in the QT. This can be problematic with medicating and you would really not want to return it back to the DT.

I would also suggest getting a seachem ammonia alert badge. They are cheap and very handy in the QT.

What is WC's?

 

[Fish Keeper82]

Water changes
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1672798

 

[scuzy]

Water change

 

[rjjr1963]

Thanks for the quick replies. I thought it was a chemical or something lol.

Is it necessary to do the TTM with a new fish? I plan to quarantine my fish for six weeks.

 

[Fish Keeper82]

It is best since some fish will not shows signs of ich but still be infected

 

[rjjr1963]

Are there certain medications I should have on hand for what if's? My LFS doesn't carry a good line of medications so if I need something in a hurry I have to have it shipped.

 

[ibrat82]

So to bring the salinity up slowly to the DT level in your qt.

you just let the water in the QT evaporate until the salinity rises to the same level as Dt?

Is this correct?

I use a ten gallon but again i use live rock .

Do not drip acclimate. Just match your QT salinity to the salinity in the bag with the fish. Tempeture acclimate by floating in bag for 20 mins and drop right in.

Example: If stores salinity is 1.018 you make your QT tank 1.018. Float bag 20 mins and drop in. Then VERY slowly brig it up to your day tank salinity thought several days. The way i do it is just let the water naturally evaporate by not adding fresh top off to QT tank until it reaches the day tank salinity. Usually takes me a week or two depending how low it was.

 

[Fish Keeper82]

So to bring the salinity up slowly to the DT level in your qt.

you just let the water in the QT evaporate until the salinity rises to the same level as Dt?

Is this correct?

Thats how i do it and that in theory is the slowest natural way of doing . If you raise salinity too quickly you can kill the fish.

 

[ibrat82]

But won't the water level drop pretty low over the 1-2 week period? Im just assuming ad I've never done a qt tank and it's my first..

 

[Fish Keeper82]

But won't the water level drop pretty low over the 1-2 week period? Im just assuming ad I've never done a qt tank and it's my first..

Yes it will, it drops about 2 inches in my experiance in a 10 gallon from 1.018..... but you can add freshly mixed water at the current salinity if you want to for make up.

So if it starts out at 1.018 and at 1.023 you feel level is too low add water with salinity of 1.023 to bring level to where you want it. This will add water without a change in salinity.Then continueto let it evaporate till it gets to 1.026 (thast my DT salinity)..