QT question

[rfrain01]

Should a QT be ripped down after each use or left up and running? Im in the middle of a 75 build and would have a 28 jbj led that i could use as a QT/hospital tank that looks nice where its at. And what should you do with a QT if a fish does have a break out in it?
Thanks

[sponger0]

i leave mine running all the time. Even after treatments.

But after treatments I do a big water change and twice that first week

[00Warpig00]

Mine has been running for over 90% of the last two years. If I have a sick fish in QT after he is out I empty the QT tank wash everything that contacts water in a 10% bleach solution. Let dry for a couple days. Discard all filter media and then set back up and refill using a fresh seeded sponge from my DT. If all went well and no treatment was needed I just do a 100% water change and then get my next fish.

Nick

[rfrain01]

Awesome thanks guys!

[gerb1617]

2nd 00warpig00!

[00Warpig00]

Also note that if I have a timeframe, like now, that I am having trouble finding the fish I want and have to leave either of my QT tanks fishless I dont do my 100% water change until I find the fish I am looking for. In the mean time when there is no fish in the QT tanks I leave the old water in the QT (if I didn't treat previous fish obviously) and throw a couple of Krill in the tank to rot and keep my bacterial colonies busy in my filter. Because I always have new seeded sponges in my DT sump ready to go and I have a Brute of RO/DI and a Brute of SW mixed I can turn either or both of my QT tanks around in less than a half hour to whatever salinity my new fish's bag has in it and have them ready to receive fish in a flash.

Nick

[EricSIny]

Not to hijack the thread here but for those of you who leave QT running at all times how often do you perform water changes when no fish are in QT?

[sponger0]

Originally Posted by EricSIny

Not to hijack the thread here but for those of you who leave QT running at all times how often do you perform water changes when no fish are in QT?

I still do water changes every week. Its easy, and not alot of water. I just use water I took out from doing a water change on my DT.

[jeff@zina.com]

My quarantine tanks aren't kept running without fish. They aren't cycled, have no bacterial material to worry about and get sterilized between uses with chlorine bleach.

Why would you quarantine anything in a tank that could be suspect?

Jeff

[sponger0]

Originally Posted by jeff@zina.com

My quarantine tanks aren't kept running without fish. They aren't cycled, have no bacterial material to worry about and get sterilized between uses with chlorine bleach.

Why would you quarantine anything in a tank that could be suspect?

Jeff

Was this in reference to my post?

[00Warpig00]

Originally Posted by EricSIny

Not to hijack the thread here but for those of you who leave QT running at all times how often do you perform water changes when no fish are in QT?

I dont do water changes in my QT when there is no fish. I do a 100% water change when I am preparing to unbag my next fish. I use pre-mixed SW from one brute and RO/DI from another brute to mix a 100% water change to match the salinity that is in the fish's bag the day i put my new fish in the QT.

Originally Posted by sponger0

I still do water changes every week. Its easy, and not alot of water. I just use water I took out from doing a water change on my DT.

I don't use DT water for QT so I dont bother. I "ghost feed with krill" to allow my filters to remain active until my next fish arrives. Then I do it all (100% WC) just before putting the new fish into QT.

Originally Posted by jeff@zina.com

My quarantine tanks aren't kept running without fish. They aren't cycled, have no bacterial material to worry about and get sterilized between uses with chlorine bleach.

Why would you quarantine anything in a tank that could be suspect?

Jeff

I choose to run a cycled QT tank. I dont want to worry at all about ammonia with a new fish in QT. When you get a skittish fish that doesnt settle in well last thing I want to do is be in the tank all the time trying to control ammonia (particularly in the first week or two) I'd rather be sure to de-stress the fish and get him eating well.

I only sterilize with bleach solution IF the previous fish was treated in any way. No treatment and the previous fish goes into the DT there is very little worry about imo. If I DO treat a fish I do the bleach solution and then I dont worry either. Tank is not suspect imo. So I may be missing something in your post.

Nick

[sponger0]

Originally Posted by 00Warpig00

I choose to run a cycled QT tank. I dont want to worry at all about ammonia with a new fish in QT. When you get a skittish fish that doesnt settle in well last thing I want to do is be in the tank all the time trying to control ammonia (particularly in the first week or two) I'd rather be sure to de-stress the fish and get him eating well.

This is also my reason to leave it running. My HOB filter has some Fluval BioMax media and that keeps bacteria in the QT to keep it cycled. So no initial worries of ammonia spikes or becoming uncycled. Not unless I need to do copper treatment and the media doesnt absorb copper.