Quarantine tank question

[Auqaman]

Hi,
I’m setting up a qt and I was wondering when and how I should fill the tank. I don’t really want to add sand and lights. It’s only a 5 gallon tank so I was thinking about filling it when I do a water change in my display tank. Then do a 10% change in the qt (when I eventually get a sick fish). Do I really need to go through a full ammonia nitrate cycle again for the qt? Or does my plan sound good?
Thanks for the help

 

[TheShrimpNibbler]

Sand isn’t needed for a qt tank unless you are keeping specific fish in there. You can add water change water to fill it if you want, but it does need to cycle or you won’t be able to process the ammonia of the fish in there.

 

[Auqaman]

So should I fill it with water change water, through in a power head and heater, then just leave it? I was just thinking it may be many months before it's needed. But on the other hand I'd want it ready when it's time

 

[Hugh Mann]

Sand isn't needed for quarantine, unless required by the livestock.
Lights are required for corals, anenomes, and to a lesser degree fish to establish a day/night cycle. Don't need anything overly fancy or expensive though.

As for cycling. That depends.
If you're doing a prolonged observation or treatment with various meds that prohibit the use of ammonia detoxifies, then yes, it will need to be cycled. However that is as easy as keeping an extra sponge filter in your sump, or HOB filter or wherever, and plopping it in the QT when you need to and toss it after.

If you're doing tank Transfer method, cycling is not required as fish aren't in the water long enough, and you can use an ammonia reducer.