Quarantine tank

Does it need to be an established little system or can it just be a bare tank with fresh mixed saltwater and a heater. Does it get drained when not in use or does it stay up and running with some sort of filtration?
I never had one so just wondering.

 

Mine is a 10 g, bare bottom, MJ 1200, penguin wet/dry filter, heater, and cheep light... with a few PVC parts for the fish to hide in...

 

^ I've got the same. But with a cheapo Wal-Mart power filter.

 

A quarantine tank should be a tank that has gone through a cycle and is capable of housing a fish for an extended time period if you need to medicate. My advice would be to keep the sponge of a filter in the sump at all times. This allows for all of the good bacteria to be established in that sponge. Then use that with fresh saltwater and a couple of pvc pipes for hiding spaces and bare bottom and set up a QT.

After observing the fish for a period of time - either treat if needed, or put the fish in the tank.

HTH

 

Because the QT Tank has been used to treat new fish with Cu, I choose instead to perform water changes in the QT as necessary instead of maintaining a cycled tank or risk Cu contamination in the DT....

 

I have the same type of set-up as grubbsj has and I do as exactly as blumoonreefers suggests and have had no problems. Its easier than you might think to set up and tear down the QT. In addition to what has been suggested, I would also place some of your D/T sand in a filter bag and keep the sand in the sump (In the bag) until you need to place it in your QT same as the sponge. This allows both nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria to speed up the efficiency of the biological filtration process in the QT.

 

Very good point regarding copper contamination. I might not have been as clear in my explanation as I was in my head : If I had to treat the QT tank, then a new sponge would go into the sump after being used in the QT tank.

The sponge itself is what has been allowed to build up good bacteria by keeping it in a well cycled tank (or sump). The QT tank is NOT set up all the time. If needed, I can quickly set up the tank with fresh saltwater and ADD the sponge to the filter, throw a cheap light on it if necessary. Monitor parameters and fish for any length of time, do water changes if necessary.

 

Agreed with blumoon. I keep a few sponges in my fuge that i would place into the little cheep-o filter I have for QT to mature new saltwater as opposed to maintaining a QT 24/7-365.
My QT List:
- 4g square bucket
- small HOB filter
- small heater
- cut up PVC for hiding/fake coral
- (keep mesh sponge in sump)
- (bare bottom-no sand)
- (some natural lighting only) light can stress sick fish.
- (add fresh salt water to QT then add sponge and let mature for 24 hrs.)