What does a quarantine tank consist of?

[TheStig]

Before my cycle is fully finished, I figured it would be a good time to start a quarantine tank just in case.

What does a quarantine tank consist of?

Thanks in advance for the help.



--Pooh--

[wooden_reefer]

Originally Posted by TheStig

Before my cycle is fully finished, I figured it would be a good time to start a quarantine tank just in case.

What does a quarantine tank consist of?

Thanks in advance for the help.



--Pooh--

I suppose you mean to QT fish.

1. Nitrification (ie having cycled the mediun intended for QT )
2. Circulation
3. gaseous exchange
4. Hidding places and mental security concern for fish
5. temperature control
6. security including against jumping out for some fish

The physical setup can be simple as long as it includes the above.

For me always

7. UV against external bacterial and viral infection whenever a drug that can be degraded by UV is not used.

[TheStig]

so its basically its own SW tank?

[wooden_reefer]

Originally Posted by TheStig

so its basically its own SW tank?

The big difference between QT and DT is that in QT you do not need comprehensive microbial balance. You need only nitrification, not denitrification or other misc unknown microbe, in QT.

You QT for only eight to ten weeks so you don't need a skimmer, for example, as you throw away the water after brief QT of a couple of months.

The setup can be very simple in a QT, don't have to look good.

I never use live rock in QT. I use crushed oyster shell or crushed coral tightly wrapped in well-stretched out nylon in QT.

As long as you have the above list in mind, your QT will be OK.

[TheStig]

care to elaborate more on the gaseous exchange factor?

[wooden_reefer]

Originally Posted by TheStig

care to elaborate more on the gaseous exchange factor?

Basically, in general, in both QT and DT, gases, ( most acutely important are CO2 and O2) are exchanged thru water-air interface.

You want to:

1.make sure that such interface is not blocked by oily film. Hence surface skimming or film-breaking by water turbulance.

2. you want water circulation at the interface.

3. you want to bring the bulk of the water onto the interface by circulation of bulk water.

4. You want as much interface area as possible. Ripples have more area than placid water. And, in QT, dripping of water onto a wet medium (wet-dry) creates tremendous surface of air-water interface.

In QT, the wet-dry setup (very simple to make) by dripping water onto cycled medium is a very good for both gasesous exchange and nitrification.

[Homeytwist]

So then it sounds like something like a Penguin 200 would make an ideal biological filter for a small (15-20gal) QT tank then? Say have it running in the sump of the DT system for a couple months to populate the bio-wheel, then move to QT when it's time. If you need to dose medication, just toss the biowheel when you're done in the QT and start a new one when the pump goes back into the main system. After that just a bare tank with some PVC pipe for hiding places and a powerhead for water movement?

[blueridge]

Is it reasonable to plumb the QT tank into the main system to keep the biological filtration stabilized and then just use ball valves to cut the tank out of the system and use its own heater, HOT skimmer, etc. while quaratining?

[mfinn]

My q-tank consistes of a 29 gallon tank, a sponge filter a heater, small powerhead, and a large dark colored jar.
I usually keep the sponge filter running in the sump of my display tank and only setup the q-tank when I bring new fish home.

I would NOT plumb the q-tank into your main tank.
Too easy to cross contaminate.

[jbardwel]

The simplest tank is a powerhead a heater in a 30 gal plastic tote, as you throw away the water after use and probably dont feed much there is little need for cycling it. This is what a guy that ran a fish store here told me, mind you he eventually went bust, but so have a lot of stores in Michigan

[bertoni]

This thread might help, and has a link to an article:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1207733

[blueridge]

Thanks for the sponge filter tip. That's exactly what I'll do to keep the biological filter active. When do you place the sponge filter back in the sump after using it. How do you control for introducing bad things back into the sump?

[mfinn]

Originally Posted by blueridge

Thanks for the sponge filter tip. That's exactly what I'll do to keep the biological filter active. When do you place the sponge filter back in the sump after using it. How do you control for introducing bad things back into the sump?

Clean it in a bleach solution, between uses.

[Indymann99]

My setup has worked well for 8 fish over the last 2 years.

