Quarantine Tank Set Up

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nuwave59

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jun 14, 2011
Messages
193
Location
Quebec City, Canada
Hi!

I have an old 10g tank with a heater and an old aquaclear 50 filter. I want to use it as a hospital/quarantine tank, and I'd like to see if I did my homework right.

1st, I set it up on a bare bottom, and I put a flower pot in there so my fish can hide.

2nd, I take a foam from my main tank and put it in the HOB filter of my Q tank,

3rd, I fill it with 5g from a water change, and 5g of new water. I setup the temperature properly

4th, I put the fish in, I add a copper based medication against ick (what medicine should I use?)

5th I change 1g everyday, observe the fish for signs of disease, try to feed it

6th, after a month, if it's ok I add it to my tank.

Am I wrong?
 
You should get a copper test kit for sure if youre gonna dose copper. I have heard cupramine is the way to go as far as copper based meds.

Otherwise it sounds good...

And to be really safe the main tank should be fish free for 6-8 weeks. I know, total buzz kill.....
 
You mean? even if my cycle is complete, I should wait more before I add my fish?? So if I got it right, I remove my raw shrimps, make PWC every week for a few more weeks, then I can add my fish?
 
The main tank should be fish free IF you catch the ich and have to medicate your fish in the qt.

otherwise just use your qt for new purchases and move them when you feel the time is right. I keep mine in QT for 2 weeks. Not quite the whole month that some people do but long enough for any immediate issues to come forth like ich or velvet or the fish just being a "bad batch".

Hope that cleared it up :)
 
Ok! I understand, I can put my 1st fish right now in there, but if they're sick, I have to put them in quarantine and I cannot have fish in the main tank for 6-8 weeks.
 
If they have ich then no, to kill ich you need a fishless tank for 6-8 weeks to get rid of it. But when youre just starting you can put your fish in qt for a couple weeks and see if anything develops. If the fish is sick at least he isnt in your main tank spreading whatever he has into that tank too. Whole purpose of qt'ing, catch everything early before it gets to your main tank.
 
Good luck! You could also just qt the newest fish for a couple days just to make sure. cause if it were to have ich it will spread it to the tank, not just other fish. And once its in the tank then you have problems.
 
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