Advice on QT tank

[rporter996]

I have a few questions on setting up a QT tank. Currently I have everything needed 10g tank HOB filter, couple of air stones, heater and a lid. I'm wondering if I should cycle the tank as I usually end up going to the fish store and come home with something so I would always like the tank to be ready to go. I assume I should cycle the tank? I don't plan on doing much preventative treatment maybe some prazipro. I mainly want to use it for observation and if I see something then I'll take action. I'm not sure if this is a great idea just looking for some advice on what you all think.

 

[Big G]

Absolutely. Been running a cycled 10 & 20 for a long, long time.

 

[bushdoc]

Cycling the QT is always a good idea. You can run HOB on your display tank for a bit, so you can transfer it later to QT.
I have a feeling that many people here would recommend medicated quarantine rather than simple observational. I do not have enough personal experience to advice you on that, although I did do it myself recently, but I was keeping fish in a larger frag tank for several months before putting them to DT. Some species are notoriously prone to certain diseases, so it may depend on what you buying.

 

[rporter996]

Absolutely. Been running a cycled 10 & 20 for a long, long time.

So what do you do when it has no fish in it for a bit?

 

[rporter996]

Cycling the QT is always a good idea. You can run HOB on your display tank for a bit, so you can transfer it later to QT.
I have a feeling that many people here would recommend medicated quarantine rather than simple observational. I do not have enough personal experience to advice you on that, although I did do it myself recently, but I was keeping fish in a larger frag tank for several months before putting them to DT. Some species are notoriously prone to certain diseases, so it may depend on what you buying.

Okay sounds like I'll fill it up and cycle the tank. What should I do once it's cycled and I don't have fish to QT in it?

 

[srobertb]

If it were me, I’d keep some bio blocks/balls in my sump and move them over to a HOB/quarantine, tank, do your observation unit thing, then throw out the bio block or balls. Always keep a few bio-whatever’s in your sump for use.

I haven’t heard of someone keeping a QT tank up and running but I’d say an emerald crab or hermit crab and some ghost feeding would work. Sounds like a PITA to me personally.

 

[rporter996]

If it were me, I’d keep some bio blocks/balls in my sump and move them over to a HOB/quarantine, tank, do your observation unit thing, then throw out the bio block or balls. Always keep a few bio-whatever’s in your sump for use.

I haven’t heard of someone keeping a QT tank up and running but I’d say an emerald crab or hermit crab and some ghost feeding would work. Sounds like a PITA to me personally.

Oh alright! That's why I'm here that's a great idea thank you.

 

[bushdoc]

Okay sounds like I'll fill it up and cycle the tank. What should I do once it's cycled and I don't have fish to QT in it?

A bit of ghost feeding now and then, just to keep nitryfying bacteria happy

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have a few questions on setting up a QT tank. Currently I have everything needed 10g tank HOB filter, couple of air stones, heater and a lid. I'm wondering if I should cycle the tank as I usually end up going to the fish store and come home with something so I would always like the tank to be ready to go. I assume I should cycle the tank? I don't plan on doing much preventative treatment maybe some prazipro. I mainly want to use it for observation and if I see something then I'll take action. I'm not sure if this is a great idea just looking for some advice on what you all think.

Often, you can place a seeded sponge in the hob and occasionally add denitrifying bacteria to the sponge.

 

[bushdoc]

Often, you can place a seeded sponge in the hob and occasionally add denitrifying bacteria to the sponge.

I don't think he needs denitryfying bacteria in QT.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I don't think he needs denitryfying bacteria in QT.

In quarantine you want to monitor ammonia and nitrate and often with minimal filtration levels can quickly climb
If you’re treating with copper or prazi, every water change reduces medication content and often disrupts treatment clock even with restoring therapeutic level
Denitrifies added to a sponge or as suggested a seeded sponge helps control ammonia

 

[rporter996]

In quarantine you want to monitor ammonia and nitrate and often with minimal filtration levels can quickly climb
If you’re treating with copper or prazi, every water change reduces medication content and often disrupts treatment clock even with restoring therapeutic level
Denitrifies added to a sponge or as suggested a seeded sponge helps control ammonia

I don't plan on tresting with anything. It's going to be for a few weeks of observation and if something is spotted then treatment will begin

 

[davidcalgary29]

I haven’t heard of someone keeping a QT tank up and running

Quite a number of people do this, actually.

