No room for QT! What to do?

Vahanyos · Dec 27, 2016

Hey all,

Sadly I don't have room for a QT tank at the moment... How many of you out there do not use one?

Lots I need to get still but just curious. What do you do with new fish/coral/inverts??

Mike_J · Dec 27, 2016

Best to make room for QT. Do it right the first time and save yourself headaches and heartaches. Just my 2 cents. Good luck!

Joey waid · Dec 27, 2016

A ten gallon tank is all you need. I have two ten gallons in the garage, one in a bedroom and a twenty gallon in a spare bedroom. You really need one and they can go almost anywhere.

Maritimer · Dec 27, 2016

I started out not using one.

Lost fish. Lots of fish.

Went fallow, moving _all_ remaining fish to a QT for 76 days. ('Pods and other small inverts in my DT _loved_ this!)

Have used a 40-breeder QT ever since. I've still lost fish in QT, mostly through my own ineptitude, but haven't wiped out my entire collection . . .

~Bruce

jbow50 · Dec 28, 2016

QT is one of the most beneficial things beginners can start with. You may get lucky with the first few fish but its like play russian roulette. There's one in the chamber and its going to wipe out your tank before you know what hit you. Do it for the fish's sake at least.

mikee002 · Dec 28, 2016

I just picked up a 10g starter kit at PetSmart for like $40... Seems like everything I'd need for QT maybe with the exception of a small power head. It's a small tank... You should be able to find a place to put it.

Lovemycj7 · Dec 28, 2016

Find room. do things right from the start or it will catch up with you.

Or don't get anything new until your situation is resolved.

And don't let people who don't qt rationalize not qting for yourself. It doesn't make it a good idea if others don't qt.

Simple

AcroNem · Dec 28, 2016

I second everyone who posted, you don't need a big tank for quarantine. I think Petco has their dollar per gallon sale right now, and you don't need much in the way of filtration or lighting either. It can be simple, don't risk it.

Brew12 · Dec 28, 2016

Vahanyos said:
Hey all,

Sadly I don't have room for a QT tank at the moment... How many of you out there do not use one?

Lots I need to get still but just curious. What do you do with new fish/coral/inverts??

Using a QT is a best practice, but there are people who are successful running a tank without using a QT. If you stay away from Tangs and other fish with thin mucus coats, feed live and fresh-frozen foods, and have top notch husbandry practices, you can keep your fish healthy enough to survive being exposed to diseases like ich.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ich-eradication-vs-ich-management.188775/

Bluefish9 · Dec 28, 2016

mikee002 said:
I just picked up a 10g starter kit at PetSmart for like $40... Seems like everything I'd need for QT maybe with the exception of a small power head. It's a small tank... You should be able to find a place to put it.

I got the same deal and its working out great. I stuck it in the laundry room. There's always space if its important. And at $39 I couldnt use money as an excuse.

Brew12 · Dec 28, 2016

Bluefish9 said:
I got the same deal and its working out great. I stuck it in the laundry room. There's always space if its important. And at $39 I couldnt use money as an excuse.

Nice setup!

I personally keep a 20g and 10g QT ready to be set up all the time. Not using a QT system is much more expensive in the long run. You will either need to feed nothing but live and fresh-frozen foods or you will lose many more fish. If cost is an issue, QT is a no brainer imo.

Kungpaoshizi · Dec 28, 2016

Best to find somewhere to put a small tank. Otherwise you're going to gamble every time you put something in the main tank. Dips work well, but they're no replacement for a QT. Even dips are negative. Some are better than others but all create more stress than not, and none of them are 100% reliable.

Brew12 · Dec 28, 2016

Kungpaoshizi said:
Best to find somewhere to put a small tank. Otherwise you're going to gamble every time you put something in the main tank. Dips work well, but they're no replacement for a QT. Even dips are negative. Some are better than others but all create more stress than not, and none of them are 100% reliable.

And dips will almost never kill eggs of any pests. Something many people don't think about.

Vahanyos · Dec 28, 2016

Thanks for the replies and advice guys. Had 3 fish die taking advice from my lfs to cycle using fish and now my tank has ich. Been fallow for a month or so and I'm waiting another month.

I'll get a qt set up before I get any fish!

Squared · Dec 28, 2016

IME it's good to have your QT cycle and establish itself. I've a had my qt set up for almost a year now and even with copper and antibiotics I don't need to worry as much about water changes and ammonia(but I still keep an ammonia badge handy). I recommend sponge filters for a aeration if the pump noise isn't a problem.

Vahanyos · Dec 28, 2016

Another question I had in regards to keeping fish in qt...

It's advised to keep fish in there for 2 months, I've been reading around, but after the two months when the fish is healthy and ready to be transferred, how would I go about transferring him? Would I bet him and put him in a bag of my qt water, let him acclimate to the temp of my dt while he's in the bag and met him out and put him in my dt? Should I use different nets?

Brew12 · Dec 28, 2016

Vahanyos said:
Another question I had in regards to keeping fish in qt...

It's advised to keep fish in there for 2 months, I've been reading around, but after the two months when the fish is healthy and ready to be transferred, how would I go about transferring him? Would I bet him and put him in a bag of my qt water, let him acclimate to the temp of my dt while he's in the bag and met him out and put him in my dt? Should I use different nets?

I recommend reading this.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-quarantine.189815/

I match my my QT to be the same SG and temperature as my DT then just transfer them over, no need to acclimate at that point. I don't like using a net on fish so I use a small square colander. Much easier on the fish since their fins can't get stuck to it. I use the same colander all the time. I just clean it and dry it in between usage.

Rick.45cal · Dec 28, 2016

If you have to use a net, I personally have always found the ones with the very fine, soft, white mesh are easiest on the fish. They are also much less likely to get their fins tangled up like in the more traditional fish nets. (Always make sure you don't use a net that's all dry, stiff and crusty) The plastic collanders are the best idea of them all IMO.

Lovemycj7 · Dec 29, 2016

Vahanyos said:
Another question I had in regards to keeping fish in qt...

It's advised to keep fish in there for 2 months, I've been reading around, but after the two months when the fish is healthy and ready to be transferred, how would I go about transferring him? Would I bet him and put him in a bag of my qt water, let him acclimate to the temp of my dt while he's in the bag and met him out and put him in my dt? Should I use different nets?

Buy an acclimation box. Let the fish get used to each other. No guarantees but should help.

Your temps and salinity in the dt and qt should be the same when you are ready for transfer no need to acclimate for those.