QT Tank Options

[Mike.P]

I'm getting a QT tank going, since I'm still waiting for various stuff to get the main tank up and running... I'm trying to decide between a 20 or 29 gallon standard tank, along with the obvious basics like an external filter, little UV sterilizer, etc., or there's a guy selling an older 29 gallon BioCube on CL, that he'll let me have for a hundred bucks. It's missing its lights, he tore them out to put a Radion on it, but I don't think it's a big deal... He also has one of the IM media racks that he's including, which I like, because that way I can put in a ton of bio media, since you generally don't want to run carbon while medicating.

Either way, it has to fit in a fairly small space, I'm going to stick in a utility closet, so those are about the only feasible options. Any thoughts as to which I should go with?

 

[Mike.P]

Anyone?

 

[Mjrenz]

IMO the 20 gallon would be a good choice. The water volume is large enough to keep conditions stable yet small enough to do water changes easily every day if needed. The tank is also small enough that catching a fish isn't that hard

 

[WindyCityReefer.]

Personally, I would go with a 20 long. It is a manageable size for larger water changes and you get the length of the tank for larger fish.

 

[cracker]

I agree with Mjrenz & Windy above. I like 20 long.s Gives decent swimming room yet still easy to manage . if necessary easy to carry out side for sterilization etc .
Remember 20 gls of saltwater will weigh close to 200 lbs.

 

[Mike.P]

IMO the 20 gallon would be a good choice. The water volume is large enough to keep conditions stable yet small enough to do water changes easily every day if needed. The tank is also small enough that catching a fish isn't that hard

Personally, I would go with a 20 long. It is a manageable size for larger water changes and you get the length of the tank for larger fish.

I agree with Mjrenz & Windy above. I like 20 long.s Gives decent swimming room yet still easy to manage . if necessary easy to carry out side for sterilization etc .
Remember 20 gls of saltwater will weigh close to 200 lbs.

Thanks so much for the feedback guys, I very much appreciate it! ;Woot

So, circumstances kind of made my mind up for me... lol. We had a blizzard today, out of nowhere, which is typical for Colorado in May; what wasn't typical was how nasty it got. Like, it would not have been out of place as a big December or January storm. Zero visibility, cars in ditches, the whole deal. I stopped at three pet stores on my way home, and somehow each and every one of them didn't have a single 20 gallon. The guy that I was going to buy the Biocube from lives 45 minutes away from me on a normal day, so I wasn't about to make that drive today. Anyway, while browsing CL after I got home, I came accross another 29 gallon Biocube, not five minutes away from me. This one was really clean, had upgraded LED lights, a stand, heater, extra filtration, and a bunch of other stuff with it. Even better, I got it for eighty bucks! Haha

I couldn't say no to that. My main tank still hasn't been set up, so I figure I can use this guy for the initial batch of fish, give them probably at least a 30 day quarantine while I get everything up and running, and see how it goes with it. If it's a pain, I can always get a 20 gallon later, and fill this one up with frag racks, modify it into a giant refugium, or use it for whatever other experiments I want to play around with. I figure that for under a hundred bucks, it's worthwhile in any case, right?

 

[WindyCityReefer.]

Thanks so much for the feedback guys, I very much appreciate it! ;Woot

So, circumstances kind of made my mind up for me... lol. We had a blizzard today, out of nowhere, which is typical for Colorado in May; what wasn't typical was how nasty it got. Like, it would not have been out of place as a big December or January storm. Zero visibility, cars in ditches, the whole deal. I stopped at three pet stores on my way home, and somehow each and every one of them didn't have a single 20 gallon. The guy that I was going to buy the Biocube from lives 45 minutes away from me on a normal day, so I wasn't about to make that drive today. Anyway, while browsing CL after I got home, I came accross another 29 gallon Biocube, not five minutes away from me. This one was really clean, had upgraded LED lights, a stand, heater, extra filtration, and a bunch of other stuff with it. Even better, I got it for eighty bucks! Haha

I couldn't say no to that. My main tank still hasn't been set up, so I figure I can use this guy for the initial batch of fish, give them probably at least a 30 day quarantine while I get everything up and running, and see how it goes with it. If it's a pain, I can always get a 20 gallon later, and fill this one up with frag racks, modify it into a giant refugium, or use it for whatever other experiments I want to play around with. I figure that for under a hundred bucks, it's worthwhile in any case, right?

Great find! I would have done the same. Worse comes to worse you can always turn the biocube into a frag tank

Sorry to hear about the blizzard. The weather in the Midwest has not been too kind either.. Lots of rain and temps in the high 40s low 50s. I was hoping for some warmth at the end of May!

 

[cracker]

Good call on the tank ! A blizzard in May ? Geez Iv'e been in Florida too long . Haven't seen snow since the Blizzard of 86 ! Maybe an inch & had melted by noon . LOL

 

[Mike.P]

Great find! I would have done the same. Worse comes to worse you can always turn the biocube into a frag tank

Sorry to hear about the blizzard. The weather in the Midwest has not been too kind either.. Lots of rain and temps in the high 40s low 50s. I was hoping for some warmth at the end of May!

That's what I'm thinking... A frag tank never hurts, especially that cheap.

Good call ! A blizzard in May ? Geez Iv'e been in Florida too long . Haven't seen snow since the Blizzard of 86 ! Maybe an inch & had melted by noon . LOL

Yeah, Colorado weather is psychotic... Especially this time of year.




Need to go shake all of the trees off. Again. See how much broken stuff there will be tomorrow. Again. lol. It never fails, all the leaves come out and then bam, this heavy, wet snow.

 

[Mike.P]

By the way, does anyone use substrate in their QT tanks? I know bare bottom is probably better, but I was just thinking of using some coarse crushed coral just for pH buffering. Or is that not the best of ideas?

 

[Mjrenz]

By the way, does anyone use substrate in their QT tanks? I know bare bottom is probably better, but I was just thinking of using some coarse crushed coral just for pH buffering. Or is that not the best of ideas?

Don't do that, if you need to run copper anything porus will absorb it and make it next to impossible to keep the levels stable

 

[Mike.P]

Don't do that, if you need to run copper anything porus will absorb it and make it next to impossible to keep the levels stable

Thanks! Yeah, I figured it would vacuum up Cupramine, just thought I'd check. lol

 

[Mjrenz]

Thanks! Yeah, I figured it would vacuum up Cupramine, just thought I'd check. lol

Always good to ask first instead of finding out the hard way

 

[Mike.P]

Always good to ask first instead of finding out the hard way

That's the best philosophy for sure! Ask me how I know. lol

 

[Mike.P]

Well would you look at that... It even works! And doesn't leak! lol. How many of these two inch MarinePure blocks do you think I should use for this thing? My general rule with the main tank is to cram as much of it as possible. But I don't want to waste them on this little tank. Or should I stick to the principle of as much as possible?

 

[WindyCityReefer.]

I believe it will depend on how many fish you are planning to quarantine at once. I like to error on the side of caution and add more sites for nitrifying bacteria to colonize.

 

[Mike.P]

I believe it will depend on how many fish you are planning to quarantine at once. I like to error on the side of caution and add more sites for nitrifying bacteria to colonize.

Yeah, you're right... I ended up going with my usual instinct, and stuffed the whole middle section of the "sump" full of it. Fifteen blocks or so. Whatever, I have two cubic feet of the stuff, pretty sure it'll still be enough for my main tank. Haha

 

[alton]

Use Fritz Turbo 900 for your choice of bacteria. A little goes a long way. Enjoy the cooler weather it was 91 here in San Antonio yesterday and 100 south of us