New tank/quarantine question...

[sn4265]

I'm in the process right now of curing the LR in a vat out in the garage. I'll probably check this afternoon to see if I have any ammonia yet, been going for about 3 days now. I'm actually in no rush at this point because I have some work to do on the stand such as sanding and adding a couple of coats of poly, as well as tearing apart and reconfiguring the sump. However, I would like to know about the safety of getting the QT going such that I can drop the fish in just as soon as the cycle is over.

I'll probably pickup the QT tank in the next week or so, along with the heater and a whatever else I need for the QT. Then I should be in good shape to setup the QT. I assume that I'll need to cycle the QT? Can I get a few lbs of fully cured LR to drop in the QT and then just give it a week before picking up my first fish to go in there?

The other question I have about the initial fish and QT... Can I put a couple of fish in the QT together? The plan is to pickup a pair of clowns, one black and one regular. These would be the first fish into the new tank. Since I would be getting these fish together I would assume it safe to QT them together.

Finally... Do I need to QT CUC critters or can these go straight into the DT once it's cycled? I've been doing a LOT of reading, but I don't think I've stumbled across these questions yet. Thanks in advance.

[Palting]

Whether to cycle a QT or not depends on how you want to QT and what your long term plans for the QT are.

I am of the quarantine and treat fish regardless of appearance school. That means no rock and no substrate in QT, just a HOB filter with artificial biological media like sponges, ceramic cubes, bioballs, etc, so that you can treat with no problems.

Most QT get set up as needed, and are not run continuously. So no cycling required, although it's a good idea to keep biomedia in the sump or DT to use in the QT when needed. Multiple water changes, bacteria in a bottle, and the HOB filter control the ammonia/nitrite/nitrate cycle.

Usually not recommended to QT more than 1 fish in a tank at a time. But, I see no problem with QT'ing multiple fish so long as the tank is big enough and you can keep on top of the waste production.

[rayn]

Agree with palting. Should be good to QT both clowns, but remember that if one gets anything you have to QT both and start the time frame over. If you get ich and treat for that, then after three weeks you get say flukes, you have to treat for that with a new time frame. Seachem stability is a decimated please for the QT, as well as a ammonia disc that will constantly monitor your levels. Make sure you have plenty of water mixed up as well.

I'm of the QT everything school. Make one small mistake, add cuc without QT and they bring in one ich cyst. Then you have ich and have to treat in QT again AND leave your DT fallow for eight weeks.