Quarantine Tanks

[SigEpLucas]

I'm sorry to say that as many freshwater tanks i've had i've never used a quarantine tank. I'm definitely planning on setting one up for my saltwater just to be safe but I'm a little confused about them.

1. What equipment is necessary? Light, Heater, Air stone?
2. Do you always leave it set up or just when you need it?
3. Do you have to cycle the tank before using it for new fish?
4. It just seems that if your using a small quarantine tank with less equipment, it will be much harder to keep the fish alive for the quarantine period. If anyone could just maybe explain their quarantine process I would greatly appreciate it!

 

[jkeating2005]

i have a 20L set up as a quarantine and i have a heater, HOB filter and a small powerhead. i also have artificial hiding spots made out of pvc.

thats about all you need

 

[jkeating2005]

oh and you do not have to cycle. just use about 50% water from a water change and 50% newly mixed water and you should be fine.

 

[Altohombre]

Here is a great step by step process. Yeah I know it's from a different forum, but at least it's not Reef Central.

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums.../23584-fish-quarantine-process-step-step.html

 

[daugherty]

the other thing do not use and substrate or rock just because if you use copper in the qt it will make the rock and sand garbage that can never be used in a DT as it will leach back out in to the water

 

[cthegame]

1. All you need is a small tank, a powerhead, a small hang on filter, light, a heater (if needed) and some thing for the fish to hide (do not put any rocks or sand since they absorb the medication)
2. Just when you need it
3. yes but you can just use water from your main tank when you do water changes.
4. Since you won;t have all the proper equipment, Live Rock, etc. keeping the water quality up will be harder therefore, i suggest doing consistent water changes (10% ever 3 days)

 

[Picasso]

I'm totally new at this too so take what I say with a grain of salt. I didn't worry too much about quarantine while I was setting up my tank. I probably should have. My thought was that I could always start over if I needed to and I wasn't going to be out much. Now that my little eco-system is just taking off, I have a lot of time, money and heart invested so I am just putting my quarantine tank together. It's a 10 gallon with a HOB filter, a couple pieces of ugly LR and LS, and a protein skimmer. It's not done yet but I'm not adding anything anytime soon.

 

[cthegame]

Picasso, you should remove the LR & LS from your QT, they will will be useless once you medicate the tank.

 

[sen5241b]

I don't think you need a protein skimmer for a 10 or 20G because if nitrates get high a water change is the best way to deal with it. Changing out 5g (50%) is super easy using a $4 5G bucket form Home Depot, a cheap pump (or airstone) and a spare heater.

 

[SigEpLucas]

Sounds easy enough. Also when your done using the quarantine and you drain it and let it sit for the next time you need it, Do you need to take out all of the filter, heater etc and clean it all? (even if no medicine is used, like using it to introduce new fish)

 

[daugherty]

yep when you are done just drain it and clean everything but do not use it for any other tank. i say that just because you may use medicine and dont want to get into a habit of using it for something else.

 

[yote]

I find it easier to just try and pick the healthiest fish.I have never used a QT for new fish.I figure that when you take a fish and place it in a small tank,that they get stressed.The stress is mainly what causes health problems.
Nearly 2 years in the hobby,and I have never had a fish get sick or ick infested(knock on wood).

 

[Piggy]

Everytime I put a new fish in QT it would die. So no more QT for me.