How Do You Keep Your Qt/ht Cycled?

[metweezer]

What do you do to keep a quarantine/hospital tank cycled? Should there be any substrate in the tank? 

 

[Byron]

You will undoubtedly get quite differing opinions on this topic.  But first, I think it is important to recognize that a quarantine tank for new fish is a very different thing from a hospital tank for sick fish.  I keep these very distinct.
 
I use a bare 10g for hospital use; it has a piece of artificial wood to provide some shelter [I have had fish seriously injure themselves out of stress in bare tanks which rather runs contrary to the intent of making them better], a sponge filter and a heater.  I fill it with water from the tank the fish is now in; this does not carry bacteria of course, but it does alleviate further stress/shock to the sick fish from suddenly different water conditions.  Some keep a sponge filter in another tank and move it to the hospital.  You can add a bacterial supplement.
 
My QT for new fish is a 20g lightly-planted tank that runs permanently.  Sponge filter, heater, sand substrate, a couple smallish bits of wood, and plants including a good cover of floating.  As this tank is permanently running, fish can be added with no "cycle" to worry about; the plants handle the ammonia easily.  It is important to provide a suitable environment for new fish; considerable stress will be avoided and the fish will settle far more rapidly.  I have seen new fish interacting within a few hours.  When the QT period is up, the fish will move into similar surroundings which is an easier transition.
 
Byron.

 

[star4]

Quite rightly there are many options to this problem and it is down to personal choice.
 
If you quarantine your fish, and no illness or problems have arisen then you could keep the filter running in your main tank, or if possible keep the media in your external filter (which is what I do). However if there is a problem and you have set up a "nice" quarantine tank with substrate, plants etc and you have a problem you need to treat the tank with medication. Depending on the problem of course you may have to throw away that substrate and plants or disinfect it.  My quarantine and hospital tanks are very basic.
 
As for keeping media/filter/whole hospital tank going it is better to completely clean everything after treating a sick fish. Once the media has been cleaned (I usually leave any media using in a hospital tank to thoroughly dry after being cleaned)  that can be added back to a mature filter to mature again.

 

[fluttermoth]

Like star, I keep the sponges from sponge filters, or old internals, in my externals.

I have a few flowerpots and old plastic plants that I use for quarantine/hospital tanks, as they're easily sterilised (in very hot salt water, and then left to dry completely, as are filter sponges) which gives the fish some cover and cuts down on costs.

I add a very thin sprinkling of substrate, as I find bare bottoms can make some fish nervous, but you do want just a sprinkle, as you'll want to be able to observe the fish's poo, and it needs to be easily cleaned.

 

[stanleo]

I thought quarantine and hospital tanks should be left bare bottom so you can monitor how much food the fish are eating?

 

[fluttermoth]

Ideally, yes, but, as I said, I find some fish get very nervous in BB tanks. When I say 'a sprinkle', I mean just a few grains of sand or gravel, so most of the tank is bare.

Like this;



It's still easy to see if the fish are pooing or not

 

[star4]

Or another option - which I do with my hospital tank, is to place it (if possible) on something which looks like substrate. Mine I put on my kitchen worktop which is black and grey marble (not real marble lol) effect, reduce any glare or reflection from the bottom by not lighting a hospital tank and partially covering it with an old towel, This helps a stressed sick fish keep calm. This method does depend on the fish, some still get stressed on bare bottom, then I would add, as FM suggests a light sprinkle of substrate.