QT for rent

[saabtech]

well folks i have gotten real lucky that the last 5 firefish i have added to my DT have not introduced a parasite into the display tank.
i really dont have enough room to set up my 29 gallon tank as a QT and i was wondering if there is anyone who offers their QT tank for rent or as a pubic service to other aquarist.?

[Gseclipse02]

quarantine tank ??? i have a 10g with metal stand that i use to use

feel free to come and borrow it

[corruption]

I think you just did! :D

As a side note -- a QT doesn't have to be run all the time, and in fact most people don't run them constantly. If you have a filter sponge of some sort in your sump, you can just use this to establish the QT when its needed. Otherwise, you can keep it stored away until the time comes :)

-Corruption

[saabtech]

ok i feel a little ignorant. i was under the impression that you should set up and cycle another tank with no to little substrate and maybe a couple small pieces of live rock and a filter system that would allow you to house a new addition for 3-4 weeks to assure its health before introduction into the DT.
how does one accomplish a quick QT that will support fish for 3-4 weeks. or am i just way off base here and its not as hard as i would have imagined.

but the main question was "is there anyone with a QT already established and would be willing to "house-sit" a fish for 3-4 weeks?"

[corruption]

ahh, I see your question now... The way to maintain a quarantine when using a colonized filter, instead of an established tank, is to do frequent, small water changes -- 5-15% every 2 days is good. Constantly siphon stuff off the bottom (a bare bottom really works best in quarantine situations) and keep up with maintenance... An air-driven corner sponge filter is enough to maintain an adequate quarantine with a strict regimen of water changes :)

An established tank is a fantastic way to QT new specimen in a controlled, stress-free environment -- but comes with the established biofiltration (rock, etc) and thus if problems DO arise, medicating is no longer an option.

-Corruption

[saabtech]

can you give a explanaion of "colonized filter" please?

[ErikH]

He means colonized with beneficial bacteria. The filter sponge will be full of life.

Although if you did medicate with the filter in I would assume you would want to throw that filter out ofter QT as not to transfer the medication (ie. copper) over to the display tank; thus killing off your precious corals and fish.

[Jordan N.]

can you give a explanaion of "colonized filter" please?

Run a filter attached to your main display for awhile, the denitrifying bacteria will colonize it over time. Then it's all set up when you attach to QT.

Edit: Blast, Erik beat me to it. Would it be nessary to getrid of the entire filter or just the media?

-Jordan

[ErikH]

I would say just the filter depending on the media. Most media won't leach chemicals back in the water, but it's probably better practice to just replace the media if you plan on putting it back in the display.

[saabtech]

thanks for the replies.
dont really plan on medication but you never know. all i really wanted was to avoid parasitic contamination of the DT with the new additions.
whats the biggest fish one should house in a 10 gallon for 3-4 weeks?
and in a 20 gallon long?
and in a 29 gallon?
(mostly in the tang family)

[Europhyllia]

saabtech here's what I do:

I have a small hang on filter for the 10 gallon tank. Inside that filter is a sponge. When the QT is not in use I keep that sponge in my DT sump.
When I set up the QT I fill the QT with 10 gallons from my DT rather than make fresh saltwater for the QT. (Obviously I put 10g of fresh saltwater back into the DT ;) - a water change! lol)
Hook up the HOB filter, add the sponge from the sump and it's ready to go.
Right now the 10g is in the garage. I don't have it set up all the time because it looks so cluttered to have an empty fish tank just standing around.

Sorry I have no idea about tangs!

[saabtech]

saabtech here's what I do:

I have a small hang on filter for the 10 gallon tank. Inside that filter is a sponge. When the QT is not in use I keep that sponge in my DT sump.
When I set up the QT I fill the QT with 10 gallons from my DT rather than make fresh saltwater for the QT. (Obviously I put 10g of fresh saltwater back into the DT ;) - a water change! lol)
Hook up the HOB filter, add the sponge from the sump and it's ready to go.

good stuff. thanks alot.

[corruption]

Karin's description is dead-on here to what I was describing.. It can even be simplified, by using an air-driven corner filter setup. Since you're going to be doing regular nutrient exchange (every couple days in small quantities) a corner sponge or box filter thats pre-colonized with goodies will be enough. Obviously, if medication comes into play, the sponge does NOT go back into the display's sump.... this is the advantage with cheapy sponge and corner box filters, the media is cheapcheapcheap :)

-Corruption

[saabtech]

whats the biggest fish one should house in a 10 gallon for 3-4 weeks?
and in a 20 gallon long?
and in a 29 gallon?
(mostly in the tang family)
dont want to start a new thread so i need to bump these questions.

[kkiel02]

I have a small blue hippo in my 10 g right now. It's only about two inches though.

[corruption]

Obviously, if we're talking show examples of tangs (7" inch examples) a 10-20 gal quarantine is going to be too small... but for the most part, average fish from 1 inch to about 4-5 inches will be fine in the smaller QT -- assuming you're doing the upkeep to maintain the tank as described earlier in the thread :)

If you were to keep that 29 gal around, it'd be a great place to QT most anything you'd need to individually..

-Corruption