Please Critique My Quarantine/Hospital Tank Plans

[Jayhawk88]

I did a search, and read a lot of threads about this subject, but I still have a couple questions.

I have a little 10 gallon aquarium that I was going to use, but I thought it would be better to use something bigger incase I need to remove and treat all my fish at some point. So, I bought a 27 gallon Rubbermaid container from Walmart for 10 bucks. For lighting, I plan to use the little fluorescent strip that came with the 10 gallon. I was thinking about using this DIY design to make a biological filter. Or maybe I'll just buy a H.O.T. foam power filter. I'll probably also throw in an airstone and then just put some PVC pipe in for hiding places. I want to keep it running all the time. I was thinking that I would just use regular tap water for top off, and use ammonia chloride to keep the biological filter going. I don't plan on doing any water changes until I'm ready to use it, in which case I'll do a 100% water change, with about half of the water coming from my main tank.

1) Does this sound like a solid plan?

2) When the quarantine tank is not inhabited, what do I need to do (besides feeding ammonia chloride) to maintain my biological filter. Do I need to be concerned with PH or anything else?

3) Do you need to rinse the detritus out of bio media (such as foam) or just leave it alone? Will rinsing it kill/remove the nitrifying bacteria?

4) Is it necessary to quarantine inverts and corals?

5) Any other suggestions?

I appreciate your help!

[salt creepette]

1 and 2) sounds good except instead of worrying about maintaining a biological filter in the rubbermaid, just put a hot filter sponge/cartridge somewhere in your main tank or sump and that way you have biological filtration when you need it in the QT. you might even leave it empty until you need it, esp if you can mix your own saltwater (have an RO/DI unit at home).

3) yes rinsing the biomedia in tap/fresh water kill the bacteria. a better way is just swish it around in some clean saltwater when it (the foam) is dirty.

4) people will probably poo poo me but i havent qt'ed corals or inverts yet. im sure once I get a dose of flatworms I will change my mind (just kidding. Once I get serious about buying corals I will arrange some kind of QT system.)

[JennM]

I concur for the most part with what Salt Creepette said.

Couple of things I'd add:

Make sure your Rubbermaid tub is food grade, or it can leach all kinds of nasties.

I use sponge filters in hospital tanks, you can keep a sponge refill in your sump, when you need it you have 'instant biological' and you can throw it away when you are done with it (post treatment) and cycle a new one in your sump - these refills only cost a few dollars - well worth it, IMO.

If you intend to use the q tank to treat with medications, then do NOT use it for inverts or corals. I don't quarantine or treat inverts, but I do dip corals - if I suspect red planaria, a fast freshwater (RO/DI) dip gets those off pronto, and a Kent Tech-D dip (iodine preparation specially for this purpose) will otherwise disinfect corals.

If you do find yourself in need of treating fish with meds, use them carefully and per package directions. Don't short-change a course of antibiotics, you could end up with a resistant infection. If you use copper, monitor the levels carefully and always watch water quality as almost every med will interfere with the biological bed (even if it says it won't).

HTH

Jenn

[Jayhawk88]

Thanks for your help