Quarantine tank

[Arcar]

So I'm getting a 120g tank. Doing dry rock to prevent pests.. now I'm considering a QT but seems to be a lot more work then I anticipated. I would need 1 for fish and 1 for coral.. I would need to set up a light system and do many water changes. It will be in an area in my basement that will be within 7 feet of my saltwater mix for my main tank.

Articals online say only 5% of hobbyists do QT. Is this true?
Is it hard to keep QT?

I'm torn on this subject.....

 

[thegrun]

While I always dip my corals, I rarely quarantine them, always dip them. I do always quarantine all the fish. I first use the tank transfer method with two PraziPro treatments during the transfers, then on to a 6 week quarantine. There is a small risk in not quarantining corals as dips will not kill all pest eggs.

 

[Arcar]

While I always dip my corals, I rarely quarantine them, always dip them. I do always quarantine all the fish. I first use the tank transfer method with two PraziPro treatments during the transfers, then on to a 6 week quarantine. There is a small risk in not quarantining corals as dips will not kill all pest eggs.

Can you share your best method with me I'm dipping your curls or have a link to a post? What size fish tank do you use to quarantine your fish ? I could see it being more reasonable to quarantine fish versus fish and corals

 

[lapin]

You should read this before chosing a QT for fish.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388428

 

[Arcar]

You should read this before chosing a QT for fish.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2388428

That seems very difficult lol

 

[rjjr1963]

I quarantine all my corals. All my monti's were destroyed by one frag with nudibranch. Dips have no effect on them.

 

[Thornbreaker]

That seems very difficult lol

You can always observe up front in a QT, and use TTM if you notice your fish have "ich". TTM only works on "ich", so you may want to consider it up front if you are getting fish that are more susceptible to it like tangs. Some do this upfront regardless along with other medical treatment, but I totally get your perception of the challenge involved.

Most here will recommend a QT of at least 4 weeks of observation if nothing else and will stress that to you because once you carry in disease to your Display Tank, all of your fish will be susceptible.

Personally, I have a 20 gallon long QT with a HOB filter and heater that is in the process of cycling. I plan to toss in a couple of clown fish once its ready. My main display tank is likely months away due to costs, but getting a QT up and running it now allows me to get used to checking water quality testing, doing water changes, feeding, looking for disease, and anything else necessary on the small scale. Plus, I'll have 2 fish ready to go soon as my DT is ready a few months down the road.

 

[nereefpat]

That seems very difficult lol

It isn't.

Tanks don't have to be cycled. You can use 5gallon buckets, rubbermaids, whatever.

You need 2 tanks, 2 heaters, some pvc fittings for hiding, an air pump, and some airline and stones that you throw away each time.

 

[JTL]

So I’m getting a 120g tank. Doing dry rock to prevent pests.. now I’m considering a QT but seems to be a lot more work then I anticipated. I would need 1 for fish and 1 for coral.. I would need to set up a light system and do many water changes. It will be in an area in my basement that will be within 7 feet of my saltwater mix for my main tank.

Articals online say only 5% of hobbyists do QT. Is this true?
Is it hard to keep QT?

I’m torn on this subject.....

I don't know what the percentage is but I will bet more don't than do. I don't qt but I did do the ttm on my last 3 fish after going losing a couple of fish to flukes, something I had never seen before. Anyway did the ttm, two rounds of prazipro and a formalin dip at the end. I figured watching them for 12 days was enough. If I had noticed anything unusual I would have set up a qt.

One of these days I am going to get a Mandarin and my plan is to get one that is captive bred in which case it will go directly into the dt.