Quarantine Tank Suggestion

[Desert Sea]

As has been reported in other posts, Petco is having their $1 per gallon sale and since I'm in the equipment acquiring stages of my new tank build, I thought I would get a tank for quarantine use since I don't have one. I was thinking about getting a 20L but was wondering what others use and what suggestions on tank size you all may have.

Also what do you use for filtration? HOB filter or something else. Interested to hear how others have their quarantine tanks are setup.

 

[MondoBongo]

i run Tank Transfer Method (TTM) and then several weeks of observation in a grow out tank which is a 20L.

i typically use 10 gallon tanks for my TTM tanks. they're easier to work with, carry, clean, etc... they also don't take a ton of water to fill. i keep two 20L around for larger fish i want to run through TTM, but so far the 10 gallons have been sufficient for a wide range of fish, since they only spend about two weeks in them through TTM and their prazi treatments.

the grow out tank is fully cycled, with a skimmer, so that's just a regular setup. i don't treat with any kind of meds in it, i would use a hospital tank for that. for the TTM tanks, i use amquel so help keep ammonia locked up, and since you're transferring about every 48ish hours the water stays clean enough, long enough. with the exception of some super touchy fish, this has done well for me. if the fish are really sensitive, then i will also do a 50 - 75% water change on the TTM tanks every day to help keep things clean and pristine, siphoning out uneaten food with it.

or....

HOB filter can work well for short term qt setups. if you have access to a fully cycled system you can keep some extra filter floss or sponges in the sump to use in the HOB filter. conventional wisdom is two weeks in the sump for media should be sufficient to help seed it with bacteria. you can also use aggressive water changes in conjunction with amquel (or another comparable ammonia locker product) for the duration of the QT.

i would probably not return the media to the main tank after qt, i would likely just toss it out, especially if you treat with any meds.

i also keep some cheap salt around for QT, regular old instant ocean, since it's fairly cheap and i throw out a lot of QT water.

 

[Desert Sea]

I'm not familiar with the Tank Transfer Method. I will have to look into it. I was think along the lines of keeping new acquisitions in the quarantine tank for 4 to 6 weeks for observation before placing into the display tank.

How does the TTM method work?

 

[Jeff4777]

I prefer TTM followed by an observation period in a QT. There are some good threads on this forum about the proccess.

 

[RayAllen3422]

I prefer TTM followed by an observation period in a QT. There are some good threads on this forum about the proccess.

+1 on this. I did a lot of reading and this is my process. Got through TTM and now my first fish are in QT for 4 weeks. So far so good. Good luck!!!

 

[gone fishin]

I'm not familiar with the Tank Transfer Method. I will have to look into it. I was think along the lines of keeping new acquisitions in the quarantine tank for 4 to 6 weeks for observation before placing into the display tank.

How does the TTM method work?

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2507836

In a nutshell fish are kept in a tank for 72 hours then moved to a new clean tank for 72 hours. This is repeated for 4 transfers using the life cycle of ich against itself. The link has more detail.

 

[scooter31707]

I agree with all the above. For as my process, I have 2 10 gallon tanks for the TTM. I have a 20L for my observation tank. On that note, if you go out there and by a 4-6 inch Tang, a 20L would not work, I suggest maybe something like a 40b.

 

[Sadpanda67]

I've go a 20 long that i use for QT. There's a 60 gal HOB filter and some filter media that i keep in the sump. When i need to do a QT i pull water out of my main setup and put it into the 20 gal and pull the filter media out of the sump. Never had any issues doing QT's this way.

Just make sure you monitor your water in the QT. When the qt needs a change I pull water from my main setup again. You kill 2 birds that way. Display gets a little change and the qt gets preheated and stable water.

I've never tried TTM I just do the long QT, at least 4 weeks. If i see any signs of disease i treat accordingly and start qt time over. It took me a long time to learn that lesson. But pulling all of your fish out to medicate due to being impatient is not a chore you or your fish need experience.

 

[Desert Sea]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2507836

In a nutshell fish are kept in a tank for 72 hours then moved to a new clean tank for 72 hours. This is repeated for 4 transfers using the life cycle of ich against itself. The link has more detail.

Thanks for the link gone fishin. You saved me a search of the forum!

Okay so I read through the link and I understand the process. Minimum of 4 transfer cycles and then off to a quarantine tank for extended observation. If I was to utilize the TTM method, sounds like it would make sense to get a 10g and a 20L for the two tanks and arrange the tank order so that the 20L is available for the observation period upon the completion of the TTM. I do have a question though, and it may be because of my lack of understanding about the Ich ailment, but let's assume the fish does have Ich. If we transfer it from one tank to another, doesn't the infliction stay with the fish as it's transferred? I'm guessing it would since its already infected.

Is it a good practice to do a freshwater dip prior to starting the TTM process?

