We all start somewhere... right?

The clown was the first fish in.

I live nowhere near Austin. I'm in Rhode Island.

The question about the filter is specifically for the QT tank. I can get a fully functioning freshwater setup for like $20-30 on Craigslist. Just clean it and put in new filter media/pads and use it as a QT tank later down the road.

Right now I just want to treat the clown for ich, on the cheap. I don't have room for a rubber maid tub. I've got a 9 month old baby who is getting into everything now, and I just don't have the space really in my apartment. A 5-10 gallon tank will fit underneath my 20g freshwater in the kids bedroom, and can share the dual outlet air pump.
 
LeadFootedRacer said:
So will that work for this time around in the 5 gallon? Bare bottom, air sponge, copper dosing, and a lamp? Say I test every day for ammonia and salinity, and water change a gallon or so, every other day-ish.

I do also have the Prime to help with the ammonia. It's just this 1 time around. I will source together the parts to put a running 10 or so under there. Will traditional freshwater filtration work in a QT tank? Seems like tanks that small are primarily freshwater.
Click to expand...

What are you gonna do with the yellow tail damsel?

But yes it could work till you get the 10 gal going but keep a close eye on your ammonia and salinty levels evaporation and the air stones are gonna raise the sg fairly quickly without a ato.

I dont use copper for ich so i qould make sure if you can use prime while useing copper at the same time. The biggest issue is gonna be keeping the copper levels stable in such a small tank. But it can be done.
 
Ok what are you gonna do with them then? Ship them to me? I actually like damsels then again clownfish are damsels also.
 
I will look into mixing the prime with copper.

Once I get the bigger setup, setup and running, I won't need the prime. I'm still questioning the use of HOB freshwater filtration in a QT tank.

Shipping those 4 fish would cost more than the fish are worth. I will take them to my LFS where they will quarantine them, treat them, and then sell them later. (Or so I'm told)
 
If the filters are cleaned they are fine to use in a saltwater tank. Ive been useing them on my clownfish grow out tanks for years.
 
Then in a few weeks, once the dust settles with my personal bologna, I will pick one up and set it up. I still got to get another wavemaker for the display, and a skimmer for that setup, too.
 
Talking with the wife about converting the kids 20 gallon freshwater into a QT tank. It has a heater, hood, light, and HOB filter setup (which I have replacement pads for). This would cost me the bubble, and my buddy at work would take the fish.

54588133292c32254cb515b318c49c49.jpg


Selling point to my 7 year old would be, he gets a new fish every 6-10 weeks. LoL.

This tank should be bare bottom, and have no rocks, correct? I do have some spare live rock I could put in, to aid in filtration, they would permanently stay in that tank.
 
If your kid is happy then go for it. But yes just bare bottom, no rock. You can add some pvc elbows and such for hideing spots.

Nice lil fw setup though.
 
shifty51008 said:
If your kid is happy then go for it. But yes just bare bottom, no rock. You can add some pvc elbows and such for hideing spots.

Nice lil fw setup though.
Click to expand...
It's a little dirty. Due for a cleaning badly. We had a Mollie infestation not too long ago and it was terrible. Finally got the population under control. Donated the adult female to my friends planted tank so she would stop having fry in my tank.

The only reason I consider using this tank is because I'm bored with it, and am kinda desperate and have no room for another tank. Haha. My 7 year old will get a kick out of it, too.

Does a QT tank need to cycle? Should I just use water out of my main tank to fill it?
 
For a qt tank i keep a sponge filter in my main tank sump and use that in my qt tank to cycle it. But for a hospital tank it is just bare with pvc fittings. Useing water from the main tank wont do much as bacteria stays in the rock and sand and very little in the water colume
 
Ok. I will set up with brand new water.

Can I drop a filter pad (from the HOB filter setup) into the sump and let it cycle with the tank and then move it to the smaller tank when the time comes?

Also read that freshwater bacteria helps cycle a saltwater tank faster. Is this true? Should I not clean this tank as thoroughly as I could?
 
I wouldnt put the filter in the main tank till you get the ich out first otherwise youll just transfer ich to the qt tank.

The freshwater bacteria will die off in sw so no it doesnt cycle the tank faster. I would still clean the tank fairly decent with water and vinegar.
 
shifty51008 said:
Good luck
Click to expand...
Thanks. Just cut up a filter pad to remove the carbon. Seemed successful to me. LoL [emoji106]

Will know in about 24 hours what the deal is with the fish, and should have it cleaned up and running by the end of Saturday.

I am planning on leaving the snails in the main tank. Is this an issue?
 
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