Quarantine Tank
Hello All,
I am in the process of saving $ and curing man-made rock for my first 55 gallon reef tank. It is going to be primarily a coral tank with maybe a few fish in there if they serve some useful cleaning function (sorry all you FOWLRs). While I wait I have been thinking about quarantine tanks. I have the following already:
20 gal long tank
heater
HOB filter
From what I have read this and some normal fluorescent lighting is all I should need for an effective coral quarantine tank. Oh yes..and salt water too
I'm not exactly going to be purchasing corals every day so the quarantine tank will only be used occasionally. Should you keep a quarantine tank maintained at all times or can you shut it down in between acquisitions?
Also, should a coral quarantine tank be "cycled" or doesn't it matter? Keep in mind I may be getting some fish at some point as well. I am due to replace the carbon bag in my HOB filter on my freshwater tank this weekend. It would be a great starter to cycle the quarantine tank if needed and I could keep it indefinitely cycled with ammonia. Are the freshwater bacteria the same as the saltwater bacteria?
I guess I'm just not quite clear on the care and maintenance of the quarantine tank.
Also (and I know the "real" answer to this is get a second tank) would it be possible to dual use a quarantine tank for both freshwater and saltwater? It seems like you could simply do a 90% water change when it is saltwater and then refill with freshwater and bingo you now have a freshwater quarantine tank.
Hello All,
I am in the process of saving $ and curing man-made rock for my first 55 gallon reef tank. It is going to be primarily a coral tank with maybe a few fish in there if they serve some useful cleaning function (sorry all you FOWLRs). While I wait I have been thinking about quarantine tanks. I have the following already:
20 gal long tank
heater
HOB filter
From what I have read this and some normal fluorescent lighting is all I should need for an effective coral quarantine tank. Oh yes..and salt water too
I'm not exactly going to be purchasing corals every day so the quarantine tank will only be used occasionally. Should you keep a quarantine tank maintained at all times or can you shut it down in between acquisitions?
Also, should a coral quarantine tank be "cycled" or doesn't it matter? Keep in mind I may be getting some fish at some point as well. I am due to replace the carbon bag in my HOB filter on my freshwater tank this weekend. It would be a great starter to cycle the quarantine tank if needed and I could keep it indefinitely cycled with ammonia. Are the freshwater bacteria the same as the saltwater bacteria?
I guess I'm just not quite clear on the care and maintenance of the quarantine tank.
Also (and I know the "real" answer to this is get a second tank) would it be possible to dual use a quarantine tank for both freshwater and saltwater? It seems like you could simply do a 90% water change when it is saltwater and then refill with freshwater and bingo you now have a freshwater quarantine tank.
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