QT set ups?

[kwill]

Hey guys and gals,

While my clean up crew is working on the diatoms and green algae on my tank. I am looking forward to setting up a QT for future fish purchases. I read up on this a little and learned to keep it simple. So I'm looking at a 10 gal w/ power filter, heater, som PVC and Dr Tim's nitrofying bacteria. With that said I would like to hear what QT set-ups some of you successful reefers use and/or any other useful tips.


Thanks in advance,

Kenny

 

[containerman1]

I have similar set up 10 gallon for smaller fish and I have a 20 gallon not set up for larger fish.
Basic
The 10QT
Tank Screen top
heater
themometer
korila 240 powerhead
My tank is sitting next to Frag tank so I do not use a light it just gets the light from the frag tank
aqua 30 filter ( I use the sponge and carbon and Matrix seeded from my main tank)
I take the carbon out when treating fish
2 pieces 3 in. PVC elbows and 1 small bunch plastic sea weed
couple small fist size pc of live rock. I take out before treating also
I use a little Stability each week with water change
4-5 snails and crabs

 

[stacy22]

I would have picked "most of the time" had that been a choice. I generally QT all fish. I did, however, get a mandarin and put him right in my DT.

I will admit that I don't QT invertebrates. I should.

 

[jef4y]

I've never QT'd a single fish until this first time, and I boned up and it went bad.

I will QT in the future unless the species does not do well in QT (mandarin) or I'm buying from a VERY trusted source that does their own QT.

 

[kirru]

Like alcatoe, Einstein's is my QT, he wont let me pay for it and take it home with out him having it till it is healthy enough for me.

 

[kwill]

WOW... I must say... I'm really surprised, how many reefers never quarantine from the percentages thus far. I guess I can understand trusting a LFS you have a relationship with. Although I haven't added any fish yet I plan to quarantine everything I add to my aquarium and I hope I don't make any exceptions. It would be interesting to know what the percentages are of reefers that never quarantine that are dealing/fighting with unwanted pest and disease vs. those who do quarantine.

Edit:

containerman1;793355 wrote: I have similar set up 10 gallon for smaller fish and I have a 20 gallon not set up for larger fish.
Basic
The 10QT
Tank Screen top
heater
themometer
korila 240 powerhead
My tank is sitting next to Frag tank so I do not use a light it just gets the light from the frag tank
aqua 30 filter ( I use the sponge and carbon and Matrix seeded from my main tank)
I take the carbon out when treating fish
2 pieces 3 in. PVC elbows and 1 small bunch plastic sea weed
couple small fist size pc of live rock. I take out before treating also
I use a little Stability each week with water change
4-5 snails and crabs

That looks a little like what Iplan to use. forgive my question I am fairly new to the hobby however feel I'm learning something new everyday
, but what is stability? Is it an ammonia binder/inhibitor?

 

[kirru]

@kwil- In my 4 years of reefing, the only disease I had was popeye on one clown. I ended up selling the pair I had and because I received a breeding pair of true percs.
After getting the true perc I had NO instance of disease after that, not even ich. **KNOCK THE CRAP OUT OF SOME WOOD**

I have had my algae blooms and aptaisa prescence. The main reason I don't quarantine is that I have no space for it.

 

[containerman1]

kwill;793504 wrote: WOW... I must say... I'm really surprised, how many reefers never quarantine from the percentages thus far. I guess I can understand trusting a LFS you have a relationship with. Although I haven't added any fish yet I plan to quarantine everything I add to my aquarium and I hope I don't make any exceptions. It would be interesting to know what the percentages are of reefers that never quarantine that are dealing/fighting with unwanted pest and disease vs. those who do quarantine.

Edit:


That looks a little like what Iplan to use. forgive my question I am fairly new to the hobby however feel I'm learning something new everyday
, but what is stability? Is it an ammonia binder/inhibitor?

It helps start the Bio filter / helps with bacteria. It helps with new tank syndrome.
do a search on sea chem stability. Great stuff.

 

[kwill]

will do thanks!

Edit:

Kirru;793573 wrote: @kwil- In my 4 years of reefing, the only disease I had was popeye on one clown. I ended up selling the pair I had and because I received a breeding pair of true percs.
After getting the true perc I had NO instance of disease after that, not even ich. **KNOCK THE CRAP OUT OF SOME WOOD**

I have had my algae blooms and aptaisa prescence. The main reason I don't quarantine is that I have no space for it.

I appreciate your info. Being new just has me scared to death, reading horror stories of people not QT their new additions and the havoc it can cause in a system. I guess it's like anyting else in life you can get away with so many times but it only takes that"ONE" time to cause that regret. Wish you continued success Kirru. Knowing my luck I'd get bit the first time. :doh:

 

[kirru]

yea i can understand that... my biggest hurt was when i just upgraded to the 125.. lost everything but the female clown.. bought another true perc and its only about an inch.. she popped her jaw at it twice and they have been hanging out since...

 

[jef4y]

Question for the Quarantiners..

In this time around I am using Seachem Stability, just as the instructions say on it as well as doing 2g/day water changes and cleaning the filter (about 16 gallons in the QT).

Just wondering if I should have chosen Prime instead of Stability or in addition to Stability...

Thoughts?

 

[ripped tide]

My opinion on proper qt is a lot different than the popular opinion across the member base.

1. I never buy a fish that I don't see in person, and spend atleast 15-20 mins watching it's behavior, and feeding response.
2. If I see flukes on any fish in the same tank/system, I probably won't buy that fish.
3. If I see brook or ick on any fish in that tank/system, I probably won't buy that fish.
4. Fungus, bacteria, viral, I probably won't buy.


So here's the difference. A trained eye can easily spot these conditions, and at that point, make a judgement on whether that fish is in good condition or not. From my experience, a healthy fish does better if I put it right into it's permanent home. Transferring a fish from place to place is very stressful.

So let's say that you are new to this hobby, and you don't really know what signs to be looking for. A qt is a "buffer" zone where you can watch the fish before putting it into the DT.
If something pops up, it is easily treated, without damage to your main aquarium.

My qt style:

P.O.D.: portable on demand.

I don't keep a qt running, and I don't keep it cycled. If I see that a fish needs to be there for a while, I do 90% daily water changes, using water from the DT. Most medicines will damages beneficial bacteria, so I don't bother keeping the tank cycled.

Very modest feeding and large/daily water changes has worked for me.


As for corals, I try to do a 6hr interceptor bath on all new corals. This practice is getting harder now that interceptor is no longer available.

 

[grouper therapy]

Just keep in mind that not all issues manifest themselves in a short time frame. Remember as well that while ransfers between systems may stress the fish in QT The other fish in your system will be even more stressed by an infected fish. Qt is just as important for the other animals as it is for the new addition IMO

 

[atlweb]

To me it is where you get the fish. Einstein and SEA do very thorough QT jobs before selling their fish, and this tends to reduce a lot of the risks.

If you are picking it up from joe-shmo, well watch out.