Hospital / Quarantine Tank

[sparklefuzz]

I've just acquired a tank that I intend to use as a hospital or quarantine tank. My question is, once it is cycled, do I just leave it running, filter and heater etc 24/7 until needed? If so is there anything I need to do to maintain it, or will it stay ok on its own for fish to kinda come and go? I have had an aquarium for a year now, but it was given to me all ready up and running so I am a little lost about setting up from scratch. Thanks

 

[cane76]

i keep mine running 24/7 and i keep a little sailfin plec in he keeps it all clean for me and to keep the bacteria going

 

[sparklefuzz]

i keep mine running 24/7 and i keep a little sailfin plec in there to keep the bacteria going

So you need to treat it like you would a normal tank, with water changes etc?

 

[cane76]

i dont know how others do it but i do yes

 

[sparklefuzz]

i dont know how others do it but i do yes

OK, Thanks Oh... what do you do with the plec when you need to use it for a sick fish or for quarantining new fish?

 

[cane76]

he goes in the piranha tank

 

[Tolak]

I have extra filter running on nearly every tank. If I need to set up a med or quar tank I fill a spare tank & add the cycled filter, along with a heater.

 

[xJake]

I keep some filter floss in my main tank's filter then just add that to the quarantine filter when I setup my quarantine tank. Works rather nicely. I also don't keep any substrate, not only does it make setup/tear down easier but it is easier to monitor any fecal matter produced by the sick fish as this is a good indicator of health.

 

[sparklefuzz]

So when you cycle a tank, you're really just cycling the filter? I was planning on having a bare bottom anyway, so you've given me more reason to do that. It sounds easier to run an extra filter in my main tank than run another tank, including water changes all the time. I might do that. Thanks for the tips.

 

[millym]

hi
as said we too keep a bit of filter sponge/floss running all the time in our main tank filter & then just bung it in the small hosp tank filter when needed.

 

[Tolak]

So when you cycle a tank, you're really just cycling the filter? I was planning on having a bare bottom anyway, so you've given me more reason to do that. It sounds easier to run an extra filter in my main tank than run another tank, including water changes all the time. I might do that. Thanks for the tips.

Yes, you are cycling the filter. Half of keeping fish is keeping bacteria. Only 3 out of my 16 tanks have substrate, the rest are bare. I set up & break down tanks on a regular basis, when one gets taken down the filter goes on another tank until it is needed. An advantage to leaving the tank empty is that you can fill it with water that is the correct temperature for the fish. If I set up a tank for corys the water is cooler, for angels it's warmer.

 

[drsoda007]

I've just acquired a tank that I intend to use as a hospital or quarantine tank. My question is, once it is cycled, do I just leave it running, filter and heater etc 24/7 until needed? If so is there anything I need to do to maintain it, or will it stay ok on its own for fish to kinda come and go? I have had an aquarium for a year now, but it was given to me all ready up and running so I am a little lost about setting up from scratch. Thanks

Too bad about just aquiring a new quarantine tank, one of my friends split her 50 Gallon with a divider

When no fish are sick she takes the divider out, it works for her and it means that the water is already cycled, etc.

BTW she has an extra filter on each half