Quarantine tanks

[Landlocked]

I have a few questions about a salt water quarantine tank. I understand how you use it, but I'm wondering about in between acquisitions. Here are my questions:

Do you have to keep the tank running when it's not in use?

Couldn't you just keep the quarantine tank empty, and, when it's needed, merely take water out of your main system to fill the tank?

What size tank do you need?

What's the best filtration system to get?

Do you have to cycle a quarantine tank?

Do you use your old main system water to do quarantine water changes? If not, then what do you use?

Please help me!

 

[ste2k3]

hi, personally, I wouldn't bother with a quarantine tank. as long as the fish looks in good condition and has come from a good dealer, then you should be ok to get what ever you get straight in to the tank.

to answer your questions though,

I would leave the tank empty with a heater in, (switched off) and then when you get a fish/coral, take water out of the main tank and use this to fill it. I would also get a smal internal filter and place this in the main tank and when you need the Q.tank, justr move this into it and this will keep it mature. then just make up new salt water and top up the main tank.

the size of the tak all depends on how bigger fish you want to quarantine

the reason I don't like them is that some of the most disease prone fish like tangs, only get diseases such as white spot when they are stessed by being kept in a tiny tank when they have come from the ocean so it could do more harm than good in that case. gobys/blennys wrass etc will be fine though.

ste

 

[Landlocked]

So you dump all of the water out of the quarantine tank when you're not using it? Seems sorta wasteful . . .

 

[ste2k3]

well, ok then, say you have a 10 gallon quarantine tank for a 100 gallon tank. it is only using the water you would throw away from a 10% water change.

ste

 

[Landlocked]

Thanks a lot!

 

[Adrinal]

I am getting some quarintine stuff set up pretty soon too.

1I plan on putting a HOB onto my main sump.
2) I have a few extra titanium heaters for throwing across the house at soliciters.
I can just put it in there (the temp has to be right because i will take it directly from the main tank then just play with the on off thing till I get it to the current temp.
4) I have 3 plastic 10g tubs. I think a tub will work better than glass just cause I can keep it dark easier and help not freak out the fish... (any comments on this?)


Its nothing fancy... most importiant thing is to have the filter ready for the bioload.

I think HOB is best... 1 no heat issues, 2 can use whatever media you want. Only dissadvantage is you must have the water reach the inlet and it really does not work well if the water line is too low.