Please help with building quarantine tank

[BuddyBonButt]

Is this a good kit to buy? It's 20 gallons, hood, heater, light, and filter.

Only thing I "dont" like is the filter. Will it be good enough for just a few weeks worth of quarantine at a time?

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aqueon-led-20-gallon-aquarium-kit-2588-l-x-1425-w-x-1863-h-2471092?cm_mmc=PSH%7cGGL%7cCAL%7cSBU05%7cSH14%7c0%7c3LHgunW21QEkntNgo12Sco%7c58700007475749276%7cPRODUCT_GROUP%7c0%7c0%7cpla-1455043724300%7c129523121696%7c15114789023&gclid=CjwKCAjwtcCVBhA0EiwAT1fY76QGpNRnWuItS372zl-X3N_e1rKu1kP047CdfWEmxYJaCTRKqRtB4RoCdhwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[blaxsun]

It's a HOB filter - should work.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

It's a HOB filter - should work.

Didn't know how strong of one I'd need. I'm weary of buying over the back filters.

Had a scare with my main tank so I can't go without a qt

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Is this a good kit to buy? It's 20 gallons, hood, heater, light, and filter.

Only thing I "dont" like is the filter. Will it be good enough for just a few weeks worth of quarantine at a time?

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/aqueon-led-20-gallon-aquarium-kit-2588-l-x-1425-w-x-1863-h-2471092?cm_mmc=PSH%7cGGL%7cCAL%7cSBU05%7cSH14%7c0%7c3LHgunW21QEkntNgo12Sco%7c58700007475749276%7cPRODUCT_GROUP%7c0%7c0%7cpla-1455043724300%7c129523121696%7c15114789023&gclid=CjwKCAjwtcCVBhA0EiwAT1fY76QGpNRnWuItS372zl-X3N_e1rKu1kP047CdfWEmxYJaCTRKqRtB4RoCdhwQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

This will work, but I would also buy an air pump and a sponge filter. That will work for aeration as well as a site for beneficial bacteria to live.

The tank will also need a cover to keep fish from jumping out.

Jay

 

[BuddyBonButt]

This will work, but I would also buy an air pump and a sponge filter. That will work for aeration as well as a site for beneficial bacteria to live.

The tank will also need a cover to keep fish from jumping out.

Jay

Comes with hood. That's why I'm so intrigued

 

[Sebastiancrab]

It is fine. You might try pricing things individually and see if you come out better at Walmart or Petco's $1 sale. I prefer a Tidal filter.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

It is fine. You might try pricing things individually and see if you come out better at Walmart or Petco's $1 sale. I prefer a Tidal filter.

It's from petco, they aren't currently running the 1 dollar sale unfortunately

 

[blaxsun]

Didn't know how strong of one I'd need. I'm weary of buying over the back filters.

Had a scare with my main tank so I can't go without a qt

@Jay Hemdal has some great suggestions.

 

[BuddyBonButt]

This will work, but I would also buy an air pump and a sponge filter. That will work for aeration as well as a site for beneficial bacteria to live.

The tank will also need a cover to keep fish from jumping out.

Jay

Would I still need a sponge filter with a HOB filter? I do plan to get a peice of liverock.

 

[Sebastiancrab]

The HOB filter will come with one of those blue filters, I think. I also put padding in mine. You might consider Seachem matrix instead of the rock. When I am not using it in QT, I keep it in my FW tank. Besides the air pump, don't forget the airstone and tubing and some starter bacteria.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Would I still need a sponge filter with a HOB filter? I do plan to get a peice of liverock.

LR, even if well established, is pretty passive in terms of biofiltration. If it is really porous, well established and large enough, it WOULD work as a substitute though. Don't forget - LR is almost always calcium based, and that may draw some of the copper out of the water, requiring close testing and redosing.

The trouble with a HOB is that when you clean it, you lose what little biofiltration it had in it.

Jay

 

[BuddyBonButt]

LR, even if well established, is pretty passive in terms of biofiltration. If it is really porous, well established and large enough, it WOULD work as a substitute though. Don't forget - LR is almost always calcium based, and that may draw some of the copper out of the water, requiring close testing and redosing.

The trouble with a HOB is that when you clean it, you lose what little biofiltration it had in it.

Jay

Ok so, here's what I plan to do. I don't want to pretreat for stuff. And I can't afford to do daily large water changes.

My LFS runs all the tanks in medication and uv sterilizers during the entire time they are up for sale.

I just want to put them in the qt mostly for observation. Then treat accordingly if needed. So I'd like to have a cycled tank. What exactly do you recommend? I know once I treat most things my bacteria is dead so do you just recommend a hob with a sponge filter and airstone?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Ok so, here's what I plan to do. I don't want to pretreat for stuff. And I can't afford to do daily large water changes.

My LFS runs all the tanks in medication and uv sterilizers during the entire time they are up for sale.

I just want to put them in the qt mostly for observation. Then treat accordingly if needed. So I'd like to have a cycled tank. What exactly do you recommend? I know once I treat most things my bacteria is dead so do you just recommend a hob with a sponge filter and airstone?

I always treat prophylactically for protozoans and flukes, I never rely 100% on a dealer to do that for me. Observational quarantine is pretty much useless in stopping disease transmission into your main tank.

Copper and prazi are the most common QT drugs and they will not kill your beneficial bacteria.

Here is a write-up of our quarantine protocol:

Current Quarantine Protocol

2024 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these...

www.reef2reef.com

Jay