Today's Rant on Quarantining

[snorvich]

I think there's a reason why online vendors just offer a money back guarantee because that is more cost effective.

It is all about money. Source quarantine will never happen. The only exception that I know of, is that some aquarium services offer a 100% thirty day guarantee (only if nothing wet is added to the tank being maintained) but their prices are definitely on the high side because they incurred the cost of quarantine. So if you want a turn key aquarium and are willing to pay for it, here is your opportunity.

 

[ali1]

My LFS qt fish for $10 a week, 4 weeks for $33 and 8 weeks for $50. This is per tank. If you buy 3 fish you can have all of them qt for 8 weeks for $50. If the fish dies in qt the store will get you a new one.


They treat with copper, prazi, metro and some blue stuff. The qt section is a rack in the back with approximately 20 5 gallon and 10 gallon tanks. Each tank is ran on it's own sponge filter and macro algae. Most of the time their qt tanks have no vacancy.

Not sure what kind of marketing gimmick, but $10 for one week isnt enough for most treatments. why would one even offer such service? the others are more realistic.

i wouldnt mind paying 30-40% more for a fish thats been QTed. Now $175 for a yellow tang is more than 200% increase depending on area.

at the end of the day, your spending more than $50 QTing a yellow tang on your own after equipment and salt.

 

[Socaltoaz]

Interesting read and despite assurances from the people who I'm planning to get fish from, I'm planning a qt tank for my 800 gallon display. What I was planning on doing was having my waste water from my sump drain into the qt and then From the qt to the drain. Water will never go back from qt to the display.

I have a reef Genesis system set up that changes 6 gallons a day. My qt tank will be 20 gallons so roughly the entire tank will turn over every 3 days or so.

This assures that The fish will live in the same water for 6 weeks or so as their permanent home. This also assures the maintainance is relatively simple. No real filtration needed, just some flow in the qt with a powerhead- maybe a small HOB filter. The setup is relatively easy- the cost minimal.

I wish this wasn't necessary but probably not a bad thing to do just to be on the safe side.

 

[slief]

Interesting read and despite assurances from the people who I'm planning to get fish from, I'm planning a qt tank for my 800 gallon display. What I was planning on doing was having my waste water from my sump drain into the qt and then From the qt to the drain. Water will never go back from qt to the display.

I have a reef Genesis system set up that changes 6 gallons a day. My qt tank will be 20 gallons so roughly the entire tank will turn over every 3 days or so.

This assures that The fish will live in the same water for 6 weeks or so as their permanent home. This also assures the maintainance is relatively simple. No real filtration needed, just some flow in the qt with a powerhead- maybe a small HOB filter. The setup is relatively easy- the cost minimal.

I wish this wasn't necessary but probably not a bad thing to do just to be on the safe side.

While the changing of water like that in the QT tank may seem like a great idea, you really want to medicate that tank so that new fish are treated for parastites and or other diseases that will most certainly be in or on them. Without treatment, you will be introducing the parasites to your main display. Just because you can't see the parasites doesn't mean they aren't there which makes the importance of treating new fish critical if you want to maintain a parasite free tank and avoid the inevitable issues that that accompany introducing untreated fish. By changing the water out constantly, you are reducing theraputic treatment levels in your QT tank. Some water changes are important but you have to follow up with more treatment to insure that you're maintaining theraputic levels in your QT.

Many QT systems use copper which levels can be easily tested for. Formalin is another treatment but not 100% effective against ich treatment. Pretty much any fish that isn't treated for ich will carry the parasite and if you don't treat your QT system, you will most certainly have ich in your main system even if you aren't seeing it.

 

[Socaltoaz]

Good point Scott. A to divert flow needs to be added to the mix. Good point.

 

[slief]

Good point Scott. A valve to divert flow needs to be added to the mix. Good point.

:beer: