Quarantine questions

[fishtank]

From searching other websites I know there are a lot of different ideas for quarantine but I wanted to ask my fellow local fish fans. I tried searching but got nothing.

I am in the process of buying everything and setting up my first tank. My questions on QT are based around my Freshwater experience of cycling and the harm of ammonia etc on fish in a non cycled tank. I now only do fishless cycles when setting up freshwater tanks but I have heard a lot of people have qt tanks that are temporary. So,

1 On a new QT do you just change water daily and deal with it?
2 Does anyone use something simple like rubber maid tubs?
3 What kind of filtration do you guys use? I was thinking something like a Deep Blue sponge filter.
4 With my tank not setup yet would you guys suggest a QT in parallel with cycling my tank or wait until the tank is cycled before QT?
5 If there are no signs of disease do you still use medications or just keep them isolated in QT?

Thanks for the help!

 

[cutman1975]

All u really need for q tank is heater and a bio wheel filter.as for as meds no need to treat if nothing is wrong. Q tank is more less to see if they have any problems so u don't bring them to your main tank. Your q tank will have to cycle there r things u can do to make it go quicker.but it does need to cycle.I leave mine up and running all the time,u never know when your going to need it.

 

[fishtank]

Im getting salt on Friday, my ro/di unit should arrive on tuesday and everything I need to heat and mix. If all i have is a rubber maid container, AC50 filter, heater and power head can i start dosing ammonia at 4ppm like i do with my freshwater to cycle the qt?

 

[j65love14]

No sand or rock. Use hang on or sump. Daily or everyother day wc, 84 temp with air stone and powerhead 4 to 6 weeks on mine...

 

[jimmystephens]

84 degrees?

 

[jennm]

http://www.imagine-ocean.com/best-practices-quarantine-procedures-obtaining-new-fish-specimens/">Here's an article</a> I wrote about quarantine. It should answer most of your questions.

At the hobbyist level, I don't suggest medication unless there is an acute problem. If you prepare your QT to treat Ich, and your new acquisition comes down with Brooklynella (for example), that's a problem, since the medicine you used for Ich may not be effective against Ich, or whatnot.

Jenn

 

[grouper therapy]

JimmyStephens;915111 wrote: 84 degrees?

Even higher IMO with fish only.

 

[ralph atl]

JennM;915126 wrote: http://www.imagine-ocean.com/best-practices-quarantine-procedures-obtaining-new-fish-specimens/">Here's an article</a> I wrote about quarantine. It should answer most of your questions.

At the hobbyist level, I don't suggest medication unless there is an acute problem. If you prepare your QT to treat Ich, and your new acquisition comes down with Brooklynella (for example), that's a problem, since the medicine you used for Ich may not be effective against Ich, or whatnot.

Jenn[/QUOTE]


Great article!

The exception would be wrasses and other specialized fish that should have a sand bed & treated with prazi (2 times). Daily water changes is also a great idea.

 

[freezerrat]

You mention a rubbermaid container. It is safe for the QT but you won't be able to observe the fish. I think that kind of defeats the purpose of the quarantine.

 

[racinrevo0818]

fishtank;915081 wrote: Im getting salt on Friday, my ro/di unit should arrive on tuesday and everything I need to heat and mix. If all i have is a rubber maid container, AC50 filter, heater and power head can i start dosing ammonia at 4ppm like i do with my freshwater to cycle the qt?

Do you have anybody you know that has a tank? If you could get the sponge filter in there sump for a while that would work great. I use seachem matrix in my sump and when I need a qt I've got it ready to go.

Not sure on the size fish but would recommend glass over Rubbermaid container for inspection.

Your idea should work fine, just don't rush it and wait till 0 ammonia. Like I said any way to get a live bacteria would greatly help things along. While not ideal for a qt you could always purchase a small amount of live rock just for the bacteria and if your fish are healthy and you don't have to treat the tank your good to go.

 

[fishtank]

yeah I think I will wait until petco has their next $1/g sale and pick up a tank. I think the build will be a little slower then anticipated so I should be able to fully cycle QT tank first.

 

[jdw]

fishtank;915367 wrote: yeah I think I will wait until petco has their next $1/g sale and pick up a tank. I think the build will be a little slower then anticipated so I should be able to fully cycle QT tank first.

Yeah I am waiting on that sale too. I need a 55 gallon to replace my scratched up one.

 

[fishtank]

ok picking up a 20 gallon tank so that is sorted. need to get some pvc and filter media. Should I put ceramic bio rings in our just the filter pads? I think I will put 10lbs of sand in but I will put it in a large flat container so I can easily pull it out if I have to dose.

 

[jennm]

I prefer Seachem Matrix for biological (detailed in the article). It's porous where the ceramic noodles are not. Better biological filtration, more surface area and pores for anaerobic bacteria to populate.

Jenn

 

[just josh]

Great thread yall.

 

[fishtank]

well 20's were drilled so still hunting. Back to waiting on Petco

 

[fishtank]

Is there a limit to how many fish you should quarantine? If I picked up 3 firefish (still have not researched if 3 firefish is a good idea) is 3 fish at once too much to quarantine?

 

[stacy22]

You can QT three fish together, however, firefish will not tolerate each other long term. Your three will likely end up as one.

 

[fishtank]

stacy22;917088 wrote: You can QT three fish together, however, firefish will not tolerate each other long term. Your three will likely end up as one.

really? I guess I have a lot more research then. I thought they preferred numbers.