QT Requirements...

[PaulPerger]

I am building my first Reef tank (Details in my build thread linked in my sig line below) and I am thinking I should also build a QT tank. I have gone to great lengths to insure that I am starting completely from scratch. I have cured my rock for months now and hope to finish my stand within the next few weeks so I can actually set up the tank and all the equipment I've been accumulating and start actually cycling the DT, but as I have read about QT in this forum there are HUGE varieties of opinions on how to QT, etc.

This question is further driven by the fact that I have seen QT tanks that are completely empty with a HOB filter (presumably filled with small chunks of rock or some other media for bacteria), a heater, and a powerhead to move water around. I have also seen QTs that are practically DTs without the pretty stand, but complete with a sump, skimmer, etc.

So, my question is this. I have a few 30 gallon tanks sitting in my basement that I could easily use for a QT tank. Clearly the most ideal situation is to create a QT tank that can hold the same stability of Nutrition availability, etc as my primary DT, but I really can't afford to "duplicate" my DT on a smaller scale. So, what would be ABSOLUTELY necessary in a QT tank?

I am thinking that I might create my own AIO unit and create a "sump" within a 30G tank and drop a small skimmer in there and have a small section for some Chaeto and obviously a pump to send water back to the "Creature side". Do I need to concern myself with a powerful light, etc? or would a cheaper LED strip light be sufficient? I don't see myself QTing frags for a super long period of time and I know fish, invertebrates, etc. don't require the fancy lighting. I guess I'm looking for confirmation that creating this simple QT tank would be worth the couple hundred dollars it will cost me to build it, and then keep it running...

 

[Dsnakes]

You can easily keep a QT on a budget. Heater, light, pvc large enough for the fish you plan so they can escape and feel less stress. Lighting can be as cheap as you want if it's just for fish. You can sump it with a skimmer or HOB and keep up with water changes. I would recommend an ammonia badge as well. It can creep up quick without all the usual bacteria surface area of a DT.

 

[Jeff_Toronto]

I am building my first Reef tank (Details in my build thread linked in my sig line below) and I am thinking I should also build a QT tank. I have gone to great lengths to insure that I am starting completely from scratch. I have cured my rock for months now and hope to finish my stand within the next few weeks so I can actually set up the tank and all the equipment I've been accumulating and start actually cycling the DT, but as I have read about QT in this forum there are HUGE varieties of opinions on how to QT, etc.

This question is further driven by the fact that I have seen QT tanks that are completely empty with a HOB filter (presumably filled with small chunks of rock or some other media for bacteria), a heater, and a powerhead to move water around. I have also seen QTs that are practically DTs without the pretty stand, but complete with a sump, skimmer, etc.

So, my question is this. I have a few 30 gallon tanks sitting in my basement that I could easily use for a QT tank. Clearly the most ideal situation is to create a QT tank that can hold the same stability of Nutrition availability, etc as my primary DT, but I really can't afford to "duplicate" my DT on a smaller scale. So, what would be ABSOLUTELY necessary in a QT tank?

I am thinking that I might create my own AIO unit and create a "sump" within a 30G tank and drop a small skimmer in there and have a small section for some Chaeto and obviously a pump to send water back to the "Creature side". Do I need to concern myself with a powerful light, etc? or would a cheaper LED strip light be sufficient? I don't see myself QTing frags for a super long period of time and I know fish, invertebrates, etc. don't require the fancy lighting. I guess I'm looking for confirmation that creating this simple QT tank would be worth the couple hundred dollars it will cost me to build it, and then keep it running...

I have two 10 gallon I use for qt. Pretty simple. A heater and completely barren except for couple pvc tubes for shelter and I'm using a simple in tank filter which has a little flow. Lots of info in this site for setting up qt tanks either full time or emergency. Doesn't have to be fancy or expensive.

Want no rocks or sand because you may need to medicate and easier for setting up and taking down. But you can get away in the cheap

 

[PaulPerger]

@Jeff_Toronto - Thanks for the link... That article is almost exactly what I do for my FW QT except I have a bag of media that I drop in an HOB filter when I need a QT tank and it goes into my sump . So, for SW it can basically be the same? Do I need to have a small skimmer? (Especially if I am QTing Coral?)

 

[Jeff_Toronto]

@Jeff_Toronto - Thanks for the link... That article is almost exactly what I do for my FW QT except I have a bag of media that I drop in an HOB filter when I need a QT tank and it goes into my sump . So, for SW it can basically be the same? Do I need to have a small skimmer? (Especially if I am QTing Coral?)

I can't comment on coral aspect as I don't do them yet. But for sw fish they don't need much. I dint think skimmer necessary on that side and I heard you don't want to run of medicating but not 100 percent on that. I also use 10g tanks for TTM with new fish and that just has a heater and air stone with pvc because they are only there for 72 hours which isn't enough to build up toxins. I do dose those with prime in transfer 1 and 3 but not with transfer 2 and 4 as I use prazipro for last 24 hours of those tanks and heard don't mix with prime as it reduces effectiveness.

Take everything I say with grain of salt. I started my first tank literally 5 weeks ago. But learning and researching. Lots of help to be had on this site and if I mis state anything someone will stand up and correct me with a smack.

 

[Jeff_Toronto]

+1 on ammonia badge. I have on all my tanks

 

[scott11106]

i too am building a new fish room and tank, i am interested in this discussion as i am setting up a QT tank and i am going to have fish and coral...

 

[mfinn]

I use a 20 or a 29 gallon tank.( depending on amount and size of the fish). It has a heater, a powerhead, a small back filter.
I also use a air powered sponge filter that I keep in the sump of my display tank to charge with bacteria.
As long as I have the sponge filter ready to go, I don't need to keep the quarantine tank running all the time.
The ammonia badge is also a +


I also have a few large pvc fittings for cover.

 

[JBKReef]

I have two QT's one for Coral one for Fish. As described above the fish only QT is bare essentials: powerhead, heater, PVC, HOB filter, ammonia badge. With using some medications I avoid any biomedia just lots of water changes and some filterfloss in the HOB.

For the Coral QT however I do have some bio media, a stronger light, and carbon/gfo I use on the water. Since no medications go directly into the Coral QT it can house an appropriate bacteria population.

 

[scott11106]

i planned on having a 55g qt tank but use it for both fish and coral....thoughts

 

[mfinn]

i planned on having a 55g qt tank but use it for both fish and coral....thoughts

I would look for a smaller tank, just from the perspective of cost of salt, cost of medications, cost of running the equipment, etc.
ALSO, I would NOT use the same tank to quarantine fish and corals.
If you use it for fish and have to use copper or CP and then later use it for corals, then you could have a problem.
If you don't clean it or the equipment well enough after using copper you could kill your corals.

 

[scott11106]

I would look for a smaller tank, just from the perspective of cost of salt, cost of medications, cost of running the equipment, etc.
ALSO, I would NOT use the same tank to quarantine fish and corals.
If you use it for fish and have to use copper or CP and then later use it for corals, then you could have a problem.
If you don't clean it or the equipment well enough after using copper you could kill your corals.

that is a very good point, i need to figure this out asap....