Is TTM effective against any other parasites or diseases that marine fish are susceptible to getting?

 

[MondoBongo]

I don't freshwater dip. The theory is, that since part of the ich life cycle involves falling off the fish to encyst in the substrate, at some point during the transfers it will be left behind in the tank the fish was transferred from.

I always do 6 transfers total. With two rounds of prazi, for internal parasites.

 

[frankv702]

I run a 60 gallon QT tank. I don't do the ttm method so it works for me. I have a large predator tank so I qt fish that I feel more comfortable with in a larger tank for 4-6 weeks. It also gives me the ability to qt a few different fish at once. I keep about 20 of those marinepure ceramic media balls in my established tank. When I qt a fish, I'll take 4 out and drop them in an aquaclear filter on my 60.

I treat all of my fish. I do 2 back to back treatments of Prazipro, one treatment of Cupramine, then a third treatment of Prazipro. I have yet to lose any fish doing this and my DT has pretty healthy fish that love to eat. That's the funnest part of having a predator tank.

 

[gone fishin]

Thanks for the link gone fishin. You saved me a search of the forum!

Okay so I read through the link and I understand the process. Minimum of 4 transfer cycles and then off to a quarantine tank for extended observation. If I was to utilize the TTM method, sounds like it would make sense to get a 10g and a 20L for the two tanks and arrange the tank order so that the 20L is available for the observation period upon the completion of the TTM. I do have a question though, and it may be because of my lack of understanding about the Ich ailment, but let's assume the fish does have Ich. If we transfer it from one tank to another, doesn't the infliction stay with the fish as it's transferred? I'm guessing it would since its already infected.

Is it a good practice to do a freshwater dip prior to starting the TTM process?

Is TTM effective against any other parasites or diseases that marine fish are susceptible to getting?

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2389659


Once the ich is on the fish it will only stay there for about 3-7 days then fall of to the next phase. The link has a section on the life cycle of ich along with some other really good info. It is in the fish disease forum.

 

[Desert Sea]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2389659


Once the ich is on the fish it will only stay there for about 3-7 days then fall of to the next phase. The link has a section on the life cycle of ich along with some other really good info. It is in the fish disease forum.

Thank you once again for the link! I have some reading ahead of me.

 

[gone fishin]

Just for future reference a lot of the forums have stickies at the top of the forums. The new to hobby, fish disease and chemistry forum have some very good ones that I know of.

 

[Desert Sea]

I don't freshwater dip. The theory is, that since part of the ich life cycle involves falling off the fish to encyst in the substrate, at some point during the transfers it will be left behind in the tank the fish was transferred from.

I always do 6 transfers total. With two rounds of prazi, for internal parasites.

I think I understand the theory behind it. Due to the life cycle of the cysts, the constant changing of water via the multiple tanks every 3 days, results in the elimination of the Ich organism through attrition. As it drops off of the host fish it is disposed of via the WC before it can replicate.

So what are the thoughts on fresh water dipping? I've read that some parasites will essentially explode due to their cell membranes transpiring water uncontrollably due to the difference in salinity.

 

[Desert Sea]

Just for future reference a lot of the forums have stickies at the top of the forums. The new to hobby, fish disease and chemistry forum have some very good ones that I know of.

I will check out the stickies. Like I said, I have some reading ahead of me!!

 

[gone fishin]

FW dips can provide some relief for some illnesses but they will not cure any as far as I know.

 

[MondoBongo]

I think I understand the theory behind it. Due to the life cycle of the cysts, the constant changing of water via the multiple tanks every 3 days, results in the elimination of the Ich organism through attrition. As it drops off of the host fish it is disposed of via the WC before it can replicate.

So what are the thoughts on fresh water dipping? I've read that some parasites will essentially explode due to their cell membranes transpiring water uncontrollably due to the difference in salinity.

I honestly don't know enough about the fw dips to really have an opinion on them.

They haven't come up as a common treatment for any of the things I'm typically watching for, so I haven't looked in to the technique.

 

[Desert Sea]

What about tank size for TTM and QT? Will a 10g be big enough for the TTM and a 20L work for a longer QT arrangement?

Based on the short duration of the TTM cycle between tanks, I'm assuming the tanks are left bare bottom.

 

[MondoBongo]

What about tank size for TTM and QT? Will a 10g be big enough for the TTM and a 20L work for a longer QT arrangement?

Based on the short duration of the TTM cycle between tanks, I'm assuming the tanks are left bare bottom.

Yeah you want them bare bottom. I use large PVC fittings like 4" elbows and T fittings to give the fish a place to hide. Since they're plastic I just rinse them and dry them.

I use the 10 gallons for a lot of fish. For larger fish I will go with 20 longs, but since they're only in those tanks for a short period of time, it's not usually an issue.

I also cover the tops with some old sheets of Plexiglas to help moderate evaporation and stop jumpers.