I've been running a QT for the past two years. It's extremely difficult to dose meds legally here, and so observation (and prophylactic dosing of copper) is one of the few things that I can do.

 

[rporter996]

Quite a number of people do this, actually.

I've been running a QT for the past two years. It's extremely difficult to dose meds legally here, and so observation (and prophylactic dosing of copper) is one of the few things that I can do.

What do you have in your QT tank? Is it just empty when you have no fish to QT? Do you just ghost feed it every once in a bit?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Quite a number of people do this, actually.

I've been running a QT for the past two years. It's extremely difficult to dose meds legally here, and so observation (and prophylactic dosing of copper) is one of the few things that I can do.

Agree/ many keep full time qt/hospital tanks especially those starting a stocking program placing each acquisition in qt

 

[bushdoc]

Denitrifies added to a sponge or as suggested a seeded sponge helps control ammonia

I always thought that denitryfing bacteria converts Nitrates to free Nitrogen and nitryfying bacteria are those oxidizing NH3 to Nitrates and nitrates.

 

[davidcalgary29]

What do you have in your QT tank? Is it just empty when you have no fish to QT? Do you just ghost feed it every once in a bit?

I have fish in it right now, but just have a light on it when it's empty. The bacteria is fine when I don't feed for a few months.

 

[LaloJ]

I have a few questions on setting up a QT tank. Currently I have everything needed 10g tank HOB filter, couple of air stones, heater and a lid. I'm wondering if I should cycle the tank as I usually end up going to the fish store and come home with something so I would always like the tank to be ready to go. I assume I should cycle the tank? I don't plan on doing much preventative treatment maybe some prazipro. I mainly want to use it for observation and if I see something then I'll take action. I'm not sure if this is a great idea just looking for some advice on what you all think.

QT tank and hospital tank are different IME, I use QT tank cycled and always working because it's an observation and adaptation tank for fish, I feed newcomers many times a day; observing, ruling out diseases and fattening a fish enough is the goal of QT tanks IMO, if something goes wrong then I set up a hospital tank that will dismantle when the medication period is over, then I dismantle the QT tank and start again, like this that I always keep biological elements in my sump to use them if necessary.

 

[srobertb]

Quite a number of people do this, actually.

I've been running a QT for the past two years. It's extremely difficult to dose meds legally here, and so observation (and prophylactic dosing of copper) is one of the few things that I can

QT tank and hospital tank are different IME, I use QT tank cycled and always working because it's an observation and adaptation tank for fish, I feed newcomers many times a day; observing, ruling out diseases and fattening a fish enough is the goal of QT tanks IMO, if something goes wrong then I set up a hospital tank that will dismantle when the medication period is over, then I dismantle the QT tank and start again, like this that I always keep biological elements in my sump to use them if necessary.

Just come to America where I have to jump thru 15 hoops for drugs but if I say it’s for an animal they throw it at you

QT tank and hospital tank are different IME, I use QT tank cycled and always working because it's an observation and adaptation tank for fish, I feed newcomers many times a day; observing, ruling out diseases and fattening a fish enough is the goal of QT tanks IMO, if something goes wrong then I set up a hospital tank that will dismantle when the medication period is over, then I dismantle the QT tank and start again, like this that I always keep biological elements in my sump to use them if necessary.

I am perhaps a bit outdated on the subject but was taught that after each quarantine the tank should be dropped, scrubbed, and stored/prepared for the next fish.

Here in America you need to jump through hoops for drugs but if they’re for your animals, they throw them at you

 

[mike550]

What’s there to cycle? Im guessing the HOB has some media to hold bacteria but otherwise it’s an empty tank. I have a 20G that I keep ready by taking 5-10G of my DT water when I do water changes.