Starting a QT Tank for my Reef Tank

[Tank2379]

Ok... After careful consideration I will turn my 10 gallon Tank into a QT tank or Refugium tank same thing right? I felt bad after letting everyone know I did not QT my fish so from now on I will do the right thing.

Few question?

1. How much live rock should I use?
2. How much Sand?
3. Would Micro Algae work in a QT tank?
4. Do I need a Skimmer?
5 How much lighting?

Right now for Filtration I have a Marineland HOB filter 20GPH filters 2. Would I need another form of flow?

Let me know if I would need any else or if you have any ideas....

Thanks

 

[Ziggy953]

A QT tank is not the same thing as a refugium

A refugium is plumbed into the main system and helps to filter the water as well as provide a place for pods to grow and multiply.

A QT tank is completely seperate from the main system.

 

[Tank2379]

Ah I see. So how will I start my QT tank? is it the same concept as the main tank?

 

[Ziggy953]

Most people use a biowheel type filter on the QT tank and what they do is put the biowheel in the sump of the main when the QT is not in use so you have instant filtration.

 

[Tank2379]

???? I have a Biowheel a Marineland HOB filter I shouldn't have to cycle I am taking a couple pieces of LR right out of my established system to place it in the QT or should I just leave as is with nothing in it?

 

[Ziggy953]

Usually a QT tank has nothing in it. You may want to put some large PVC pieces for the fish to hide other then that you are looking for a bare tank with filtration and heat.

 

[Tank2379]

Cool. Not a Problem.

 

[melosu58]

Read this

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

 

[Got Water?]

There seems to be alot of interest in QT lately. I'm one.
Can I just get a bio-cube or nano-cube for my QT?
And if so dose anyone have suggestions of which is the better?

 

[melosu58]

I dont think it matters as long as the fish can be properly housed in it. An example would be you dont want a powder blue tang that needs a 125 + gallon tank in a 14 gallon QT.

 

[Got Water?]

What would be a good size?
My main tank is 140 but I like to buy my fish small. (ie. I just bought a great purple tang and he is only a little bigger than a quarter.)

 

[melosu58]

Well you figure you are going to be treating for 6-8 weeks if they have a parasite and 4 months if they are new . So if they can make it in a smaller tank for that time period than you should be OK.

 

[sooju]

A QT for fish can be very simple. I just took a plain 10 gallon glass tank and added a heater and filter:

50W heater $15
Aquarium Heaters: Hydor Theo Heater

sponge filter $10
Foam Aquarium Filters: Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter 2

You don't even need a cover, you can just cover it with eggcrate. And as long as the tank gets some natural light you don't need a light either.

I run the filter in my sump for a few days before I need it and then I pull 10 gallons of water from the main tank and put it in the QT before heading off to the LFS.

 

[Innovator]

A 20g is good for most fish under 6" and anything larger a 40g. As far as biocubes and nanocubes, just too expensive for a qt to be perfectly honest. Even if I had a spare in good standing I would rather it be a display than a qt. Simple as it gets:

20g
50w heater
sponge filter or hang-on back filter (Ex. Aquaclear 20)
Air pump (optional depending on medications)
pvc
plastic plants (optional)...even shredded black trashbags work wonders.
The end

Oh and as for sponges, personally I prefer the Hydrosponge or old school triangular sponges. http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/457/HydroSponge-Filters/sponge%20filter/0

 

[Got Water?]

Another Dumb question. What is a bio-wheel and a sponge filter?
I have a wet/dry refugium, protien skimmer. Thats all I'm familiar with.

 

[panza]

can you use a sump as a quarentine?

 

[melosu58]

can you use a sump as a quarentine?

No you can not. The water for both is the same. If you put a fish with ich in your sump then it will be in your main also. It needs to be a separate tank.

 

[Innovator]

Another Dumb question. What is a bio-wheel and a sponge filter?
I have a wet/dry refugium, protien skimmer. Thats all I'm familiar with.

If you go to my link or Sooju's you will see two different styles of sponge filters. A sponge filter draws water through the sponge via powerhead or airlift tube where bacteria colonizes. This would be a form of biological filtration that is relatively cheap to set up, yet efficient enough to eliminate NH3. The downside is that they can clog easily, but that would not be a problem if you maintained regular water changes (at the very least 25% daily or 50% every other day).

A biowheel usually refers to Marineland filtration systems where an hob filter draws in water, passes through several stages (mechanical/chemical), and eventually cascades over a water wheel mixing oxygen into the water so bacteria can colonize. Here is the filter, but I don't care for them: Aquarium Power Filters: Marineland Penguin BIO-Wheel Power Filters

BIO-Wheel Assembly 150B Power Filter (Marineland)

 

[Got Water?]

Ok. Something else I heard of yesturday. A copper QT for fish only. What is your take on this system?

 

[melosu58]

Are you talking about treating fish with copper?