Setting Up A Hospital/nursery Tank

[Jozlyn]

I'm going to buy a 10lt tank to use as a hospital/nursery tank.

I don't want to have it running all the time, as that is pointless.

If I were to put the filter for this tank in my main tank, that would cycle it, correct?

And if I leave it in my main tank that will keep it cycled, correct?

So therefore if I need to use my hospital/nursery tank all I need to do is add water and the cycled filter and the tank is good to go, correct?

Or not correct!

 

[WILDER]

What fish do you have as it's abit on the small side, you would be for every doing water changes.

 

[Jozlyn]

Nope no fish in it, havent bought it yet ! LoL My main tank has guppies, neon's, a molly, a dwarf gourami and bumble bee goby - all small enough to fit on an individual basis if they get sick.

But my Molly is pregnant so I figured it would make a good fry tank, if she has them, after all it's bigger than those fry catcher things. I have one already which has a Betta in it, only doing weekly water changes.

Mainly I want to know about the filter tho, as I don't want to have the tank set up and running all the time with nothing in it, that's just a waste.

 

[WILDER]

The time you fed the fry the water would be poluted, really need say at least a 8 gallon.
Just run the filter in the main tank and take it out when you need it.

 

[tmack]

Hi. If you added fish fry or sick fish, would that not be tying up your main filter for a long time, leaving the main tank with no filter? To keep either tank cycled I would think you'd have to keep both running. I have a 3 gallon hospital nursery tank - it's been empty for quite a while, but I keep the filter going anyway. It seems like a waste, but at least I know the tank is ready at any time for fish. I think if I shut it down the tank would get pretty scummy with no filtration, aeration or water movement going on, and the effect of cycling would be gone in that stagnant water.

 

[stang1]

We also have a spare 5 gallon tank which we leave the filter running on. It's peace of mind for if we have a poorly fish knowing that we can put it straight in.

 

[Fishalicious]

Buy the tank and keep it empty until needed...indeed put the filter of the hospital tank in the main tank and keep it running that way you get the bacteria culture you need (cycled) when you do have to use the hospital tank...

If you do need the hospital tank then also scoop up some of your gravel/sand as this will also contain a lot of bacteria needed and voila you have a nice little hospital tank...

Remember though if you use meds that they will go through the filter before you are done and put it back in the main tank give it a good clean and let it cycle again

Although if you are running the hopsital filter in the main tank you are in theory running both so why not just let it run in the hospital tank? LOL

Hope this helped

 

[Jozlyn]

So are you saying that every time I feed fry the water will be polluted? Wouldn't that mean I'd be over feeding them tho? LoL I've read so much stuff, I'm starting to get confused now!

A 30lt tank is pretty expensive here, I don't think my husband would let me make that kind of investment just to have it sitting around "just in case" someone gets sick or my Molly has fry. I know I can get a 10lt at the moment for around AU$22, it's ex-Christmas stock that the shop is trying to clear, they didn't sell many and I'm not that surprised given that you got very dodgy looking Christmas ornaments with it and a truly awful Christmas background. I got one at Christmas time for my Betta as (ditched the background and ornaments) I could see it would be a perfect size for him, and to top it off, they were selling them as the ideal tank set up for two gold fish! I'm planning on getting a couple more anyway so that I can get a couple more Betta's they're too cheap to refuse, given that they also come with dechlorinator, heater, filter, gravel and food.

Buy the tank and keep it empty until needed...indeed put the filter of the hospital tank in the main tank and keep it running that way you get the bacteria culture you need (cycled) when you do have to use the hospital tank...

If you do need the hospital tank then also scoop up some of your gravel/sand as this will also contain a lot of bacteria needed and voila you have a nice little hospital tank...

Remember though if you use meds that they will go through the filter before you are done and put it back in the main tank give it a good clean and let it cycle again

Although if you are running the hopsital filter in the main tank you are in theory running both so why not just let it run in the hospital tank? LOL

Hope this helped

Just seemed easier to not have to worry about cleaning an empty tank

Hi. If you added fish fry or sick fish, would that not be tying up your main filter for a long time, leaving the main tank with no filter? To keep either tank cycled I would think you'd have to keep both running. I have a 3 gallon hospital nursery tank - it's been empty for quite a while, but I keep the filter going anyway. It seems like a waste, but at least I know the tank is ready at any time for fish. I think if I shut it down the tank would get pretty scummy with no filtration, aeration or water movement going on, and the effect of cycling would be gone in that stagnant water.

As I said above, I would be "adding" the new filter to my existing set up to cycle it, not taking the filter out of my main tank

 

[tmack]

"As I said above, I would be "adding" the new filter to my existing set up to cycle it, not taking the filter out of my main tank "

Duh on me! I was confused about the filters. I guess I need to learn not only to read but also to comprehend what I read. Yes - keeping both filters in the main tank should keep both cycled, and the one ready to hook up on the fry/hospital tank when needed. I think I finally understand?

 

[WILDER]

Fry need alot of meals aday and the water will soon become cloudy, to be honest the small tanks alot of water changes, the bigger the better.
Fry tanks usually start at 10 gallon.

 

[Jozlyn]

"As I said above, I would be "adding" the new filter to my existing set up to cycle it, not taking the filter out of my main tank "

Duh on me! I was confused about the filters. I guess I need to learn not only to read but also to comprehend what I read. Yes - keeping both filters in the main tank should keep both cycled, and the one ready to hook up on the fry/hospital tank when needed. I think I finally understand?

*grins* that's ok, I do the same thing sometimes

Fry need alot of meals aday and the water will soon become cloudy, to be honest the small tanks alot of water changes, the bigger the better.
Fry tanks usually start at 10 gallon.

Oh, no. How many meals per day? I work all day! So it's no good as a Fry tank then, but still ok as a hospital tank.

 

[WILDER]

It depends on how many fish and which type are ill.
To be honest its way to small for either.
Fry can be feeding up to 4 meals aday.

 

[Jozlyn]

That means that both tmack and Stang1's tanks are too small too.

Can't feed fish four times a day either, could do three, one in the morning, one when I get home from work and one just before I go to bed.

I thought I had such a brilliant idea Oh well never mind, no hospital/nursery tank afterall.

 

[Tolak]

A 10 liter is about 2.5 gallons, same as I use for cory fry. Anything I have ever bred gets fed 3 times daily, I'm not about to quit my day job to feed fish.

A fry tank doesn't have to be a tank, many have gotten by with rubbermaid containers for fry tanks.

 

[tmack]

A 10 liter is about 2.5 gallons, same as I use for cory fry. Anything I have ever bred gets fed 3 times daily, I'm not about to quit my day job to feed fish.

A fry tank doesn't have to be a tank, many have gotten by with rubbermaid containers for fry tanks.

Good points Tolak!