Qt Tank

[Budde]

Okay... I know that a QT Tank needs the same as a display tank. But, Do you need a hood? What is the Minimum Volume? (USG) Any other guidelines are welcomed!

Josh

 

[idlefingers]

If you have fish that jump in the QT tank, you need a hood. And with regards to minimum tank size, it depends on the fish, too!

 

[pengy666]

It dont need to be exactly the same just the minimal to keep water stable and fish alive?

 

[Budde]

I need the following. right?

• Filter
• Heater
• Hood
• Stand
• Tank
• Thermometer

Is that it?

EDIT: Modified List

 

[Musho3210]

dont need live rock, any fish safe rock would be fine to provide shelter, sand isnt needed either and bare bottom tanks are easier to keep clean, just make sure you have a filter.

 

[Budde]

dont need live rock, any fish safe rock would be fine to provide shelter, sand isnt needed either and bare bottom tanks are easier to keep clean, just make sure you have a filter.

I modified the list.

Josh

 

[1entra]

How long should fish be kept in the QT tank before being added to the main tank?

 

[shibby]

a few weeks preferbly, to moniter health and spot any signs of illness.

 

[1entra]

Is it true you can use conditioned tapwater in a QT tank rather than RO water?

 

[shibby]

most likely as long as you dont quarenteen corals or inverts...

 

[AK77]

Is it true you can use conditioned tapwater in a QT tank rather than RO water?

Yeah, you can use de-chlroinated tap water to quarantine the fish. You can keep a FO tank using tap water. Personally though, I'd take water from your display tank and use that to fill the QT. This means the chemistry will be much the same and hopefully remove the need to acclimatize the fish/reduce the stress when adding to the main tank.

It also means you can quarantine corals too and watch for hitchhikers/predators that could start munching their way though your other corals, although if you are using any copper based treatments in the QT you can't put the corals in there.

Just a thought anyway.

 

[Musho3210]

quarantine normally lasts 4-8 weeks, some people do more, i know ski here does 8 weeks since he had an ich outbreak that killed a lot so now he doesnt take any more risks at all.

 

[1entra]

dont need live rock, any fish safe rock would be fine to provide shelter, sand isnt needed either and bare bottom tanks are easier to keep clean, just make sure you have a filter.

Wouldn't it be usefull using a piece a LR as a method of biological fiteration in the QT tank? Or would the LR cause problems?

Also would a normal internal freshwater filter work as as basic filteration for the QT tank?

 

[Musho3210]

its fine to use live rock for filtration but i find it a waste of money, the life on the rock besides the bacteria doesnt really have a point and if you use medication a lot of it would die. When they die they create ammonia and it isnt exactly good for the fish... So i would stick to a GOOD freshwater filter, preferably a big one like an aquaclear or something where you can store a good amount of media. Since you are lacking live rock you will want bio-logical media to perform bio-logical filtration.

 

[SkiFletch]

My current QT procedure for new fish is 4weeks. Any fish that catches disease gets 8 weeks from the time of the end of symptoms. As Musho said, after loosing half of my fish I'm not willing to go through the emotional or financial trauma again.

My QT tank has a little maybe 5lb piece of LR in it nestled up to the best cheap filter money can buy, an air-driven sponge filter. The rest of it is filled with PVC tubes and plates.