Copperband round 2!!

Thanks Ryland, i do have my reciept for the 5 gal so i can go swap it out for a 20...my DT is a 54 corner bow so i bet i could squeeze out 2...10 gal water changes...and fill it up in two weeks..i also have a magnum 250 hang on back filter i could use..what do you reccomend for media??

 

NO gravel, sand, or rocks of any kind. This is quarantine tank. Use pieces of PVC pipe for the fish to have something to hide in. Nothing else in the tank. IMO I would not use the canister filter. While you are at your LFS pick up a bubble filter. This is just a hollow sponge with an airstone in the middle. This will filter your water sufficiently. Water movement is not important in a qt. Creating a stress free easy living environment is important here. Notice the sponge filter in the back of the tank in this picture. There is a bag of carbon hanging in there as well with some heaters. This is a 20 gallon tank.

 

I agree, what's it like $28 for a 20g if it's not on sale? how much is the fish? CBs have a very poor survival rate to begin with, if your going to get one seems like it's worth spending a few bucks to give it a better shot. Just my .02 anyways...

 

Here is another picture of my qt system. Notice there is no substrate. Only PVC pipes. On the front of the tank I have an amonia alert hanging. These are cheap and a great way to keep an eye on things without constantly doing water changes. They are made by seachem and constantly monitor your amonia levels. You simply look at the colors to determine amonia levels. Remember your sponge filter is your biological filter. You need to let it seed for 4-6 weeks before it will keep everything in check. NEVER reuse a sponge filter. They are cheap...buy another one and seed it...seed two at once....but they can and will spread disease and parasites.

 

so basically i have a bit before i should order this fish...i need to grab the sponge filter and run it in my DT, for 4-6 weeks, continue with my weekly 5gal water changes and save the water for the 20gal, after 4 weeks i should be up and runnin!! man....alot of work but worth it!! do you keep your QT runnin all the time or do you break it down??

 

Okay first do not run the bubble filter. Just throw the sponge in your DT and let it float around. Put it in your sump if you have one so its not floating around your dt. DO NOT save the water from your water changes. Letting that water sit in a tank for 4 weeks is a disaster waiting to happen. After 4-6 weeks of letting your sponge seed in your DT...your sponge will be ready to run your qt. Now you may begin setting up the quarantine tank. This means drain 18 gallons of water from your display tank and put it in your quarantine tank all in the same day. Your filter, PVC, and heater will make up for the other 2 gallons with water displacement. Once your qt is setup leave it sit for at least 2 days and monitor the water quality. Everything should be good to go. Hope this clears it up for you.
FYI...IMO I would stop weekly water changes and start doing bi-weekly water changes. Just change 10 gallons every 2 weeks instead of 5 gallons a week. This will help keep things stable.

 

do you keep your QT runnin all the time or do you break it down??[/QUOTE]

After I have quarantined a fish I will take down the tank in the following instances...
1. The fish was sick and had to be treated for any disease or parasite. The tank and all the PVC, heaters, filter, etc will need to be bleached and rinsed thoroughly to keep from infecting the next fish in the qt.

2. Or if I do not plan on aquiring another fish in the near future then there is no point in leaving the tank sit. Its just another tank to do water changes on and take care of.

I will ONLY leave a QT up and running and use it again IF the fish in the tank previously showed NO signs of any parasites or diseases and was NOT medicated or treated in any way shape or form while in the tank. If the fish was sick then the tank must be broken down and bleached.

 

Thanks for the great info...i was thinking my "established" water from a water change would be better than new "un-established"??? water...where did you get your sponge filter??

 

When you say bleach do you literally mean the chemical "bleach?" i always used vinegar for fear that any other chem could potentially hurt the other inhabitants.

 

When you take water from your DT and place it in your QT it is "established" water. You will just have to add new water to your dt to make up for the water you took out. Petsolutions has these sponge filters. I think they are like 5 bucks. I would order several replacement sponges when you order your filter. This way you have some on hand.