QT tank setup

[Sunny]

Hello

I am wondering if I also need to setup a QT with my main tank. I have a spare 10G with light and heater at home.
The issue is what kind of filter should/could I use? I have a wisper HOB filter and also have a sponge filter.

Can any of these be used for the QT? Do I need PS as well?

Thanks for looking.

 

[JRWOHLER]

Bare bottom tank. You can put the sponge in your DT sump to accumulate helpful bacteria. I suppose the whisper filter will work if you want to use it just make sure you keep the media you use super clean.

 

[hurtback]

i've wondered bout this---with a QT tank, once you've had a fish,coral, whatever in there,you put it in the main tank.......
now, you get another fish, coral whatever---its time to go into the QT tank ---do you change the QT water with new water before the fish go in?
what water do you use---water from water changes?
exactly whats involved in seting up a QT tank?
Do you maintain the QT tank or set it up each time you plan on buying something?

 

[JRWOHLER]

I would think there are lots of answers to those questions.
I have had mine setup since last October when I knew I was doing the first real stocking of the tank.
I do water changes from the DT yes is it a great idea? Donknow
After the next fish my QT is getting torn down unless I think I will add something because I feel that my tank has become fully stocked...see my other thread on that.

I try to keep some PVC pipes, barebottom and that is about it in the tank. You do want to do something for bacteria if possible see idea about sponge. I use my old nano.

 

[blange3]

I'm in a real quandry about this topic. What is the best way?

Barebottom, sponge filter, powerhead, pvc fittings for hiding places, no live nothing except the QT subject is the preferred method of most.

It's an easy setup to treat sick fish in, but alot of finicky fish just don't thrive in an environment like this. In particular I couldn't get a dwarf angels through QT with such a sterile setup.

Based on the experience of some folks over on RC I added live rock, macro algae, and basically ran another small reef. Fish did well but I couldn't treat by any method expect good feeding with garlic and selcon.

After an outbreak of ich in the main tank, almost 2 months after the last fish was added to the tank; and all the fish had been QT'd at least a month, I'm back in the camp of those who believe ich is ALWAYS present and the fish need to build up their natural defenses to keep it at bay. I also wonder whether ich targets specific species.

I treated the tank by using garlic and selcon to the food. Actually, I always use garlic and selcon, but for treatment I switched to fresh garlic instead of garlic extreme. During the 3-4 weeks that the problem lasted; all fish ate well. Most fish never got more than one or two spots at a time, except for a Gold Rim Tang and a Bluethroat Trigger. The tang was the worst, but he ate right up until the last two or three days. After he died, the trigger's infestation became noticeably heavier and then he died. He ate like a pig right to the end.

After that, ich disappeared in about a week. Every once in a while I see what looks like a spot, but it goes away. I've addedd two fish since then. One went through a lengthy QT. The other was added to the tank after two days in QT because it wasn't eating and I wanted it to at least have access to some pods and stuff. Both are doing well.

So a long winded post leads to my current attitude on QT. It's good to give a fish a chance to rest and build up it's immune system through good nutrition and reduced stress. If a disease develops, it is easier to treat in a controlled environment. But QT will never totally prevent the introduction of diseases in the display tankd, so good nutrition and good hsubandry are the keys to keeping healthy fish.

And now that was just how I feel about fish! What about corals? Since I don't keep too many of those finicky SPS types, I just drip acclimate, add Flatworm Exit and Lugols for a quick dip at the end of the process and move em' on into the tank.

 

[Sunny]

Thanks for the opinion. Very helpful.