Quarantine Tank
- Thread starter wardworld
- Start date
cristhiam
New member
I use a 20G QT tank, I don't have it set up all the time but when I need it all I do is take water out of the 125, fill the 20G and I use a hang on penguin 330 filter. I replace the water to the 125 with new salt water. The max fish I had in QT was 4, 3 clowns and a cowfish last year for ich treatment, I had to do waterchanges every 2 days.
flfirefighter13
New member
I usually run a aquaclear hang on the abck filter on my display tank at all times, then I have a 20L or a 10 to just fill with tank water and transfer the aquaclear to it and all is good. Cycle filtration attached combined with tank water and you should be good for a QT period as long as you dont stock super heavy or use medications that require water changes.
cschweitzer
New member
Really depends on the fish. Do not try to QT a tang in a 10G; maybe try a 30G. Really depends on fish.
Minimum requirements would be:
-Tank(proportional to fish numbers size and types)
-sponge from an established tank(many will just leave a few in their sump if they know they will be QT'ing)
-heater
-powerhead(can be replaced with HOB filter that can keep water movement decent)
-air bubbler and stone(very important if medicating!!!! Many meds will take usable O2 from the water as a side effect and others will make your fish respire more)
-Light(N.O. should work perfectly for fish QT, obviously higher for coral QT)
-Any necessary medications(trust me, be prepared from the start and it will help a lot)
Remember, when using toxic chemicals(in reference to corals, i.e. copper, formalin, metronidazole, etc) do not reuse the sponge from your QT and throw it back into the sump afterwards...either throw it away or reuse for non-aquarium related purpose.
The use of the sponge filter is to create a biological filtration that will remain relatively unscathed through the treatment process. It also creates a more natural environment in the QT without having to use main display aquarium water for the QT water(many times depleted of essential minerals and has traces of unwanted elements(phates, trates, trites, etc). Also, if bringing water down to hypo level, it is easier to do with newly mixed salt sol'ns.
Minimum requirements would be:
-Tank(proportional to fish numbers size and types)
-sponge from an established tank(many will just leave a few in their sump if they know they will be QT'ing)
-heater
-powerhead(can be replaced with HOB filter that can keep water movement decent)
-air bubbler and stone(very important if medicating!!!! Many meds will take usable O2 from the water as a side effect and others will make your fish respire more)
-Light(N.O. should work perfectly for fish QT, obviously higher for coral QT)
-Any necessary medications(trust me, be prepared from the start and it will help a lot)
Remember, when using toxic chemicals(in reference to corals, i.e. copper, formalin, metronidazole, etc) do not reuse the sponge from your QT and throw it back into the sump afterwards...either throw it away or reuse for non-aquarium related purpose.
The use of the sponge filter is to create a biological filtration that will remain relatively unscathed through the treatment process. It also creates a more natural environment in the QT without having to use main display aquarium water for the QT water(many times depleted of essential minerals and has traces of unwanted elements(phates, trates, trites, etc). Also, if bringing water down to hypo level, it is easier to do with newly mixed salt sol'ns.
cschweitzer
New member
Never mix fish and invert QT's!!! Almost forgot to mention this. Most fish cures kill all inverts, or at least some. Using a QT tank that used copper for inverts later will not be clean of Cu. It will have trace Cu that will seep from the silicone sealant, anything else in the tank, and it is possible to seep from scratches in the glass.
<--- Better late than never disclaimer I have a 50 QT, dual bio-wheel, Coralife skimmer for a 125, mainly for gas exchange, heater, uv. When not in use, (which is years away) biowheels will stay in the 390 sump. Water changes for the QT will come from the 390. Fish QT'd for 8 weeks with meds and salinity changes. Corals QT'd for 4 weeks to look for unwanted visitors.
waterfaller1
New member
This is a really bad idea Craig. Airstones/bubblers irritate the gills of sw fish. It also might raise PH irregularly. Also, if people get new fish in that were shipped, and make the mistake of airating the water, it could spell disaster. The airation causes the ammonia to become toxic. With a hang on filter with waterfall effect and /or a powerhead, airation is not needed.
cschweitzer
New member
If it comes down to a choice between irritation and suffocation, it is necessary When adding formalin and malichite, usable O2 severely depletes as it causes the fish to overrespire. How do you add enough usable O2 without a bubbler(many medications state right on the bottle to use aeration method such as this in conjunction with their meds. If you have your tank buffered correctly, increased aeration should not be able to affect your tank to significantly mess up PH...besides, with a QT, you should be doing H2O changes every day.
Please understand, I did not ever say nor did I want anyone to assume that I meant aerate the bagged water when you are acclimating to the QT tank. This would not be a smart conclusion from my statements above. I said aeration for medication, not for acclimation. I assume that people would know proper acclimation procedures before asking about a QT tank. This would be an inane idea to take from my previous statements.
Waterfall effect in a QT is not a bad idea, but will not replenish your water of used O2 enough during medicated periods. Every single clownfish breeder I talk to lists this as an essential part of a proper QT, which is why I list it and also why I use it.
Also, so there is no more confusion, I do not mean a bubble wall that is in the botom of the tank where the fish would not be able to move out of the way...I meant a bubbler and air stone(small one) that would go in a top corner to keep any air bubbles above him and away from his gills but to still aerate the water during medicated periods.
I have read many, many different ways of QT'ing and you can take what I say however you would like. Or you can actually go out and read a bunch of peoples QT setups. Doesn't really matter to me, but I will always use a bubbler during medication. If you see a fish resiping heavey, how would you aid in relieving this symptom, Carole?
Please understand, I did not ever say nor did I want anyone to assume that I meant aerate the bagged water when you are acclimating to the QT tank. This would not be a smart conclusion from my statements above. I said aeration for medication, not for acclimation. I assume that people would know proper acclimation procedures before asking about a QT tank. This would be an inane idea to take from my previous statements.
Waterfall effect in a QT is not a bad idea, but will not replenish your water of used O2 enough during medicated periods. Every single clownfish breeder I talk to lists this as an essential part of a proper QT, which is why I list it and also why I use it.
Also, so there is no more confusion, I do not mean a bubble wall that is in the botom of the tank where the fish would not be able to move out of the way...I meant a bubbler and air stone(small one) that would go in a top corner to keep any air bubbles above him and away from his gills but to still aerate the water during medicated periods.
I have read many, many different ways of QT'ing and you can take what I say however you would like. Or you can actually go out and read a bunch of peoples QT setups. Doesn't really matter to me, but I will always use a bubbler during medication. If you see a fish resiping heavey, how would you aid in relieving this symptom, Carole?
