I actually plan to get my QT tank up and running if I ever get around to it!! I got a couple of 10 gallon tanks for cheap, so one became mr. bettas new house and the other will be the QT tank. I have had the same situation as you, no major problems from just adding fish, just a couple of minor cases of ich. Are danios good hardy fish to keep in a QT tank? I mean they can deal with being treated for ich or something if need be for the new arrivals?
Do you use a quarantine tank?
- Thread starter JosephMCorbett
- Start date
I store mine. I don't let it sit there humming. I always have a sponge in my main tank cycled and waiting to set up the q-tank in case soemthing happens.bobbi619 said:
I dont use any fish to keep it cycled. In fact I have a 10g QT tank in the closet with a heater, and a filter. When ever I need it, I just set it up, and take media from my FilStar and put it in my 10g QT tank. And there yiu have it, its cycled.
I do not think that it is a good idea to have fish with the lving thing beeing QTed. If it gets ick, then you have more fish to look after.
I do not think that it is a good idea to have fish with the lving thing beeing QTed. If it gets ick, then you have more fish to look after.
Kasakato, you mention taking media from your Filstar and placing it in the tank. What exactly do you mean? What media, and where do you place it? Just in the tank, or do you have a smaller Filstar for the QT?
Harlock mentions a sponge filter. Is this filter running in your main tank or just a sponge sitting in there?
Based on your posts, I think I will leave my 55 running as a QT tank until after I have stocked my 125.
A few questions:
1) If there is no fish in my QT tank will it "uncycle"? Should I always have fish in the QT tank that way the bacteria won't die?
2)If I shut the QT tank down, how do I "re-seed" the bacteria. Should I have the same filter as my main tank and transfer filter carts. and/or media. Should I remove gravel from the display tank and place it in the QT tank? What if I don't have enought bacteria in my QT tank to cope with the bio-load of the new arrival?
Harlock mentions a sponge filter. Is this filter running in your main tank or just a sponge sitting in there?
Based on your posts, I think I will leave my 55 running as a QT tank until after I have stocked my 125.
A few questions:
1) If there is no fish in my QT tank will it "uncycle"? Should I always have fish in the QT tank that way the bacteria won't die?
2)If I shut the QT tank down, how do I "re-seed" the bacteria. Should I have the same filter as my main tank and transfer filter carts. and/or media. Should I remove gravel from the display tank and place it in the QT tank? What if I don't have enought bacteria in my QT tank to cope with the bio-load of the new arrival?
Well, my sponge filter's sponges fit nicely over the slitted filter intake on one of my Penguins so I simply use it as a prefilter. That keeps a good flow through it. You could also keep it in the filter box itself to keep it seeded. Most folks use as small a QT tank as they can get away with. I use a ten gallon because I know I can keep about any fish I buy in it with enough room for it to feel safe and secure without being too small.
If you remove the ammonia source from a tank, it will eventually lose its cycle. Most folks keep extra media around for Q-tanks, like my sponges or Kasakato taking stuff out of his canister. This way the filter media stay cycled and when I set up my q-tank I take some water from my main tank, fill up the ten gallon, slap the sponge filter in and I have a cycled tank. Most folks do it this way rather than leaving a fish in their q-tank constantly. Canister filters are great for being able to load different media in them and my next tank will be a large tank with 2 canster filters on it and I certainly plan to have extra seeded media for my q-tank, settnig up enw tanks, etc.
If you remove the ammonia source from a tank, it will eventually lose its cycle. Most folks keep extra media around for Q-tanks, like my sponges or Kasakato taking stuff out of his canister. This way the filter media stay cycled and when I set up my q-tank I take some water from my main tank, fill up the ten gallon, slap the sponge filter in and I have a cycled tank. Most folks do it this way rather than leaving a fish in their q-tank constantly. Canister filters are great for being able to load different media in them and my next tank will be a large tank with 2 canster filters on it and I certainly plan to have extra seeded media for my q-tank, settnig up enw tanks, etc.
Exactly what Harlock said. I have a FilStar on my main tank, with 3 sheets of filter floss that I cut to size. Only one is needed but I sometimes use the other 2 of cycling tanks. When ever I need my QT tank, all I do is take a sheet out, and stuff it into my filter on the QT tank. I also give away sheets of media with bacteria to my family and friends, when ever they cycle a tank.
Well what I do when I get new fish is:
1. When the fish first get home, my existing fish go into the bucket and the new fish float in the bucket(which is the same temp as the tank's)
2. I rearrange the decorations and some plants while the fish are in the bucket.
3. I move the fish in the bag to the tank(but they are still in the bag) and start acclimating 5 tbsp every five minutes for about 30 minutes(I might do it slower when I get cardinals).
4. I net the fish, then release all the fish into the "new tank" at the same time. Everyone has to get new territory so that there is no fighting. I have a feeling that the male guppies would be territorial, but I am not taking chances.
5. I put in some fish antiseptic and then take out the filter carbon(necessary for the medicine to work).
Next morning: I put the filter carbon back in and then life goes on. I haven't had any sick fish yet!
I am hoping to get a Quarantine tank soon, but for now, this is the way I do it.
~HC
( :sim: to happychem)
1. When the fish first get home, my existing fish go into the bucket and the new fish float in the bucket(which is the same temp as the tank's)
2. I rearrange the decorations and some plants while the fish are in the bucket.
3. I move the fish in the bag to the tank(but they are still in the bag) and start acclimating 5 tbsp every five minutes for about 30 minutes(I might do it slower when I get cardinals).
4. I net the fish, then release all the fish into the "new tank" at the same time. Everyone has to get new territory so that there is no fighting. I have a feeling that the male guppies would be territorial, but I am not taking chances.
5. I put in some fish antiseptic and then take out the filter carbon(necessary for the medicine to work).
Next morning: I put the filter carbon back in and then life goes on. I haven't had any sick fish yet!
I am hoping to get a Quarantine tank soon, but for now, this is the way I do it.
~HC
( :sim: to happychem)
When I was first starting out just a few short months ago, I knew no better. After fishy deaths and finding this site, I have learned otherwise and follow the advise of the Wise Ones--always quarantine. I'm even quar about plants, wash and go over with a magnifying glass!!! As I go up in tank size and fish type, I get more cautious. Can't be too safe, who knows where these fishies, snails, etc., have been???? 
Nothing alive goes into one of my existing display tanks without QT. Period. Absolute. No exception.
If I don't have a QT open, or cannot arrange one easily, the purchase does not happen.
Did I mention that I have not had infectious disease in any of my displays since we built this house (~19 years ago) or for some significant number of years before that in the old house? Infectious disease in display tanks is a self-inflicted wound.
If I don't have a QT open, or cannot arrange one easily, the purchase does not happen.
Did I mention that I have not had infectious disease in any of my displays since we built this house (~19 years ago) or for some significant number of years before that in the old house? Infectious disease in display tanks is a self-inflicted wound.
I QT for a few days. If it still looks fine, in the tank it goes. If it's still a question, it gets the full two weeks before going into the tanks. Usually, if it doesn't look fine in a few days, they don't last the full two weeks.
