A QT idea, drawbacks?

Vauche · 08/28/2008, 04:11 PM

I've been thinking, which can be dangerous, about the QT process. I have to admit I have a fear of the QT process with all that I have read about how water chemistry can get out of control really quickly. I do not have a job that I can be around to test a QT twice a day, sometimes once a day is pushing it so I thought of something. Would this/ could this work and what would the drawbacks be?

The idea is a 3 tank QT process. One tank independent reserved for a hospital treatment tank. Two tanks work in tandem as kind of a bare bottom and sump/fuge combo.

Is there any reason why you couldn't have one tank with LR and maybe a macro algea and possible a DSB connected to a BB tank used as a QT tank?

Besides cost and space limiting factors is this feasible?

otrlynn · 08/28/2008, 04:22 PM

If I am understanding you correctly, the problem as I see it is that if you put a fish that you think is healthy in the tank that is connected to the sump/fuge, and that fish turns out to have ich, you have contaminated both those tanks, including the sand in the DSB.

Vauche · 08/28/2008, 08:19 PM

That is in essence true, but then putting it in the hospital tank for treatment wether it be hypo or copper say in the case of ich, and then the two tanks go fallow for the time required.

The assumption here is that for the majority of fish bought ARE actually healthy. I could be wrong I haven't done this long enough to know but that is the assumption. If this assumption holds true then the risk of contaminating both tanks, to me, is worth a much greater capacity to remove ammonia, nitrite, nitrate ect. which by my reading seems a much greater risk then disease.

Again, it could be my inexperience and wishful thinking, but was just thinking.

Macimage · 08/28/2008, 08:39 PM

I have a 29 gallon qt tank that has live sand, live rock, heater, maxijet powerhead, remora pro skimmer and mini pc light.

I also have a 10 gallon hospital tank (with a heater, aquaclear hangon for water movement and a large pvc elbow) for medications.

Joyce

Vauche · 08/28/2008, 08:52 PM

Macimage, if I could ask do you ever have a problem with ammonia/nitrite in the QT then?

As a side note, I'm not trying to eliminate maintenance just make things as stable as I can so my life doesn't get in the way.

Everyones Hero · 08/28/2008, 09:20 PM

If you're worried about ammonia then get a HOB filter & run it on your main tank for a week or so before you plan to buy the fish. That way beneficial bacteria grow on the filter/sponge of the HOB.

Then put the HOB on your QT. It'll already have the bacteria needed to control the ammonia your new fish creates.

otrlynn · 08/29/2008, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Vauche
That is in essence true, but then putting it in the hospital tank for treatment wether it be hypo or copper say in the case of ich, and then the two tanks go fallow for the time required.

The assumption here is that for the majority of fish bought ARE actually healthy. I could be wrong I haven't done this long enough to know but that is the assumption. If this assumption holds true then the risk of contaminating both tanks, to me, is worth a much greater capacity to remove ammonia, nitrite, nitrate ect. which by my reading seems a much greater risk then disease.

Again, it could be my inexperience and wishful thinking, but was just thinking.

If you are okay with running the QT fallow for 6-8 weeks following an "ich incident" than I think that your plan has merit. I actually have some live rock in my QT for the reasons you mentioned. I have had better luck with keeping ammonia down than when I ran the tank without the rock. And in both cases, I use seeded filter material. I have never used copper in that tank, but I know that I can do hypo if needed. I will let that tank run fallow for 6 weeks as a precaution before putting the rock back in my DT. Actually, if I had ich in the QT, I'd probably be extra cautious and go ten weeks fallow.

Macimage · 08/30/2008, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Macimage, if I could ask do you ever have a problem with ammonia/nitrite in the QT then?

No, it essentially runs as a 29 gallon reef and all levels are zero at all times. I've had good luck doing qt this way.

The 10 gallon hospital tank has a seeded sponge filter in the back of an empty aquaclear hangon, but I stlll watch it. I like to add food quite a bit to see if I can get sick fish eating, so I do water changes. I have a heater and mini 404 powerhead in the hospital tank. I throw away the the filter every time after I empty it and usually keep several large sponges seeding in my dt sump. I use polyfilters, as the size fits doubled over in the aquaclear.

Joyce

Vauche · 08/30/2008, 09:28 AM

Wonderful, thanks everyone. Looks like I might be making things more complicated with the two tanks working together idea. My thinking was basically like Macimage said, and kind of have the QT be it's own DT if you will.

08/28/2008, 04:11 PM	#1
Vauche Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 340	A QT idea, drawbacks? I've been thinking, which can be dangerous, about the QT process. I have to admit I have a fear of the QT process with all that I have read about how water chemistry can get out of control really quickly. I do not have a job that I can be around to test a QT twice a day, sometimes once a day is pushing it so I thought of something. Would this/ could this work and what would the drawbacks be? The idea is a 3 tank QT process. One tank independent reserved for a hospital treatment tank. Two tanks work in tandem as kind of a bare bottom and sump/fuge combo. Is there any reason why you couldn't have one tank with LR and maybe a macro algea and possible a DSB connected to a BB tank used as a QT tank? Besides cost and space limiting factors is this feasible?

08/28/2008, 04:22 PM	#2
otrlynn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chester County PA Posts: 1,508	If I am understanding you correctly, the problem as I see it is that if you put a fish that you think is healthy in the tank that is connected to the sump/fuge, and that fish turns out to have ich, you have contaminated both those tanks, including the sand in the DSB. __________________ Lynn 1 horse, 1 dog, 2 cats, small pond with a few koi. The fish tank is gone.

08/28/2008, 08:19 PM	#3
Vauche Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 340	That is in essence true, but then putting it in the hospital tank for treatment wether it be hypo or copper say in the case of ich, and then the two tanks go fallow for the time required. The assumption here is that for the majority of fish bought ARE actually healthy. I could be wrong I haven't done this long enough to know but that is the assumption. If this assumption holds true then the risk of contaminating both tanks, to me, is worth a much greater capacity to remove ammonia, nitrite, nitrate ect. which by my reading seems a much greater risk then disease. Again, it could be my inexperience and wishful thinking, but was just thinking.

08/28/2008, 08:39 PM	#4
Macimage Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Quartz Hill Posts: 4,078	I have a 29 gallon qt tank that has live sand, live rock, heater, maxijet powerhead, remora pro skimmer and mini pc light. I also have a 10 gallon hospital tank (with a heater, aquaclear hangon for water movement and a large pvc elbow) for medications. Joyce

08/28/2008, 08:52 PM	#5
Vauche Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 340	Macimage, if I could ask do you ever have a problem with ammonia/nitrite in the QT then? As a side note, I'm not trying to eliminate maintenance just make things as stable as I can so my life doesn't get in the way.

08/28/2008, 09:20 PM	#6
Everyones Hero Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Leonardtown, MD Posts: 1,154	If you're worried about ammonia then get a HOB filter & run it on your main tank for a week or so before you plan to buy the fish. That way beneficial bacteria grow on the filter/sponge of the HOB. Then put the HOB on your QT. It'll already have the bacteria needed to control the ammonia your new fish creates.

08/30/2008, 09:28 AM	#9
Vauche Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 340	Wonderful, thanks everyone. Looks like I might be making things more complicated with the two tanks working together idea. My thinking was basically like Macimage said, and kind of have the QT be it's own DT if you will.