QT question

[westward13]

For the time being, is a 5 gallon aquarium setup a decent enough size for a QT? I'm working on setting up my 75 gallon aquarium and plan on getting several fish which may reach 12 inches or so but that shouldn't be for some time. Will I be ok for the time being with just a 5 gallon QT? Is it common practice to keep the QT empty unless there's a new fish you need to get acclimated or a sick one that you need to treat?

Chris
westward13

 

[oscarbreeder]

IMO a 5 gal is a little small for a QT tank.
I use a 10gal at the moment.
You should have the QT tank set up all the time incase you get a new/sick fish you wont have to wait for the tank to cycle.

 

[Menagerie]

I currently have a 5 and 2.5 as QT tanks, but none of my fish (well, the common pleco) will reach over 7". In the future, you will want a larger QT tank.
I do not leave my QT tanks set up. They are stored in a closet away from all chemicals. The biggest reason is if you are adding an ill fish that needs to be treated, the meds will more than likely kill off you bacteria and the tank will not be cycled anyway. I always use water from the tank the ill fish comes from for all water changes. When you have an ill fish, you will probably be doing daily water changes.
When I acclimate new fish, I use media from an established tank and toss it in the QT tank's filter and use water from the tank the fish will be going into. This has worked quite well for me.

 

[flipz]

As far as setting up the QT tank quickly, and with a cycle, I just recently upgraded to a larger main tank, and putting the media from the old tank in the new one, and using water from the old one, I had an instant cycle. No spikes or anything. Therefore just like meagerie said, you can easily just keep it stored away, and only set it up when needed.

-brent

 

[oscarbreeder]

IMO it is just easyer to put the new/sick fish right in the QT tank then run around the house looking for and setting one up when the time comes.

 

[Menagerie]

it is just easyer to put the new/sick fish right in the QT tank then run around the house looking for and setting one up when the time comes

You must have a bigger house than I do

 

[oscarbreeder]

I dunno I just put the 10 galQT tank inside the 55gal tank stand.

 

[BrianNY]

Whether to leave a QT tank set up or not is really a matter of preference. I store mine until needed.

 

[Christmasfish]

I store mine and keep an extra filter running in my two larger tanks.
Hospital tanks I keep barren with ceramic ornaments so I \can sterilize easy. Becuase I change water every other day for my sick ones, I don't bother with the filter.