Qt

[FranktheTankTx]

Teach me about QT's. Pretend I'm completely dumb about them.

1) Do you use them to introduce a fish or coral or invert to your tank?

2) What do you put in them - PVC fittings?

3) How long do you QT a fish, coral, invert before adding it to you tank?

4) Do you run a filter on your QT? How do you set up biological filtration while QT'ing a fish, coral, invert?

5) Anything else to help me understand this process and why we do it?

[DetectiveTofu]

1. Fish yes. Inverts never. Some people do corals, though I never have. I prefer to just stick with dipping.

2. Plastic plants, PVC would work very well - really anything they can hide in.

3. I usually do it for about 2 weeks or so - longer if I see something peculiar.

4. I run a mature sponge filter on mine (I always have a sponge sitting in my display tank). A piece of cured live rock would work as well.

5. We QT as a method of trying to reduce the risk of transferring any disease on a new fish into our main, and prized display systems. How would you like to have >$500 in fish, and lose them all because they got ich from a firefish goby you didn't not quarantine? QT never really truly eliminate the possibility of disease transfer, but it sure goes a long way!

[tkeracer619]

1) Yes
2) PVC fittings and some gravel. Maybe a fake plant.
3) Depends on medications but usually 2 weeks to 6 months.
4) HOB job with a filter pad from my display
5) Wholesalers pack a whole bunch of fish in a few holding systems. Things such as deseases, worms, and shipping/catching damage can cause fish to die and take your whole system with them. I think 30% of my anthias and angels had internal worms/flukes when they arrived. A lot of fish stores and online sellers don't have the fish long enough to treat it, so you get what they send you.

[FranktheTankTx]

Good responses! Allow me to retort -

1) I assume the sponge/filter pad is used because it has an established bacteria population to aid in ammonia and nitrite removal?

2) Do you treat this water with any medications to rid any fish of potential diseases? Or do you just eye ball it?

3) How would you know if a fish has a disease such as internal worms or other?

4) Does this tank need lighting?

EDIT:

5) What would you dip the corals in before adding them to your DT? Be specific please.

[tkeracer619]

1) Correct
2) Treat water and test to keep accurate levels (if possible)
3) Sometimes you don't. I always treat for internal worms/flukes first. Then follow with copper or something else if the fish can't handle copper or has something copper doesn't treat.
4) No, it scares the poop out of them and I don't run a skimmer...
5) FW, Iodine, Flat Worm Exit, etc

[michellejy]

Sorry to hijack here, but I have a couple of questions of my own.

1. How often do you do water changes in a qt tank?

2. As far as the sponge filter, do you just leave a sponge sitting in the sump (or is the main tank better) until you need it and then put it in a HOB filter on the QT?

3. With the HOB filter for the QT, do you use all of the usual filter parts (i.e. sponge, carbon, etc.)?

4. How long does a new tank need to be set up for the sponge to build enough bacteria to be effective as a biological filter in a QT tank?

[FranktheTankTx]

After being led to the sponge idea - I will probably just put mine in the bubble tower of my sump which will be filtered by a sock first. I'll take it out and clean it every few days by running some fresh saltwater thru it to ensure that the sponge isn't getting dirty but instead filling up with nitrifying bacteria.

As for water changes - I would assume you would change the water routinely like you do your DT. Of course, I won't have a QT tank up and running until I know I am buying something. I'll go pick up a cheap 10g tank from petco and just have it sitting around ready to pull out.

I bet the sponge sitting in your sump for a week or two will be plenty. We cycle our tanks in a week or two - why not a sponge?

[tkeracer619]

Originally posted by michellejy
Sorry to hijack here, but I have a couple of questions of my own.

1. How often do you do water changes in a qt tank?

2. As far as the sponge filter, do you just leave a sponge sitting in the sump (or is the main tank better) until you need it and then put it in a HOB filter on the QT?

3. With the HOB filter for the QT, do you use all of the usual filter parts (i.e. sponge, carbon, etc.)?

4. How long does a new tank need to be set up for the sponge to build enough bacteria to be effective as a biological filter in a QT tank?

1) As often as needed. If the tank is cycled or has a cycled filtration system you might not need to untill instructed by the medication or weekly. I usually use water from my display for the QT. Gives everybody new water. Watch ammonia and salinity carefully.

2) I hang the sponge in the return chamber of my sump, it stays pretty clean there. Keep a couple ready if you are planning to set up a qt soon. Toss them after use, do not put back into your display.

3) Carbon will clean up medication in the water. If not running meds then run carbon.

4) No idea but I usually add them 2-3 weeks in advance.