Quarantine tanks

[jay2jay99]

When creating a quarantine tank do you treat it just like the main tank, I'm nearly at the point where I can start adding fish, I want a quarantine tank, to put the fish in for about a week before they go in the main tank to check for deseases. I can transfer rocks, gravel etc from the main tank to speed things up. How long should it take? Any guidence would be great.

Cheers,

Jay.

 

[KentBlokey]

To cycle the quarentine Tank you mean?

If so, I read that if you put some substrate from your MAIN Tank, into an old pair of tight's or anything Net-like, into the other Tank, also rinse your Filter sponges in a bucket of old tank water that has had the 'Cycled' filter media rinsed in.
I think someone said that it will take something like a week. I may be wrong, hopefully someone else can help more.
Hope that makes sense.

 

[fuzzyferret]

I've just bought a small 40 litre tank that I plan to use as a quarantine tank. I wanted to have the tank usable asap, so thought I'd try the following:

- put 50% of the water in the tank from my existing tank
- use a sponge from my existing filter (nice and dirty!) and cut it to fit into the new
small internal filter (I'll use the new sponges in due course)
- put some plants etc from my existing tank into the new one

As I wanted to change the substrate, I decided not to add any of the old gravel to the new tank, but used new (cleaned) sand.

The tank cleared immediately, and had no ammonia/nitrate/nitrite spikes at all - probably just lucky!

Despite wanting to use it as a quarantine tank, and despite me thinking it had cycled OK and would be fine, I still felt it necessary to put a couple of tiny new Corys in there, as I wasn't too sure if things would still be OK in time if I had no fish in there at all until it was needed.

I'll be keeping an eye on this thread to see if I can pull the catfish out of there with no worries and keep them in my main tank with the others....

Let us know how you get on...

 

[jay2jay99]

Ah, cheers for the help. I too need it hopefully as soon as possible as I go to get fish tomorrow (if they think my water tests are up to scratch), fingers crossed. I'll start that off as soon as I get home.

Watch this space,

Jay.

 

[yvez9]

i use a psonge filter for my breeding/quarantine tank

I just put the sponge in my aquaclear 300 filter and whenever I need it, i put it in my 5g tank. instant cycle!

Leaving bacteria in a tank where no ammonia is being generated for a few hours will just kill off the bacteria

 

[jay2jay99]

ah cool cheers, I have to see if there's space in my filter, it's pretty squeezed at the moment, would it do the same being under the substrate or is that pointless?

Jay.

 

[fuzzyferret]

For the sponges, I didn't squeeze my old one into the new filter - I replaced the new sponges with the old ones (temporarily). I also thought it could do no harm to let the rest of the old sponge (it's a lot larger than my small tank filter) bounce around in the current for a few days (with the fish!).

 

[sylvia]

I also use a sponge filter in quarantine tanks.

A few days before getting the new fish (say 4-5 days before) I put the sponge in my established tank and let it run like normal. Just before bringing my new fish home, I move the sponge back into the quarantine tank so it's ready for the fish. That gives an instant cycle. Once the fish has been moved from quarantine (ie it's healthy so I add to an established tank), I take out the sponge, empty the quarantine tank and wash and disinfect both. I have no substrate or ornaments in the quarantine tank other than a ceramic pot and small fake plant. I also wash and disinfect these. I have no lighting either. Of course I have a small heater though. I quarantine all new fish for a minnimum of 2 weeks. If there is any sign that some thing *may* be wrong or I don't consider the source reputable, I quarantine for at least a month. IMO, there is no point cycling a quarantine/hospital tank or always having one set up as you may need to use medication in it which will kill of the beneficial bacteria anyway and it takes up space you don't need to take up while there are no fish in it. You CAN use pure ammonia to keep it cycled (or fish like mentioned in an earlier post) but moving the sponge around is a lot easier. Drying out and cleaning/disinfecting everything that was in the quar. tank also means that you avoid the spread of disease. Don't use live plants or have any invertabrates like snails/shrimp in a quarantine/hospital tank as both can harbour disease and may limit the meds. you can use with them in there.

 

[jay2jay99]

ok, I'll get fish to be quarantined next week so I've got a chance to set it up.

Thanks peeps,

Jay.

 

[lucky62]

ok, I'll get fish to be quarantined next week so I've got a chance to set it up.

Thanks peeps,

Jay.

Just remember , if you feed your new arrivals , feed very little .

Depending how many fish you put in , and how much beneficial bacteria in your filter/tank , you may not have the right balance .
What I mean is , fish waists can quickly out number any bacteria colonies , and can cause ammonia and nitrite spikes that can just as quickly kill your fish [ be ready to test ], I'm writing from experience here , I will usually buy more than just one or 2 fish at a time , and have learned the hard way .

Now when I get new fish, a filter [ my Q tanks filter ]from an existing tank is put on when the fish are put in the tank , I will usually leave it on one of my other tanks a few weeks before I think I'll be getting some new fish .Actually I have a sponge filter , a Hagen Aqua clear big enough for a 30 gal [ the size of my biggest Q tank ] and a twelve inch air stone in case I need extra water movement [ not all fish like it , or need it ].


Aside from feeding little I do 5 to 10% water changes on a daily basis for the first few days .

If your talking about 1 or 2 small fish this might be overkill .


Also 1 week is really not long a enough of a Q time, some diseases take 2 or more weeks to even be noticed .

Than again not many people I know even consider a quarantine tank a necessity , so good for you .

 

[jay2jay99]

Hi Lucky62,

I will take your points into consideration, this is my first time, so every bit of help is appreciated. I currently have a 40 Galloner bubbling away in my livingroom, I thought I had chucked myself in at the deepend but after speaking to people on here I have been told it's better to go bigger as it's easier to stabilize a large tank, fingers crossed they're right! If my water passes tomorrow then I'll only be getting three platies, maybe mickey mouse ones if they have them, so that shouldn't over do it I hope.

Jay.