290G Peninsula Tank

[mseepman]

Got the quarantine tank in place today...next will be the frag tank. Slow going but steadily moving forward.
Gotta have pics to prove it!

[Myka]

Mark, that's a small QT for a big reef, no? Maybe you're planning one small and one bigger? <- There's an idea!

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Myka

Mark, that's a small QT for a big reef, no? Maybe you're planning one small and one bigger? <- There's an idea!

Same thoughts here
Maybe that's an invert QT

[mseepman]

Okay so given what people have said, here are my thoughts. That tank is a 30G...I just don't have the room for more. I was planning on getting rid of my 70g once the fish are out and yes it would fit, but I wouldn't be able to service my return pump if I put it in place. I'm not sure what else I could do. A bench for working with test kits and all the reefing stuff we regularly play with will be going on the opposite wall. The frag tank will be going in front of the return, but its low enough to easily reach over.

I guess if my fish grow big and get sick then that 30 won't work very well. For those of you with big tanks...what size is your quarantine?

[gregzz4]

Sorry, we don't mean to pick on you
Wow, that's a 30g ?
Looks like a 20 tall in the pic

My system is only a 75g and I currently have a 20g QT that I've been using for new fish, but I plan on a larger one soon, before my critters grow. Probably gonna need a 4' 50g or so
I'm only thinking about what you would be faced with if something happened to your DT, and you had to put all your fish in a QT at once ?
I'd think you'd need at least a long 50g to house all your dudes. The bigger the better - 75-100g

If you don't mind an idea, and to keep access to your return pump ...
Have you thought about building a pony stand for a bigger QT ?
Just something with, say, 1 to 2 foot feet or such, right on top of your bench
If I judge your space correctly by your pics, it looks like you have room for at least a 3 footer, if it was high enough to access your return pump

[Myka]

I have a couple QT. My display is 90 gallon, the biggest QT is a 40B. The reasoning is sometimes I want to add more than one fish at once. Or, maybe I want to add a pair of Banggai, so I buy a group, and when a pair forms I move it to the display. Or a shoal of Yellow Tail Damsels or Anthias. I also have a 10-gallon QT for small fish (or a pair of Clowns).

I imagine you're going to have a few big fish, like Tangs maybe? They are very active of course. I would want a 48" tank as QT once some bigger fish come along. Before that, a 50-gallon would be a nice size. Fit it in somehow!

[gregzz4]

Originally Posted by Myka

I would want a 48" tank as QT once some bigger fish come along. Before that, a 50-gallon would be a nice size. Fit it in somehow!

This is my long-term thinking
Where are you going to put all your fish if you need to remove them from your DT ?

[Myka]

Personally, I don`t like to have a bunch of equipment attached to a QT because it is too hard to disinfect if the need comes along. I prefer to just have a simple tank with lid, dim light, airstone, heater, and a small powerhead. Pretty much what you have in that 20-gallon tank. I think your 70-gallon tank would be too complicated for a QT. Some fish some even need the powerhead and would do best with just the airstone. You definitely don`t want an anorexic fish spending energy swimming against a powerhead. I like to use a couple good-sized pieces of live rock and a few PVC pipes. If there is disease outbreak, remove the live rock, and the PVC pipes that the fish is already familiar with will remain in the tank. Just remember, as soon as the tank has no live rock it also has no means of dealing with ammonia so you need to use a detoxifier.

Do you have space as soon as you walk in the room to your right? You could put it on a stand that has shelves in it for storage...2-in-1 oh yeah!

[mseepman]

When you walk in, you are along the right side. On that side are the electrical sub-panels for the room itself and the generator auto transfer switch. I was hoping to have a counter built there for me to work at. Got to have somewhere to do testing, mix chemicals and play with the electronics on the tank. I do have an old 33g Hagen tank cycling rock right now. It's 3' long. Again, this won't fit where the current quarantine tank is unless I block the return pump.
The 70 is self contained. It's not reef ready so my current overflow is "over the side" I just thinks it's too big for that room, unless I want to work at a TV tray.

[daplatapus]

With my very limited experience so far my first choice for QT/hospital tanks would multiple smaller tanks rather than 1 large tank. I have 2 - 20 longs and a 50. I've yet to use the 50 gal. If something went south and you had to move and house fish somewhere, it would seem better (again in my limited experience) to put aggressive-ish that don't do well with others in a smaller but longish tank (e.g.. tangs) by themselves and happy schooling, peaceful fish, in another tank or 2. Smaller tanks are easier to perform water changes in, so if the tank transfer method is for you, then that's a bonus. Smaller water volume makes it easier to treat with meds, you don't need as much. If 1 fish needs a rest/hospitalization, you're not running a 70 gal when a 20 would do.
Downside is, it's a smaller tank. Ammonia needs to be watched closer than in a big tank. And it would be hard to house fish that get a bit stressed with other fish in a confined space, therefore I'd opt to put them by themselves. Now if you had 30 Tangs in your main display, that could be a problem
Anyway, that's my $0.02
Hadn't seen it expressed yet, maybe there's a reason....