So, quarantine, right.

LuizW13

New member
You know what i was just thinking? If cycling a system with a fish is now frowned upon, isn't that what we're doing in a quarantine tank? From what i understand, bacteria need sand and rock to live in, both of which are generally not present in a quarantine system. I'm going to order my first fish today, and was going to take the %20 of my initial water change post cycle and place it in my quarantine, then top it off with fresh saltwater.

I have a seachem ammonia alert badge that i will place in the quarantine, and some pvc's- I'll essentially have to keep a close eye on ammonia levels to make sure they don't rise since there is no bacteria to process it, correct?

If there is any ammonia, %10 water change? Just making sure i got everything correct.
:thumbsup:
 
Personally I don't allow an observation tank to cycle. Practices vary. My recommendation is a bare glass tank with an immaculately changed filter and carbon until and unless somebody shows signs of something. Others use a fully cycled qt. Sand and rock is not a good idea, because that's ich's second home.
Yes, at any trace of ammonia, water change and whatever it takes to stop it fast. I keep Prime on hand.
 
so, i can drop a sock with some carbon in it? I didn't buy anything for my quarantine other than the ammonia badge and pvc's.
 
I don't quarentine. I don't believe in keeping two eco systems running. One on the rare circumstance a fish gets sick. Then you take a fish out oh his happy home and place him in a different environment which stresses him out even more. I trust my LFS to supply healthy stock and they haven't let me down yet! Just my opinion!

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
I don't quarentine. I don't believe in keeping two eco systems running. One on the rare circumstance a fish gets sick. Then you take a fish out oh his happy home and place him in a different environment which stresses him out even more. I trust my LFS to supply healthy stock and they haven't let me down yet! Just my opinion!

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk



I was thinking the same thing....but would hate to have ich in my tank....do you recommend any reef safe remedies?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I was thinking the same thing....but would hate to have ich in my tank....do you recommend any reef safe remedies?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep, I did that. Brought home a perfectly healthy powder blue tang. Within days showed signs of disease (ich and something else). Not only did he die, but I lost half of my fish in a 180, so probably 10 fish to include some rather expensive ones. Lesson learned, I quarantine every fish now. I don't use medication unless they have signs of illness. My opinion, FWIW
 
I no longer keep a cycled QT system since I am almost fully stocked.
However, I do keep a HOB Filter Sponge in my sump at all times. It will become populated with bacteria and if I need to setup a QT, I can use that sponge to jump start a 5 or 10 gallon tank to get a fish isolated from the others safely. Amquel or Prime can help suppress the effects of ammonia, but as was stated above, water changes are your friend to eliminate the problem.

Anyone who trusts anyone else to provide disease free fish is playing Russian Roulette. I am unaware of any truly 'Reef Safe' ich treatment that is also effective other than letting your tank go fallow. Once your tanks is well stocked, caring for 10 or more fish in a QT system for 72+ days becomes a huge task. Better to not risk that in the first place and nip any potential issues at the start.
 
I no longer keep a cycled QT system since I am almost fully stocked.
However, I do keep a HOB Filter Sponge in my sump at all times. It will become populated with bacteria and if I need to setup a QT, I can use that sponge to jump start a 5 or 10 gallon tank to get a fish isolated from the others safely. Amquel or Prime can help suppress the effects of ammonia, but as was stated above, water changes are your friend to eliminate the problem.

Anyone who trusts anyone else to provide disease free fish is playing Russian Roulette. I am unaware of any truly 'Reef Safe' ich treatment that is also effective other than letting your tank go fallow. Once your tanks is well stocked, caring for 10 or more fish in a QT system for 72+ days becomes a huge task. Better to not risk that in the first place and nip any potential issues at the start.

Agreed.
 
I was thinking the same thing....but would hate to have ich in my tank....do you recommend any reef safe remedies?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There are no known (proven) reef safe cures for Ich or Velvet. Having had to live through catching and battling ich in a reef tank (ich was introduced from a coral frag that I had dipped but did not quarantine) I can assure you that the process is very difficult, time consuming and likely going to result in at least some fish losses. Taking a chance with relying on your local fish store to treat and cure ich before you introduce them into your display tank is like playing Russian Roulette, you may get lucky several times, but sooner or later you are going to pay the price. LFS simply move too much livestock through their systems to reliably treat diaereses or even prevent disease carried from one fish being transferred from one fish to another. The process of simply catching the fish often means tearing a tank apart to remove all the rocks so that you can catch the fish. After catching all your fish you are still left with maintaining a separate quarantine tank for ALL your fish (not just those showing signs of disease) and maintaining your display tank without fish for a minimum of 72 days to eliminate the in tank disease(s).
 
So, quarantine, right.

Do you guys know if glass QT tanks are preferred over acrylic tanks? For some reason, i "feel" that good bacteria prefer glass over plastic tanks. Any suggestions?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I'm not too sure about whether or not bacteria prefer glass or acrylic, but I do know when I have my 150g up and running I plan on sticking new fish in my 26 g for awhile first. I like the idea of a q tank. Of course, there are fish in it so I'll only be q'ing it from the fish in the big tank. I hope that makes sense.
 
I also keep a couple hang on back filters in my sump so they are ready to go. In the event that I use them and use some medication with them I toss them and get new ones. Then the new one go in the sump and are ready to go.
 
Do you guys know if glass QT tanks are preferred over acrylic tanks? For some reason, i "feel" that good bacteria prefer glass over plastic tanks.

Well if you 'feel' that way then of course it must be true :lol: even if it's actually not.
 
I just keep a canister of seeded biomedia running on my main system so when I need a cycled QT it is trivial to setup. I don't run tanks unnecessarily; plus you ideally want a fresh start for every new batch of fish.
 
Whatever. Aqueon, Petco, any prepackaged slip in filter for an HOB power pump.
You just want it to fit what ever HOB filter you use.
 
@gffpm1247
I felt the same as you until what was supposed to be the last fish, the crowning glory of my tank, gave marine velvet to the entire display tank. I lost a lot of fish and money. That fish looked and acted perfectly healthy in the LFS and ate like a trooper. Goes to show that appearances can be deceiving!
Why would you trust a LFS? Half of them don't know anything about animal health, disease diagnosis, or disease treatment. Most of the rest want to sell you a UV sterilizer or medications which do not work, do not work as described, or wreak unintended consequences on your system.
What you should trust is scientific data, not anecdotal data. TTM is based on scientific data and works. Quarantine is not quite as precise but, with research, you can devise and implement a system based on scientific data that will work for you. OR, you can continue playing Russian roulette with your tank. Your choice.
 
I was thinking the same thing....but would hate to have ich in my tank....do you recommend any reef safe remedies?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I had a Dottyback that developed a small white patch behind it's gill. Talked with my LFS and he recommended this product. My tank is pretty young. But it didn't affect any of my coral (they are all small but one) and within 7days or so white patch was gone. Just follow directions on the button and dose on the lighter side. I believe the directions said one cap per 10 gals. For my 75 gal tank I did 6 as recommended by my LFS. See photos first is my tank, second of fish back when it had the white patch and third is the bottle I used
69d38842b5dcefb65d5ab9eed78f841b.jpg
a2b9b18904803e38e7362c6394a1764c.jpg
48b5003eb447d66776cd38e5e00a553c.jpg


Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top