quarantine tank question

Baldy · #1 03-01-2011, 01:38 PM

I am coming up to the point where I'm about to make my first fish purchase. have decided to set up a quarantine tank with an empty 10 gal that I have with a heater, powerhead, and hob filter. I will use water from the main tank to fill the qt and let the filter sit in the main tank for a while to establish more bacteria for the qt tank. my question is, am I going to need live rock in there as well? I have no sump that I can take rock from and replace later, and i would prefer not to take rock from the main tank each time i set up a qt tank. The same goes for sand as well. Will i be ok without rock or sand in a qt tank?

Abe · #2 03-01-2011, 01:41 PM

you don't need sand or rocks in there just in case you want to add meds. Just use some PVC pipping or something similar for hidding places.

George · #3 03-01-2011, 05:06 PM

Abe is correct. You don't need rock or sand in a quarantine tank because in case you medicate your fish in the quarantine tank and many of the medicine will kill off bacteria on rock and sand. Even worse is that those medicine will bind to rock and sand for a long time making them unsuitable for any display tank.
A HOB filter is good and make sure the filter pad is fully cycled because that will be your main biological filter. Put a NEW filter pad in your main tank to cycle the pad and put it in the HOB.
Good decision on the quarantine tank because not many people realize many benefits of a quarantine tank.

ponokareefer · #4 03-01-2011, 05:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by George

Abe is correct. You don't need rock or sand in a quarantine tank because in case you medicate your fish in the quarantine tank and many of the medicine will kill off bacteria on rock and sand. Even worse is that those medicine will bind to rock and sand for a long time making them unsuitable for any display tank.
A HOB filter is good and make sure the filter pad is fully cycled because that will be your main biological filter. Put a NEW filter pad in your main tank to cycle the pad and put it in the HOB.
Good decision on the quarantine tank because not many people realize many benefits of a quarantine tank.

What he said. I had started a post, but then realized George had hit all the points I was going to say.

Baldy · #5 03-01-2011, 06:27 PM

Thanks for the replies guys. I just wanted to be sure there was going to be enough bio filtration without the LR or sand. I will pick up some PVC piping today for hiding places. I have probably a week and a half yet before I buy fish I just want to cover my bases

phreezee · #6 03-02-2011, 12:10 AM

IMO dont waste your time with a QT. You will inevitably catch something that ends up in your display. Concentrate on diet and health and the fish will fight off most ailments. The process of quarantining usually just creates stress and the fish ends up dying anyway.

EDIT: I prefer Ozone and UV sterilization.

VFX · #7 03-02-2011, 12:18 AM

@phreezee

Each to his/her own with regards to QT.

I usually don't but once in a while really wish I did.

@OP

My QT tank is a 20 gallon breeder with air stone, korallia 2, some dead 'live' rock (that I only ever use in the QT tank or else leave dry) and egg crate on top so that it catches light from my main display tank.

I don't use sand, filters or skimmers. I just make sure I vacuum all the crap out each day & do 25% water changes every 2-3 days.

Works for me (whenever I can be bothered to QT.)

.

daniella3d · #8 03-02-2011, 12:50 AM

wow, that's ridiculous.

I don't have anything in my display tank, never had. I always quarantine and always use hiposalinity to kill ick. Never had ick in my tank.

That,s such a BAD advise!

I recently quarantined a copperband butterfly fish that was very skinny. In quarantine I had the chance to acclimate the fish properly, treat it with prazipro for flukes and internal worms, and get him to eat food and fatten up, before I put it in my main tank. Without quarantine the fish would be dead. It is totaly ridiculous to assume that all tank have disease and that is a unavoidable thing. Can't believe this nonsense.

Not only quarantine does NOT stress the fish but it give the fish the possibility to acclimate withou being harrassed by other fish. Great time to get it to eat properly and to treat if needed and it is stupid to risk introducing marine velvet and kill ALL fish in the tank.

I have never lost a fish from quarantine! if you do, it,s probably because you don't do it right and have a tank that is not cycled and full of ammonia. There are ways to do it right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by phreezee

IMO dont waste your time with a QT. You will inevitably catch something that ends up in your display. Concentrate on diet and health and the fish will fight off most ailments. The process of quarantining usually just creates stress and the fish ends up dying anyway.

mark · #9 03-02-2011, 01:16 PM

Amazing how fast ammonia can built up so test for, but easily handled by frequent water changes and again you don't need LR.

globaldesigns · #10 03-02-2011, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daniella3d

wow, that's ridiculous.

I don't have anything in my display tank, never had. I always quarantine and always use hiposalinity to kill ick. Never had ick in my tank.

That,s such a BAD advise!

I recently quarantined a copperband butterfly fish that was very skinny. In quarantine I had the chance to acclimate the fish properly, treat it with prazipro for flukes and internal worms, and get him to eat food and fatten up, before I put it in my main tank. Without quarantine the fish would be dead. It is totaly ridiculous to assume that all tank have disease and that is a unavoidable thing. Can't believe this nonsense.

Not only quarantine does NOT stress the fish but it give the fish the possibility to acclimate withou being harrassed by other fish. Great time to get it to eat properly and to treat if needed and it is stupid to risk introducing marine velvet and kill ALL fish in the tank.

I have never lost a fish from quarantine! if you do, it,s probably because you don't do it right and have a tank that is not cycled and full of ammonia. There are ways to do it right.

Actually, I don't waste my time either with a QT... As I have stated many times, I don't believe in it, and in many ways doing a QT can stress livestock out more than its worth. Basically the less you fiddle with things, IMO the better.

So, I too recommend not using a QT, but as others stated, to each their own. This will be something that you will have to decide on yourself.

I don't think you can say that is bad advice, it is open to interpretation and to what one decides they want to do.