Quarantine Tank

[ryecoon]

Hello. A need some advice. I was going to sell this 5 gal Fluval tank but decided to turn it into a Quarantine tank.

1. Whats the easiest way to start it up? (cycling? Live sand? Rock? etc)

2. What lights do you suggest? (Since the stock lights are not suitable for reef)

3. Is it a good idea to put water from my main tank into this quarantine when i do a water change To start up with good bacteria?

 

[PatW]

Many people use an intank sponge filter run by an air pump. They keep the filter in their display tank sump for awhile to establish bacteria. Obviously, after being used in the QT, you do not want to put the filter back into the sump for fear of contamination.

In a qt, you really don't need much light. Even ambient light can be enough. If the quarantine is for photosynthetic corals, the situation is more complex.

I think using water from the dt for the qt is a good idea. It will help acclimate the fish to their intended home.

 

[Palting]

Hello. A need some advice. I was going to sell this 5 gal Fluval tank but decided to turn it into a Quarantine tank.

1. Whats the easiest way to start it up? (cycling? Live sand? Rock? etc)

No sand, no rock. This way, if you decide to medicate, the sand and the rocks will not mess up the medication levels by adsorbing/absorbing them.
Use the biolfilter system that came with the tank. You can initially leave the biofilter media in reef tank, either in the sump or in your main tank if you do not have a sump, for several weeks. This way, the biomedia gets seeded with beneficial bacteria.
After several weeks, fill the Fluval tank with saltwater, replace the biomedia in it's filter system, then either use dead shrimp, straight ammonia, or ghost feed the tank to make sure it is cycled.
Once it is cycled (0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, trace nitrates), you are ready for fish to go into the QT.

2. What lights do you suggest? (Since the stock lights are not suitable for reef)

If it's just fish, and that's what it is going to be for 99% of the time, whatever light is there is fine. Stonies I usually just do a dip. If you want to leave coral that's on a large rock in a fishless environment for several weeks, if it's just softies the light should be fine , too. For SPS and other light demanding coral, a dual T5HO fixture should be fine.

HTH!!

 

[NanaReefer]

Personally the simpler kept the better. No need to cycle anything. No rock no sand bed. Stock lights are fine. Use an ammonia/nitrate removing filter media. PVC pieces for hiding comfort. I'd also use new water for changes instead of old tank water.

 

[Palting]

A non-cycled QT is okay if you only want to observe the fish. If you find the need or want to medicate the fish, usually requiring several weeks in QT to be done properly, then you're SOL. You are now stuck with a tank youhave to do water changes to keep ammonia under control, each water change takes out the medication along with the ammonia so you can't maintain proper levels. The end result is possibly an expensive proposition from all those water changes, a dead fish from inadequate water changes, or even worse is an under medicated fish that will carry disease to your DT. I strongly recommend a fully cycled QT. It allows for prolonged observation or medication with no hassles, plus encourages patience since you can still enjoy the fish in the QT as it swims in and out of those PVCs you put in there for it to hide in .

 

[ryecoon]

thank you all for the advice.. very helpful and knowledgable. Now what advice to go with? lol

 

[saltyhog]

I use a 29 gallon tank with a AquaClear (now Fluval) 110 HOB filter. I take everything out of the filter and fill it with ceramic media (like Biomax or something similar). Usually use a sponge kept in my sump to seed. The "good bacteria" are not in the water they are in the rock and the surfaces of the tank. Other than saving a little money and matching parameters (not hard to do anyway) with the DT I don't see much advantage to using DT water.