Starting An Extra Tank - Questions

[ChrisChrisChris]

I have a spare tank which i'm considering turning on as a hospital/plant/baby tank.

I have previously put the filter media (which its internal fluval filter had)into my main tanks external 403 filter so it should have bacteria on it.

So if i move the filter media to the new tank, would it take potential diseases with it as i want it to be disease free?
If so, i assume i should just throw some ammonia in the tank and begin a fishless cycle?
Or what if i seeded the filter with this old media, then left it fishless would the diseases die without a host? OR is fish disease always in the water, the fish just must be week to be infected(Like a human cold or something)?


Just want the best way to start a new fresh clean tank that is ready for fish(and seeing as i have filter medium already to seed it...should i take advantage of it?).
I have ~20 babies so far in a breeding tank + 1 larger 4week old one so would like to set this tank is fairly quickly.

 

[Harlequins]

If you know your main tank is disease free then there shouldn't be a problem using mature media to clone the spare tank,although the media will die off with no fish in there,unless you put ammonia in there to keep it going.

Or if you start with new media then you will need to do a fishless cycle which can take 4-6 weeks again using ammonia.

 

[ChrisChrisChris]

Yeah im unsure if its disease free.
Question is, does disease live in the water or on the fish?
Or in the water but only effecting weak fish?

So can you get contaminated water(I assume so with ICH as it flys around, however it would die if i kept the tank empty/used ammonia surely?)

So perhaps seed the media from the main tank, use ammonia for a week, then water test and put fish in?

I just dont want any risk of spreading a disease.

 

[Harlequins]

I'm no expert but i think diseases live on the fish,and ich & whitespot need a host to survive and spread.
Obviously good water conditions are a must,but i'm not sure how much lives in the water,diseases tend to kill weak fish because their immune system can't handle it.

Are you just using the spare tank for fry? if so the tank can be set up with a simple sponge filter run from an airpump,has long has you do daily waterchanges they should be fine.

Sorry i can't help with the diseases thing much,i'm sure someone can help you more

 

[ChrisChrisChris]

Yeah the spare tank would be for babies untill they grow, and possibly a hospital/quarentine tank.
However running a quarentine tank sounds veyr difficult if you dont keep it full of fish constantly (filter bacteria die...then must be cycled again!).

Hmm tricky one, i could get the tank seeded pretty fast but i dont want to put potentially dirty/diseased water in it.

I wonder if throwing ammonia into it would kill all bacteria, surely if it kills fish it must kills fish disease?

Seems that currently seeding it, then throwing ammonia in it for a few weeks (With a high temp perhaps) is going to be best for cycling tank rapidly, killing diseases etc.
Few weeks = Ich will die.
Ammonia = Maybe some other stuff may die, plus keeps bacterial filter alive
high temp = Speeds up disease too.

Hmmmm Not sure....

BUMP FOR REPLIES

 

[Harlequins]

I don't know if ammonia will kill off diseases

Why don't you try posting in the emergency section,wilder & co may be able to help,

I think they only way to get rid of diseases is to sterilize the tank/filter etc...

Has hospital tanks etc aren't used all the time a filter can be left running in your main tank and then put it in your hosp tank when needed,but i think the filter may need a good clean if its been treating an illness before its returned to the main tank.