Quarantine Tank Set up

[Meeko]

Hi folks, I have managed to make a wee bit of space for a 10 gallon quarantine/hospital tank set up. I plant to run the tank underneath the main one in the cabinet, I assume this will be okay to do so? I have a list of what I need to get and I am off to the LFS today to get these things so would be nice if anyone could check it for me.

- 10 gallon tank - no lid/light
- Sponge filter
- heater

In terms of set up and to get an instant cycle, what is the best way to do so? I currently have a cannister filter running on my main tank.

Next question is with regards to the sponge filter. I assume I will need to purchase an air pump for this too. Is that all I need for the sponge filter do I need an airstone for it too? I just plan on getting one like this:

I would like to have this tank ready to go for a few reasons, hospital incase of sickness, possible breeding tank, and as an sort of medium term thing incase I need to remove a fish because of aggression/fighting etc and of course for any new arrivals.

Thanks in advance for your help


For those wondering current stocking for 53 gallons is;

6 x Bosemani Rainbow juve
6 x Harlequin Rasbora
2 x German Blue Ram (male and female) believe they are juve
2 x Male Dwarf Gourami
2 x Female Dwarf Gourami (incredible I managed to even source these tbh )
1 x Bristlenose Pleco

 

[Colin_T]

You can use a plastic storage container as a quarantine tank. They come with a lid and can be bleached after use. Bleach damages the silicon glue that holds glass aquariums together. However, you can use a glass aquarium too.

----------------------
If your cabinet has doors you should have a small light inside the cabinet so the fish are not in complete darkness when under the main tank. A low wattage LED light will be sufficient for this.

----------------------
If you use an air operated sponge filter (like the one in the picture), you will need an air pump and some air line (plastic hose that joins the pump to the filter). Run the sponge filter in the main tank and take it out of the tank when you need it for the quarantine tank. It will take about a month for the filter to develop the beneficial filter bacteria.

If you have another filter that is established, you can put some of the established filter material on the new filter and that will help speed things up a bit. A rubber band or some string can be used to hold filter matting onto the sponge filter.

----------------------
In addition to using the spare tank for treating, isolating and breeding, Quarantine tanks should also be used to hold any new fish or plants for a month to make sure they are free of disease before they are added to the main display tanks.

 

[Essjay]

The sponge fllter in your image looks the same as mine just a different brand (mine's an Aqua One). Mine has a hollow tube running down the middle of the sponge which the instructions say can be filled with carbon granules. If it can be used for carbon it can also be used for mature media in addition to tying some round the outside.

You don't need an airstone, just a pump, tubing and a one way valve (this is put in the tubing between the pump and the tank and stops the risk of any water sucking back into the pump). Some pumps come with tubing and one way valve, some come with just tubing, and some come with neither, but they are very cheap to buy separately from Ebay or Amazon.
If you don't mind that they are bit more expensive, Eheim air pumps are almost silent, just a slight hum. They come with tubing but not valves. The smallest one is fine for 10galls.

 

[mikey11]

i would keep that sponge filter running in your main tank,

only move it to the quarantine tank when you need to use that tank,

leave the quarantine tank empty unless you need to use it,

when you need it, fill it half way with water from your main tank, the other half new water,

then move the sponge filter into it from the main tank,

this is the process i use for my breeding tanks

 

[seangee]

I bought a sponge flter for exactly the same reason. To keep it cycled I stuck it over the inlet for my canister filter (that way I didn't need to run the air pump in the main tank just to keep the filter cycled.)

I was so impressed at how much cleaner the canister stayed that I bought a second identical sponge filter as backup. If I ever need a QT I will use my "pre-filter" on the QT - but I have a spare pre-filter ready to go back into the main tank.