Quarantine Setup (Location)

[AKL1950]

Getting back in the game, and I have my first question as I get ready for my DT to arrive. I’ve been boning up on getting a quarantine tank ready to doctor my critters before they get to enter the main tank, and I read something I was unaware of. Several places I’ve read that you do not want your quarantine tank within 10’ of your main system to prevent possible aerial contamination. I assume that DT or any main system uncovered water that is connected to the DT. Is this correct and does everyone work to that end? That’s going to put a real crimp in my plans of where everything goes. I guess it’s the saltwater ich and marine velvet that can be the problem, but I’ve never heard of spores leaving one tank environment for another. Need some guidance here. Is that a hard and fast rule or can it be mitigated by, say putting a cover/lid on the quarantine tank?

Jetson

 

[Sharkbait19]

#fishmedic
This is something I’ve heard as well, not sure how true it is or if a foot +/- difference will change anything. I definitely have heard that some diseases (I think it was mainly velvet) can be transmitted via air.
It’s not really something I ever considered in placement though as my qts have always been far from the dt just by where I had room.

 

[Freenow54]

Read the same who knows. If its true

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

10' is the OPTIMAL and best option.

my qt sits on the other side of the same room as my main system sump. Splitting wasn't an option. I'm about as worried about airborne contamination as I am tornados in California.

We know QT is not perfect. Try to stack the cards in your favor as much as possible.

I think the best thing you can have to mitigate risk of cross-contamination, if your qt will be in closer proximity is having duplicates of every tool needed and having them clearly marked and separated.

Anything that touches my QT water is marked with red electrical tape so that I know it is only for that system.

Feeding cups, siphon's, nets even water change buckets and 10 ml testing syringes. Everything is dedicated.

Another risk mitigation yes, could be a glass or Plexi lid for the qt. I keep at least one airstone in mind at all times which have a tendency of shooting up a few inches out of the netting on the lid. I've mitigated that by having a piece of Plexi build into my lid, that air stones bubble under. No more little particulates getting above the netting.

 

[threebuoys]

I think the bigger risk is cross contamination with anything that may come in contact with the water in the QT. Carelessness with nets, algae scrapers, water containers can easily result in water being transferred to the DT. It only takes a few contaminated drops. If you have air bubbles from aeration breaking on the surface, you may have a mist that conceivably spread contaminates. Any activity to maintain the individual tanks creates an opportunity for cross-contamination.

Stacked tanks would be particularly risky I think. Side by side and closer than say 4 feet would seem risky to me if not separated by a partition. I think 10 feet is just a rule of thumb that someone came up with that stuck. It's really going to depend upon each individual set up .

 

[AKL1950]

Lot of good ideas. Thanks. With everything that everyone has said, one big question keeps popping into my head. How do you get a fish from the quarantine tank into the DT without creating a possible cross contamination? Really can’t see patting it dry before I let it in the DT.

Jetson

 

[Freenow54]

Same way you introduce it to the quarantine tank. Use minimal water from quarantine which should be ok water when done, and put it in a container and add fish, and drip acclimate

 

[threebuoys]

Lot of good ideas. Thanks. With everything that everyone has said, one big question keeps popping into my head. How do you get a fish from the quarantine tank into the DT without creating a possible cross contamination? Really can’t see patting it dry before I let it in the DT.

Jetson

If you followed the quaratine protocol, the fish and QT tank are not contaminated at the end, or you would not be moving the fish to the DT.

 

[LeftyReefer]

I have about 20 feet separating my DT and QT tanks. Not that I think that much is needed.

I successfully treated all my fish in the QT for 90 days while my DT was fallow. Returned all fish after the 90 days and have remained ICH free since. Keeping tools and stuff like buckets, nets, syphon hoses, etc... clean and separate is just as big a factor if not more so than tank proximity as long as the tanks are not splashing into one another.

 

[AKL1950]

Roger that. I do tend to overthink everything too much, but I’m trying to make sure I don’t repeat all the mistakes I made on my first reef tank adventure 15 years ago. Definitely let too many bad things get in my DT. I’ve got time before I’ll need the QT so I’ll look for a spot in the house which is away from the DT. That actually may work out better because then it will be easier to set up or break down and clean the QT when needed without disrupting the area about the DT. I’ve got a spot well away from the DT that should work. It’s right by a window, but hopefully the added natural light won’t create too much of a algae problem while it’s up and running.

Jetson