# quarantine tank set up?



## jamie (Feb 20, 2013)

I want to set up QT tank, any input would be appreciated...I have a 20g with a 15w light/canopy, an AQ50 filter is now seeding in the main tank. My plan is use water from the main tank to keep everything as close as possible for introduction, fishless cycle (should be quicker with a used filter?) no gravel just an easy to remove hideaway and plastic plant. I get the concept of it's more for health and observation than looks.

The thing is I'd like to keep this set up for any future isolating, and don't want to keep any fish in it as it'll be pretty sparse. After I use it to introduce new fish can I (assuming there's no health problems) return the QT filter to the main tank to keep it seeded and keep the QT tank half filled, heated, aerated, and refreshed with main-tank water change water? The main tank is 55g (calculated capacity of 47g haha) has an eheim 350 canister and an AQ70 hob, I do 10g WC's a few times a week and always have 10g of prepped (Prime, aerated) tap water on hand. I was thinking if needed, I could have the QT tank ready by moving the filter and filling the tank... should that be cycled enough for a few sick fish? I only have tetras, white clouds and corys, don't plan on adding anything larger. 

My thinking is that the AQ50 would be the smallest part of the filtration in the main tank so moving it back and forth shouldn't upset the bacteria load too much, and if needed any contaminated QT media can be chucked and I can move some from the AQ70 and replace that and reseed in the main tank. 

Or can a fish-empty QT tank be kept ready by "feeding" it an ammonia source?

Any input would be great, I plan on setting up a couple of other tanks and feel a QT tank is needed if not overdue. If you need to ask anything to give detailed advice please ask!


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Sounds like a reasonable plan, but you could also keep a few creatures such as snails in a QT tank. Most fish ailments don't affect them, so they would not likely cause any problems, and would help maintain clean glass. They'd help keep the filter fed too.

Using tank water to start is fine, but once you have fish in there, whether they are new & being quarantined or sick, you're going to be doing WCs with regular water, whatever it is you use. You won't be able to keep it exactly the same as the main tank. 

No matter how hard you try, it's going to be at least a bit different. But if you leave it set up and running, it should stay reasonably close to the main tank in terms of parameters, if you are using the same water to do changes for both tanks, and leaving it set up and running will help with that. Shrimp and a number of fish are not suited to a 'new' tank, that is, a tank that hasn't had time to build up some biofilm on the surfaces, so having the biofilm maintained can be very useful in terms of keeping new fish happy. 

You might consider using only a large sponge filter. These can be washed, even boiled if you want to, or tossed after an illness, and all you do is keep a spare sponge in another tank that can be quickly switched with it if need be.

I also keep a few plants in my QT tank. A chunk or two of java moss, a few java ferns. They help use up any nitrates, add their own bacteria to the filter, and also provide some cover for new fish. Bare bottom makes sense, but floating mosses or even just floating plants are good for providing a bit of cover. The cave is a good idea too, for shy fish. 

I don't use a lot of plants, because if there IS a sickness, there is some chance I might have to toss them out afterward. So far that has not been a problem for me, as I have managed to avoid any outbreaks of communicable diseases so far. But if need be, I could toss the plants. Might do that if it was a fungal problem but I doubt many fish organisms actually live on plants. I'd more likely rinse them in clean water, maybe keep them in a bucket for a week or so, where anything they might carry would have no hosts and die off. But tossing is an option too. Could just float a few stem plant cuttings instead, which would be very little loss that way.

If you use a big sponge filter, and had sick fish, all you'd have to once they were cured, or whatever happens, is change the water and change the filter out for the spare in another tank. Then clean the old one well, maybe boil it and stick it back in another tank to have ready again. If you had any worries it would carry an organism, you could also toss it out. They are not that expensive, and you'd only need a new sponge, not new fittings. The fittings can be boiled or bleached, whatever was needed. I'd prefer that to using a HOB, where you might have to replace all the media after an infectious problem. An HOB sponge and bio media could also be boiled, I'm sure, but I'd prefer the single sponge, or even a pair of them, for a QT tank.

If you aren't getting enough water circulation with the sponge, make sure it has the longest uplift tube you can fit to it added, with maximum air flow. Have the end of the uplift tube just below the water surface. It will increase circulation & efficiency, and reduce noise quite a bit. 

Sponges are also a source of biofilm, useful for shrimp and fry size fishes while they await their permanent home. If the sponge has room inside the core, you can add an airstone in there too. It also helps reduce noise and I think the small bubble stream is more efficient than big bubbles are. Might be wrong on that, but I also prefer the appearance of the small bubble stream.


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

I prefer the sponge filters as well. If you use a HOB make sure you don't have carbon in it as it will remove any meds you may use. I use pond snails to keep tank ready to use and feed with pellets and veggies.


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## jamie (Feb 20, 2013)

Thanks, some great ideas... I have some java fern and moss already tied to rock and wood I can add, I forgot about their remove-ability and that they lived under that low light at one time. That would help in trying to keep it as close as possible to the main tank without hampering access. I'm definitely going to use the sponge filter suggestion, I might pre measure some lines on the tank, like gallon or liter markings along the side for future (hopefully un-needed) medication doses and if I decide on an amount that is too low for a hob (noisy waterfall) a sponge type would be ideal. I just was thinking of using the AQ50 because I recently got a great deal on some Fluval bio media rings (North American store on Kingston, yeah a plug) and bought a few boxes so I have some around. 

Now that I think about it, the effort to keep a QT tank running all the time is probably easier than having one "almost" ready and would create the best stress free environment for a fish that most needs it. And the use of main tank water could transfer a problem I'd be trying to fight to the QT tank before I even knew it was a problem. Maybe the idea is to create a mirror tank, rather than a cloned tank. If I keep the same practices, the results should be close enough that acclimating tank to tank should basically be for temp.


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## jamie (Feb 20, 2013)

and another bonus point for a sponge filter, is maybe less water movement is a good idea for a sick or injured fish...a bare bottom should make any cleaning easy and a sponge should suffice

sometimes I can get what I think is a good idea and get blinded on other options with a one-track destination...yeah this hobby should be easy... you just put some water in a container and throw a few fish in


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Mirror is a good way to term it. That's exactly what I tried to do with my QT.. keep it as close to the main tanks as possible, but I didn't get paranoid about it. Minor differences are not going to be a big issue if fish are ill, and if it's straight quarantine, you acclimate them to the main tank just as you would coming home from the store, so any differences are gradual.

Using main tank water simply to set up a QT is fine.. using it when there are sick fish in the main tank, definitely not a good idea.


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