QT decoration

[VB68]

I'm setting up our QT, my wife doesn't really want just an empty tank with PVC fittings in it. She wants to put some of the decorative coral inserts in it. I know not to put too many in it, because it would be a pain to catch the fish. Do you think there would be any other problem with the inserts?

 

[DOI]

If you plan on decorating a QT just keep in mind that many supstances will pull copper from water (assuming you use copper for treatment) such as sand and liverock and then leach it back into the water in turn messing up dosage. I'm not too sure if coral inserts absorb or not but I would assume they do just to be safe.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I would skip the decor since it may actually cause you issues.

 

[Loki]

Skip it. Just throw some PVC in for hiding places.

 

[Adam.Jackson]

As hinted to above, the issue here with using faux coral or even base rock is that both are porous and will absorb any medication utilized in the hospital/quarantine tank. Having said that in public aquaria we sometimes utilize decor such as coral inserts or plastic plants and kelp to make new acquisitions more comfortable and more likely to eat. The way around this is sterilization and it's a pretty common but relatively simple painless method. Between each usage of the quarantine tank soak the decor in a 10% bleach solution, using tap to make up the rest of it. Soak in this solution for a minimum of 24 hours. The next step is to again soak the decor in tap water but this time adding about a teaspoon of Sodium Thiosulfate to the water (a dechlorinator that is often confused with baking soda which is usually sodium bicarbonate...which works but to a lesser degree). Again let it soak for a minimum of 24 hours. I suggest next taking advantage of nature and letting them air dry/evaporate in direct sunlight for at least 72 hours. For most aquarium utilities this will sterilize them of organic life and any medical compounds. In fact it's a great way to clean utilities in general when using them across multiple tanks.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Skip anything porous period. Sodium thiosulfate, bleach, vinegar, whatever will not remove many medications so the decoration would have to be thrown away after each use.
Personally I never set my QT or hospital tank up until it is needed and I tear it down and store it after each use. It can be srt up and running in a matter of minutes as I keep everything needed together and ready to go. I have found over the last 30 years, if I have an empty tank running it almost always becomes another display and I don't need any more of those according to the wife!

 

[Adam.Jackson]

I'm in a agreement about hospital tanks only being utilized when necessary and kept empty otherwise, but I would not be so quick to dismiss the sterilization method which I mentioned. It's a tried and true, (via chemical analysis by our water quality and chem department at AOP) method (as well as a cheap one) that has been utilized by public aquaria and aquaculture biologists for many, many years. We use this method in an area where quarantine, mixed invertebrate and elasmobranchii tanks are all in one area and cross the use the tools such as nets afterward and have never had any ill effects. This is less anecdote and more proven chemical science.

 

[Adam.Jackson]

Sorry for the typo, I don't think I've posted enough quite yet to have permission to edit posts.

 

[bmac16]

Skip anything porous period. Sodium thiosulfate, bleach, vinegar, whatever will not remove many medications so the decoration would have to be thrown away after each use.
Personally I never set my QT or hospital tank up until it is needed and I tear it down and store it after each use. It can be srt up and running in a matter of minutes as I keep everything needed together and ready to go. I have found over the last 30 years, if I have an empty tank running it almost always becomes another display and I don't need any more of those according to the wife!

Do you use your wc water from a display in the qt so it has no need to cycle or something diff?