Hospital tank question

[VeeFour]

I see in many signatures people having "hospital" tanks. I understand that you use this for sick fish, but what is involved in setting one up? Is anything special done to the water?

 

[Tempestuousfury]

It's the same as cycling a normal tank.

However, some people don't fill it up with water until the fish are sick. I wouldn't use that method, but you have to pay for the electricity costs if you let the tank run (or you could turn it off with no adverse effects to the "beneficial bacteria").

 

[tstenback]

Sam set up as a normal tank. cycle the tank and keep a couple of fish in it or have the filter running in another established and just transfer it to the hospital tank when required. I usually use tank water from the existing tank to fill the hospital tank so that the parameters are close and there is less chance of further stressing the fish. HTH

 

[VeeFour]

Sam set up as a normal tank. cycle the tank and keep a couple of fish in it or have the filter running in another established and just transfer it to the hospital tank when required. I usually use tank water from the existing tank to fill the hospital tank so that the parameters are close and there is less chance of further stressing the fish. HTH

I see, that sounds like a better way to do it than to have a separete tank running at all times. So it would just be liek a water chnge for the regular tank, but leave a tank of same ph,etc to use for curing the sick fish..and then you don't have to worry about filtering out medications from the regular tank, or the medications effect on bennefical bacteria.

thanks!

 

[Tempestuousfury]

The bacteria clings to surfaces. The water that you use will have a small nitrate count, but since the bacteria will be in the filter medium and/or gravel, they won't be transferred to the hospital tank.

As for moving the filter, I would not employ that idea. It's neither practical nor safe.

 

[smithrc]

>>> It's neither practical nor safe. ??

Why not?

you just put the hospital filter in another tank when the hospital is not in use so that the bacteria is alive when you need it...

When you do need it just unplug the hospital filter and move it to the hospital tank (with the water from the fishes home tank to keep it happier).

 

[VeeFour]

I understood that as well, but doesn't the medications that you use pretty much kill off the bacteria?