Quarantine tank ??????

[bryan.wilson79]

I'm just about mid-way through cycling my 40 gallon IM NUVO and am thinking after numerous reads to start a quarantine tank for my first livestock...my question is it seems that these quarantine tanks are pretty much a smaller aquarium used for acclimation..they all say very simple,cheap,and etc...I don't see it...should I just look at getting another small all in one and use that?...was thinking maybe a 10 gallon nano and use my current display water after complete cycle with a few fake corals and rocks for hiding spots...am I missing something??

 

[Jerett83]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1207733

 

[bryan.wilson79]

Yeah I've read countless articles...a small tank..filtration ..heater..blah blah..so I'm thinking just buying 2 more IM 10 gallon nanos..one for fish one for corals...do I keep them running full time?? Why waste the money if not keeping them...

 

[bryan.wilson79]

I've got some left over dry live rock..so why not just make 2 smaller aquariums for quarantine?...if something goes wrong in the 10s I could just replace??...again am I missing something?...as we all know I've already spent 1 million dollars setting up my "bigger" tank....am I off base by thinking just have a smaller one to restart if something goes wrong???

 

[Capt.Nemo]

Not the most experienced here, but I have lost entire population in display due to no QT. Bare basics needed. I had a 10 laying around. $7 heater, $4 air stone, $12 filter and $2 PVC elbow. QT tank born.
Reasons for no rock or sand is no place for disease to cycle its life such as ich. A small clay pot can be used for hiding, but bare bones is the idea.
I am also seriously considering the $1 per gallon sale right now at Petco for a 20 gallon QT.

 

[Sonyardo]

You can leave them up full time. Many people do that, especially during a new tank build. Once the tank is stocked and stable, you may find that you don't add livestock all that often and it may not be practical to keep the extra tanks running full time. Also, Keep in mind that many people use the QT as a hospital tank and many of the treatments would wipe out the beneficial bacteria in a cycled tank. By keeping it simple, you can easily break it down and clean it. Quickly set it back up when needed. Nothing wrong with a little dead rock or rubble in the QT in my opinion as long as you don't intend to put it back into the DT system. Some will say that it could interfere with the treatment process, if any. There are Many different way to accomplish a QT. The main thing is that you don't put new sick livestock into you DT system with healthy livestock. That can make for a challenging and expensive lesson.

 

[CarrieB]

You should read the stuff about the Tank Transfer method for preventing ick from getting into your tank.

 

[mitch91175]

I have a 10 gallon that I use for QT when needed. Don't keep it running full-time because when I need it I just get some water from my established system when I am doing a water change. It is just a simple setup with header and mechanical filtration. You can get all elaborate if you feel the need or you can just K.I.S.S.

 

[Luke Schnabel]

I use a 20g long tank with a heater and a penguin 150 for filtration and water flow. Works great. ALWAYS QT NEW FISH! #1 rule to not get parasites

 

[rjjr1963]

I've got a bar bones 20g QT that is going on 7 weeks and still hasn't cycled. Still waiting on zero nitrites.

I bought three more tanks and put living rock in them from the LFS. They all cycled very quickly and have been housing fish for nearly a month. I plan to QT these fish for 90 days and I didn't think it would be much fun for them swimming in and around pvc elbows for all that time.

 

[gone fishin]

I believe I got my QT and TTM tanks from Wal-Mart, they had 10g and 29g starter kits, cheap option for me.

I always set them up just prior to getting new fish. In addition I got some seachem ammonia alert badges and keep prime on hand for any ammonia. I also keep extra water on hand for a quick WC if needed.

FWIW my QT protocol consists of TTM, using 10g tanks. Then followed by 4-5 weeks of observation in the main QT. I will also do 2 rounds of prazipro at some point. Good luck

 

[bryan.wilson79]

Ok...so here's where I'm at ...I got a beautiful media stand to house my IM 40...two IM 10 all in ones would look awesome on each side...So...my thoughts are to not QT the first inhabitants for my 40 ..I'm thinking 2 clowns...use my water change excess to fill the two 10s ..use my extra dry live rock to cycle those and then use 1 for fish or inverts and the other for corals...as long as I use them solely for new inhabitants to the 40 I should be good right? When the 2 tens are done for quarantine I could keep them as smaller displays..if something dreadfully goes wrong in the 10s after the fact I'm at a minimal loss..not ideal to lose anything but just saying...a ten gallon would inhabit minute livestock and still be able to be used for QT if needed...