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n...ankcloseup.jpg

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/n.../QTinMixRm.jpg

I have it plumbed so I can add water from Mix tank OR from the DT. HOWEVER I have an AIR GAP so no possibility of cross contamination.

[Merkurfan]

Originally Posted by blueridge

Is it reasonable to plumb the QT tank into the main system to keep the biological filtration stabilized and then just use ball valves to cut the tank out of the system and use its own heater, HOT skimmer, etc. while quaratining?

The whole point of QT is to keep anything bad from getting in to the dt. So plumbing them together would not help with that objective.

I use a 10 dollar walmart HOB filter. I take a new filter bag and holder with out carbon and keep it in my sump. This keeps the bag active with all the little animals needed to do the job when ready.

My QT tank is a 20 gallon garage sale tank and stand with top and single tube light. I buy a fish, I do a water change on the DT. Waste water goes in to QT and fish is acclimated to the tank. Filter is placed in filter housing, filter and heater are started. Since it's old DT water it's already basically at temp.

Fish makes it 8 weeks with out problems in to the DT tank it goes with proper acclimation and if I feel like it, the filter goes back in the sump. But since they are cheap (about 50 cents each) I normally just toss it and place a new on in the sump to start the process all over again.

[Zestay]

Originally Posted by Merkurfan

The whole point of QT is to keep anything bad from getting in to the dt. So plumbing them together would not help with that objective.

I use a 10 dollar walmart HOB filter. I take a new filter bag and holder with out carbon and keep it in my sump. This keeps the bag active with all the little animals needed to do the job when ready.

My QT tank is a 20 gallon garage sale tank and stand with top and single tube light. I buy a fish, I do a water change on the DT. Waste water goes in to QT and fish is acclimated to the tank. Filter is placed in filter housing, filter and heater are started. Since it's old DT water it's already basically at temp.

Fish makes it 8 weeks with out problems in to the DT tank it goes with proper acclimation and if I feel like it, the filter goes back in the sump. But since they are cheap (about 50 cents each) I normally just toss it and place a new on in the sump to start the process all over again.

all great ideas !

[browning_boy20]

Originally Posted by bertoni

This thread might help, and has a link to an article:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1207733

In this article it states to keep a filter that will be going in the quarantine tank in the main tank until needed. I have a 6G eclipse so I would want to take one of the filters from the 6G and put in my HOB filter of my 40G tank. Right? Does it matter if the QT filter stays in my filter before or after my filter pad in my 40G until needed? Thanks for your help.

[bertoni]

The exact location isn't all that important. Whatever is safest in terms of blockage, etc, should be fine.

[browning_boy20]

Great, thanks

[bertoni]

You're welcome! Good luck!

[DolphinLVR]

This thread has some awesome info in it! Thanks everyone!

What would you all say is a good sized QT Tank? To be able to QT any fish that you may get without being so small as to add undue stress?

[bertoni]

That depends a lot on the size of the fish that you're going to buy. A 20g or 29g system would be fine for a very large variety of fish. A 12g would work for smaller fish, maybe up to 3" or so, depending on the species.

[DolphinLVR]

Originally Posted by bertoni

That depends a lot on the size of the fish that you're going to buy. A 20g or 29g system would be fine for a very large variety of fish. A 12g would work for smaller fish, maybe up to 3" or so, depending on the species.

Thanks Bertoni!

I will be putting a QT system together once my 180 build is all done, so I will be looking for a tank that I can QT Tangs and what not in

[bertoni]

If you want to buy large tangs, you might be able to find a larger used tank. The 29g might be okay even for larger tangs, but you might want to ask someone with some experience. For tangs up to 3" or so, I'd likely spring for the 29g, but that might be overkill. Usually, tanks are fairly cheap, though.

[DolphinLVR]

Originally Posted by bertoni

If you want to buy large tangs, you might be able to find a larger used tank. The 29g might be okay even for larger tangs, but you might want to ask someone with some experience. For tangs up to 3" or so, I'd likely spring for the 29g, but that might be overkill. Usually, tanks are fairly cheap, though.

Thanks for your input!

My wife has already been scouring CL for deals and I havent even ordered my 180 yet!!!!