Do You Consider QT / Hospital Tank Being Synonymous

[mitch91175]

After having a cyber conversation with a fellow reefer, we were talking about a QT vs a hospital tank. Personally I feel they have different uses in the hobby (but like everything else there are varying opinions on the subject). To me, a QT and a hospital tank have different uses.

QT - used to observe new additions for signs of illness
Hospital - used to treat new additions WITH signs of illness

The reason I feel they are different is certain types of treatment cannot be done for both fish and coral. I know that some treatments are stated to be reef-safe, but I personally wouldn't add (at least knowingly) anything to a QT tank that has copper, just my opinion. Specially won't add it to my DT.

I am curious to everyone's thoughts on this and how you feel about QT vs hospital tanks.

NOTE: All of this not considering dipping coral or freshwater dipping fish, that in itself is a completely different topic.

 

[Crabs McJones]

I agree. My quarantine is for observation only. I don't dose any meds unless I observe an issue. I do have another tank ready to go for a "hospital" tank in the event of an emergency if an illness somehow makes its way into the tank or if there is aggression and the fish needs to be taken out to heal and rest. Reason I keep them separate is if I do have a sick fish come in and it's in the quarantine, I don't want to take a fish out of my display tank and then mix it in with the quarantine fish for fear of cross contamination or visa versa. If I have a healthy fish in qt but have a sick fish in hospital, i don't want that healthy fish becoming ill.

 

[CindyKz]

I agree. My quarantine is for observation only. I don't dose any meds unless I observe an issue. I do have another tank ready to go for a "hospital" tank in the event of an emergency if an illness somehow makes its way into the tank or if there is aggression and the fish needs to be taken out to heal and rest. Reason I keep them separate is if I do have a sick fish come in and it's in the quarantine, I don't want to take a fish out of my display tank and then mix it in with the quarantine fish for fear of cross contamination or visa versa. If I have a healthy fish in qt but have a sick fish in hospital, i don't want that healthy fish becoming ill.

This is my process also.

 

[West1]

Thanks @mitch91175
I am limited on tanks, my wife doesn't want more than 2 setups (freshwater tanks got a bit out of hand a few yrs ago apparently).

I have a 45gl and a 10gl qt. I place everything in the 10gl and hit it with prazipro for 2 weeks, visually sick or not. In this qt tank, I also have corals that went through a bayers dip before moving in the 10gl.

Not sure what to label this 10gl now but if someone has limited setups, is there something wrong this that could be a future headache?
Side note, I don't add fish to the 10gl unless the previous fish is moved to display OR I start the 2 week prazipro over. Total qt time is 6weeks min.

 

[blkhwkz]

After having a cyber conversation with a fellow reefer, we were talking about a QT vs a hospital tank. Personally I feel they have different uses in the hobby (but like everything else there are varying opinions on the subject). To me, a QT and a hospital tank have different uses.

QT - used to observe new additions for signs of illness
Hospital - used to treat new additions WITH signs of illness

The reason I feel they are different is certain types of treatment cannot be done for both fish and coral. I know that treatments like Cupramine are stated to be reef-safe, but I personally wouldn't add (at least knowingly) anything to a QT tank that has copper, just my opinion. Specially won't add it to my DT.

I am curious to everyone's thoughts on this and how you feel about QT vs hospital tanks.

NOTE: All of this not considering dipping coral or freshwater dipping fish, that in itself is a completely different topic.

Cupramine is not reef safe, Seachem even states that.

I have 2 tanks I use for quarantine/hospital. The way I do things they are basically the same thing as I treat all fish with CP or copper and then 2 rounds of general cure. I usually get them eating and observe in the first tank for a few days to a week. Run CP or copper for 14 days, then move them to the 2nd tank which is in another room in the basement. Give them a few days and then run 2 rounds of general cure and observe for a few weeks before they go into the DT.

Now if I get to setting up my coral/invert QT that would be a quarantine only tank. Not planning on adding any new inverts or corals so haven't set it up.

 

[mitch91175]

Cupramine is not reef safe, Seachem even states that.

I have 2 tanks I use for quarantine/hospital. The way I do things they are basically the same thing as I treat all fish with CP or copper and then 2 rounds of general cure. I usually get them eating and observe in the first tank for a few days to a week. Run CP or copper for 14 days, then move them to the 2nd tank which is in another room in the basement. Give them a few days and then run 2 rounds of general cure and observe for a few weeks before they go into the DT.

Now if I get to setting up my coral/invert QT that would be a quarantine only tank. Not planning on adding any new inverts or corals so haven't set it up.

Edited my original post as to not pass misinformation.