How to set up a quarentine tank?

[motorslave]

I have a ten gallon glass that Im going to use as a quarentine tank. What do I need? Filtration etc..
Robert

[Kevin1000]

Heres my 10 gallon QT.

Outside bottom of the tank is painted white so I can readily see food and other debris which I clean daily. I use a $10 powerfilter you can get at any petsmart or petco, a small inexpensive heater, a few pvc pipes of various size for shelter for the fish, an inexpensive air pump/air stone. I keep several spong filters cut to the appropriate size for the powerfilter in my sump so I always have a fully charged filter ready. I use an egg crate top.

I also keep the outside of the glass covered with paper for a couple weeks to give the fish a sheltered cave like feeling - seems to calm them down.

If you want to go fancy you can add a light, powerhead, and canister filter for carbon etc.

I recommend you keep an ammonia alert badge in the tank, and keep some Prime or other ammonia reducing product handy for emergency. I also keep about 30 gallons of premixed SW handy when I have fish in QT in case I have to make multiple water changes.

Hope this helps

[JennM]

Short answer.. depends...

There are several ways I've done it, depending on the application.

If you are using medications, you don't want a skimmer or carbon in the filter.

I've used sponge filters with airline... you can cycle a new sponge in your main tank/sump and have one at the ready at all times. After treating illness or medicating, throw the old sponge away, as you've had a new one cycling in your main system. This is an economical way to do it.

OR use a power filter with bio wheel or the like - take out the carbon cartridge. You can cycle a wheel in your main system, just by dropping it in the tank or sump... then use it for the QT. Don't return a used wheel to the main tank, lest you transmit something back into the main system. This works but it's a bit more expensive - however you can keep the same wheel in the QT as long as you keep some biological activity going (I suppose you can do the same with a sponge too...)

If you medicate, watch your params carefully as most medications can affect the biological bed, can reduce dissolved oxygen and you can experience low pH and/or ammonia spikes. Do water changes as necessary but monitor the amount of medication and adjust the dosing accordingly, or you may not be successful in treating whatever you are treating.

Use plastic decorations/plants/PVC pipes as hiding places for the fish, they need to feel safe but at the same time, the ornaments need to be easy to clean and sterilize.

Use no substrate.

HTH

Jenn