I'm going to be setting up a 20 gallon long for quarantine here soon. I was just wondering, do those of you that have one keep it pretty bare bones?? I was actually planning on planting it and putting a small number of fish or invertebrates in it. But, just wondering what people usually do.
Quarantine Tank
- Thread starter jag51186
- Start date
I keep a 10 gal quarantine tank in the garage, has a few fake plants, a simple cheap filter or airstone and pump ready to go.
When I have set it up, I keep the bottom tank bare as easier to see fish poop as well as being easier to clean. The few fake plants (about 4 or 5 differnt types) help the stock for something to hide in if they feel like it.
And I also have a cheap clip on led light. but usually i keep this off most of time as a darker tank helps with less stress on the stocking.
When I have set it up, I keep the bottom tank bare as easier to see fish poop as well as being easier to clean. The few fake plants (about 4 or 5 differnt types) help the stock for something to hide in if they feel like it.
And I also have a cheap clip on led light. but usually i keep this off most of time as a darker tank helps with less stress on the stocking.
It's a really bad idea to stock a quarantine tank. What will you do with the fish in there if you have sick fish?
Inverts would be a really bad idea, as many medications are based on copper, which is extremely toxic to them; you can't keep shrimp in a tank that has ever had a copper medication used in it.
A simple tank, or even a plastic storage box (which is what I use; no temptation to set it up 'properly'!) with either plants donated from your main tank, that you don't mind throwing away, or plastic plants that can be sterilised, a couple of plastic pipes or flowerpots for hiding places, a simple internal or sponge filter (you can keep the media cycled in your main tank) and a heater, and that's all you need
Inverts would be a really bad idea, as many medications are based on copper, which is extremely toxic to them; you can't keep shrimp in a tank that has ever had a copper medication used in it.
A simple tank, or even a plastic storage box (which is what I use; no temptation to set it up 'properly'!) with either plants donated from your main tank, that you don't mind throwing away, or plastic plants that can be sterilised, a couple of plastic pipes or flowerpots for hiding places, a simple internal or sponge filter (you can keep the media cycled in your main tank) and a heater, and that's all you need
How long do you typically quarantine for?? Also, when you say that I can keep the media cycled in my main tank, what do you mean exactly?? I assumed that any media I put in the quarantine tank would need to be either strictly for quarantine, or somehow sterilized(boiling??) before using it again??
Fish really need quarantining for two weeks. Some people do longer, but that should be long enough to see if there are any issues that need treating.
What I do with media is; I keep the sponges for an air driven sponge filter in the canister of my main external. When I want to use the quarantine, I can take it out, set the sponge filter up, and I'm instantly cycled, for a small number of fish (you must test your water daily, if you do this, though, just in case some bacteria die off from the move).
Once I've finished quarantining, the sponges get washed in very hot water, left to dry out completely, then replaced in the main filter. They're ready to use again in about a month.
If I had a very nasty outbreak of some illness, I would just buy new sponges. They're not expensive
What I do with media is; I keep the sponges for an air driven sponge filter in the canister of my main external. When I want to use the quarantine, I can take it out, set the sponge filter up, and I'm instantly cycled, for a small number of fish (you must test your water daily, if you do this, though, just in case some bacteria die off from the move).
Once I've finished quarantining, the sponges get washed in very hot water, left to dry out completely, then replaced in the main filter. They're ready to use again in about a month.
If I had a very nasty outbreak of some illness, I would just buy new sponges. They're not expensive
Gotcha. I was planning on three weeks. As for filtration, I have a HOB already that I was going to use, figured I could put the media in my canister then switch it over when I need it, boil it or something and throw it back in the canister??
TwoTankAmin
Fish Connoisseur
It depends upon where the fish come from. If they are tank raised fish, my Q period is a month. When I get wild caught fish then its closer to three months since many things can take a number of weeks to appear.
When one times the stay in a Q tank, what ever amount of time this may be, it means for that amount of time there have been 0 deaths and 0 symptoms. If you have a fish die or if you have to medicate, then the Q timer must be reset to 0. The goal is have completely healthy and live fish for the entire Q period before moving them into their permanent homes.
I am able to steal things from my other tanks to put into a Q tank to make it ready for fish quickly, so I never keep one set up but rather set one up as needed. Always bare bottom but I may use live plants and rocks. The former I can just throw out and the latter I can bleach and reuse.
You can put your HOB on a going tank and have it run for a week or two and it will have some bacteria colonize. The throw it on the Q tanks and give it a small dose of ammonia. if it handles 1 ppm in 24 w/ producing and testable nitrite, it is is good to go. (If you are Qing a lot of fish, a higher amount is needed.) If it doesn't all clear in 24 hours, then you can spend a few days doing a bit of a fishless cycle on it until it does.
Of course, you can always get a hold of some Dr. Tim's One and Only and get the tank cycled really fast, a week or less with no help from other media or tanks.
When one times the stay in a Q tank, what ever amount of time this may be, it means for that amount of time there have been 0 deaths and 0 symptoms. If you have a fish die or if you have to medicate, then the Q timer must be reset to 0. The goal is have completely healthy and live fish for the entire Q period before moving them into their permanent homes.
I am able to steal things from my other tanks to put into a Q tank to make it ready for fish quickly, so I never keep one set up but rather set one up as needed. Always bare bottom but I may use live plants and rocks. The former I can just throw out and the latter I can bleach and reuse.
You can put your HOB on a going tank and have it run for a week or two and it will have some bacteria colonize. The throw it on the Q tanks and give it a small dose of ammonia. if it handles 1 ppm in 24 w/ producing and testable nitrite, it is is good to go. (If you are Qing a lot of fish, a higher amount is needed.) If it doesn't all clear in 24 hours, then you can spend a few days doing a bit of a fishless cycle on it until it does.
Of course, you can always get a hold of some Dr. Tim's One and Only and get the tank cycled really fast, a week or less with no help from other media or tanks.
I have my seven fish tanks in a dedicated room, so it is easy to have a 20g QT always running. It has sand substrate, and is moderately planted. A couple bits of wood, and a couple rocks. Dual sponge filter. Lots of floating plant cover which is very important to fish. As I say, it is permanently running, but without fish until I acquire some.
I decided on this method simply because I want to introduce my new fish to an "established" tank because for most fish this will settle them faster by significantly reducing stress. Most of the experienced aquarists know this, but for those asking the questions, an established tank is a very different thing from a cycled tank. Considering what the fish have been through getting to my tank, I have no desire to prolong the risk that they will succumb to stress and actually develop something. Introducing new fish to a bare tank is piling on extreme stress; fake plants, a couple bits of decor (wood, rock, whatever) goes a long way to easing the fish; an established running tank takes it to the next level. So far, I have never had to treat fish in QT except the "bread and butter" species when acquired from certain sources (i.e., chain fish stores) that I no longer use.
QT can be four or more weeks, depending upon the species.
Byron.
I decided on this method simply because I want to introduce my new fish to an "established" tank because for most fish this will settle them faster by significantly reducing stress. Most of the experienced aquarists know this, but for those asking the questions, an established tank is a very different thing from a cycled tank. Considering what the fish have been through getting to my tank, I have no desire to prolong the risk that they will succumb to stress and actually develop something. Introducing new fish to a bare tank is piling on extreme stress; fake plants, a couple bits of decor (wood, rock, whatever) goes a long way to easing the fish; an established running tank takes it to the next level. So far, I have never had to treat fish in QT except the "bread and butter" species when acquired from certain sources (i.e., chain fish stores) that I no longer use.
QT can be four or more weeks, depending upon the species.
Byron.
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