My 10gal quarantine tank to become a display

I’ll keep this one short...

here is my 10gal quarantine tank for the 20gal “main” tank.



The scape was just thrown together as I just wanted to create some hiding spaces while it held neons and plants.

it has another round of quarantine to go before becoming its own display.

but no time like the present to start planning. I really like live plants, so that’s going to happen.

it’s one of those “kit” tanks, picked up used, near new condition for $40. I’m going build a custom acrylic lid, and put new lights on.

so I was thinking nano tank, possibly with some cherry Shrimp, and I’m terribly partial to the celestial pearl danios. I’m not looking to breed either one, but my initial research indicates they should be fine together.

still early stages of research, and I’m at the very least 6 weeks away from stocking this tank. I’m sold on the driftwood that’s in it, but the rocks can come and go. I also have a large lava rock with 2 tunnels drilled in it that could possibly go into the tank if the right stocking ideas come up.

also, never mind the dark water, the driftwood should be close to be done leeching tannins soon. I haven’t changed the water in this tank for about two weeks, im doing one tomorrow, but I have been feeding and dosing this tank to maintain the bio load since I took the fish out.

don't worry about shrimp they breed fine, just put some pebbles in the tank.
Live plants are the way to go, I would swap the substrate for sand if you want any carpet plants. but java fern and Anubis should be fine seeing as they arent planted.

2tank said:

don't worry about shrimp they breed fine, just put some pebbles in the tank.
Live plants are the way to go, I would swap the substrate for sand if you want any carpet plants. but java fern and Anubis should be fine seeing as they arent planted.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the input!
I’m not terribly attached to anything in the tank with the exception of the driftwood, so I would happily swap out substrate if it makes sense.

Naterjm said:

Thanks for the input!
I’m not terribly attached to anything in the tank with the exception of the driftwood, so I would happily swap out substrate if it makes sense.

Click to expand...

what sort of budget do you have, some of the planted substrates are very pricey. ADA amazonia or power soil, or just any other planted soil.
I would probably get some pool filter sand and root tabs as its a cheaper method.

MTS is going strong...

Is your intent to still use this tank for QT/hospital purposes or will that be a bridge best crossed in the future?

Naterjm said:

I’ll keep this one short...

here is my 10gal quarantine tank for the 20gal “main” tank.

View attachment 123726View attachment 123727

The scape was just thrown together as I just wanted to create some hiding spaces while it held neons and plants.

it has another round of quarantine to go before becoming its own display.

but no time like the present to start planning. I really like live plants, so that’s going to happen.

it’s one of those “kit” tanks, picked up used, near new condition for $40. I’m going build a custom acrylic lid, and put new lights on.

so I was thinking nano tank, possibly with some cherry Shrimp, and I’m terribly partial to the celestial pearl danios. I’m not looking to breed either one, but my initial research indicates they should be fine together.

still early stages of research, and I’m at the very least 6 weeks away from stocking this tank. I’m sold on the driftwood that’s in it, but the rocks can come and go. I also have a large lava rock with 2 tunnels drilled in it that could possibly go into the tank if the right stocking ideas come up.

also, never mind the dark water, the driftwood should be close to be done leeching tannins soon. I haven’t changed the water in this tank for about two weeks, im doing one tomorrow, but I have been feeding and dosing this tank to maintain the bio load since I took the fish out.

Click to expand...

Nice

2tank said:

what sort of budget do you have, some of the planted substrates are very pricey. ADA amazonia or power soil, or just any other planted soil.
I would probably get some pool filter sand and root tabs as its a cheaper method.

Click to expand...

I’ll probably go with the second option, because I’ll likely keep it low tech, with easy beginner plants. Nothing too crazy. Budget doesn’t apply, so I’ll have a look at planted substrates anyways.

mcordelia said:

MTS is going strong...

Is your intent to still use this tank for QT/hospital purposes or will that be a bridge best crossed in the future?

Click to expand...

Lol, mts is building in the veins.
Once I’m done quarantining the last batch for the 20, the 10 is going to be rescaped for a main display.
I will get another small tank to replace this one as the quarantine/hospital tank. That’s where the sponge filter will come in handy.

So since the date of this original post, I have not done any cleaning or water changes.

It’s been running with no live stock and I’ve been feeding it with a mix of algae wafers and flake food.

it was reading
ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <10

(tank was started with cycled media, and I have extra media in it to hold as much bacteria as possible.)

I checked it today, it was pretty nasty.
Today’s readings were:

ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 2
Nitrate: 20-30

Did a 60%ish water change after those readings were taken. Also rescaped a bit, and dropped a large lava rock in with the driftwood. It’s been drilled for two little tunnels through it.

unfortunately, the tank is in my youngest boys’ room and I couldn’t afford the time to take pictures or new test readings. Which is probably best because the driftwood is still leaching tanins, and the massive cleaning really stirred up the nastiness in the tank and it’s cloudy. Very cloudy.

so I filled it back up with conditioned water, and “primed” my hang on back filter with about 250ml of seachem stability.

as this is under the journal section of the forum, I am writing this mostly as a personal tracking of the development of this tank. The fish I am looking to put into the tank are to be quarantined for the main tank, but they may or may not be available for purchase until the the 5th of December, and that means there are 4 days at the earliest before those fish could potentially be in this tank.

I doubt that this is enough time to complete whatever cycle this tank this doing right now. So I’m going to have to time this right.

I think it is a good time to start buying plants though, as this will eventually be a planted setup. Might not be a bad idea because this tank setup is going to be getting a lighting upgrade and lid upgrade.

@mcordelia

MTS is growing even stronger...

I’m having thoughts that the dresser could hold the 22gal no problem. That would open up the stand for the 30 gal. And put the 10 gal somewhere else. Like my room. Then I would have to get another 5-10 gal to act as a quarantine/hospital tank. That could go anywhere really that has the foot print for it.

damn this hobby...

CPDs would be a good choice

NCaquatics said:

CPDs would be a good choice

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lol, you’re just pandering to what you know i already want.

Are they good tank mates for amano shrimp? I can’t seem to find any reason they won’t be...

Ran to the hardware store today to get a board of plywood because the desk that I decided to put the 20g on flexed a little too much for my liking. Not like it can't go somewhere else, but it HAS to be in my office lol. Then I spent a half hour in my snowy yard washing sand. Neighbors probably think I'm nuts.

But, I keep telling ya, stop putzing around with the tiny tanks, put a couple house jacks in MIL's living room and set up a 6ft tank you'll soon have spent the expenditure of that buying stuff for the small tanks anyway haha

Should be fine with amano shrimp as theyre smaller than amanos lol

Another fantastic choice thats good for your water is the dwarf emerald rasbora, which is in stock at A.F. right now... one I looked at for myself but learned my water is too soft for them. Fantastic little fish.

Switched around the scape a little bit the other night.

im not terribly in love with, but it does lend itself to plenty of space, breaking up lines of sight and tons of hiding space. Also broke up the flagstones that were in there before, so I do have a little freedom inspreading out some medium sized rocks.

the plastic rock cave on top is probably not going to stay...

It’s not staying...

Also the lava rock has two holes drilled through... not visible from looking at the tank straight on