Quarantine tank

[Jekerry]

One more question! I do not have a quarantine tank yet, my tank is very new and I only have 2 fish so far. But now I have two fish, and would like to add some more, I am wondering about a quarantine tank. Would one of those bio cubes be an easy and cheap way to get one set up? Would it be reasonable to just use the filtration as it comes? And what would be a ok minimum size considering the fish wouldn't live there for too long?

When all of you started keeping Reef fish, did you set up a quarantine tank at the same time as the main tank, or did that come later?

Thanks,

Jane

 

[davidms209]

I use 2 cheap buckets for tank transfer method quarantine process (google for more info). Put on each bucket: some pvc for hiding place, airstone for aeration, and heater/chiller (depending on where you live). I set mine up before getting my first fish

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[Jekerry]

Thanks! That’s a good idea!

 

[hkgar]

+1 for what David said. You do not want any chance of getting Ick in your tank and TTM is effective. There are only 3 effective cures for Ick and TTM is one of them.

PS Get that tank going and get a good reef related avatar

Keep us updated.

 

[Jekerry]

Do I have to do the entire process since they would hopefully not be sick, or just keep them in the bucket for a certain amount of time? Should I quarantine coals as well the same way?

 

[allendehl]

There is a very good sticky post about TTM:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2507836

I just went through the TTM process and killed two lovely chromis because I misread it multiple times. These are tips that, though some are covered in the post, I find them important to highlight after my first experience:

- You NEED an air stone and air pump. Make sure you get the smaller pump you can find. I went a bit overboard and ended up returning it cause it freaked out the fish
- Get a good number of air stones and air tubing since they need to be thrown away after each transfer.
- Use Prime every day to keep ammonia under control. Mine went off the charts in less than 48hrs of my first cycle. After I started dosing Prime daily, no more issues.
- Get one ammonia badge for each bucket. It is another way to keep ammonia under watch since Prime will cause false readings on many test kits
- Feed on alternate days, or smaller feedings once a day to avoid causing an excess of nutrients
- Fish may act weird, dont panic. My clowns used to swim kinda sideways at the surface until got to accept them the way they are. They are alive and happy now in QT
- Keep a log of day and time of your transfers, remember you can transfer before the 72hrs but not later.

About skipping the process because they are hopefully healthy...well, "hopefully" is the key

I am dying to get mine into my fishless tank but still resisting the temptation.

 

[hkgar]

Do I have to do the entire process since they would hopefully not be sick, or just keep them in the bucket for a certain amount of time? Should I quarantine coals as well the same way?

Yes!
If you get Ick in your tank the only remedy at that point is for the tank to go fishless for 72 days. (fallow). It is playing Russian roulette with the lives and health of the fish.

I mad the mistake of no QT or anything for 8 years before I had the tank virtually wiped out by Ick.