how do I set up a hospital tank?

[peiji]

Can I use freshly mixed water or should I use all the water from an existing tank. Do I need sand? The only one I have is a 6g. eclipse tank. It's not set up at the moment. I can use it's bio filtration and add a piece of live rock to the tank if that will help. Or, will setting something up so fast be worse than just treating the fish in the original tank. Also will my fairly large clownfish go crazy in a 6g tank for a week?

[podman]

first off. sand is not the best idea. copper and other meds will build up in it. make sure you have some hiding places in there like short pieces of pvc, no LR. the medications you may use will kill it off. use the eclipse, biowheel right?

it will suit your needs well.

your fish, considering it's condition, should be fine in there provided that water changes are made after treatment periods (don't know what your treating or what with) and the bioload is dealt with. your biowheel isn't colonized is it? well, then i would change that water frequently. there are nitrifying bacteria kits though i have never used them.

if you have anything that is colonized yet not of the LR type (synthetic), like biobale or bioballs, you could throw it in and help the process as long as you understand it will never go back to your main tank.

good luck

[JennM]

I use a small "sacrificial" piece of LR in my hospital tank -- it will never go back in the main tank.

I don't use copper, most of what I treat with is veterinary meds and/or antibiotics, so those are removed with carbon.

No substrate, and yes, use PVC or something else that's easily washable for hidey holes.

6 g is hard to treat, hard to maintain -- I use a 10 g unless it's a large specimen as many dosages are based on a 10 g tank...

I use a sponge filter. The sponge can be placed in a sump or existing tank to cycle, and be discarded after treatment if necessary. Replacement sponges are cheap, less than $5.00 and you can always have one sumped and cycled and ready to go.

HTH
Jenn