Basics for a hospital tank

[Metermaid]

I have hastily set up a hospital tank for my 4 Clown Loach - 10 litre, obviously a heater, added aeration and a hiding place ! - I have no gravel, light or filter - is this adequate?

 

[B75]

I'm not sure about not having a filter in there. I always thought that in a hospital tank / quarantine tank there had to be a filter. But I could be wrong.

 

[Tolak]

The no light, no gravel idea is good for a hospital/quar tank. You can get by with no filter if you can do 50% water changes daily. A filter would be better. It's a good idea to keep a spare filter of the appropriate size for the tank running on your main tank. That way you can fill up the quar tank, add the cycled filter & it's good to go.

Tolak

 

[WILDER]

Don't always need a filter as you can do daily water changes, also a few hiding spaces and plants.

 

[Metermaid]

I thought if I was medicating I shouldn't do water changes - also would a filter upset the medication?

 

[yvez9]

If you're adding aeration, I would just replace the airstone with a sponge filter.

when you're not using the hospital tank, just put the sponge in one of your filters and it will always be cycled

the filter will also create enough aeration if properly setup

 

[WILDER]

If you have no filter and you have to do water changes, you add the correct amount of med back to the water you have removed.

 

[reg2k2]

With no filter, you need to change water to keep the waste levels down. Many med's kill off beneficial bacteria, anyway, so same deal. Tank size, stock would determine how often is necessary, but the 50% daily mentioned above is not uncommon.
The idea is to keep the water clean, quality good. A filter can help here...won't affect med's...any carbon, of course, should always be removed before treatmt.