Starting Quarantine Tank

[ADCISCO]

What is the best way to go about starting a quarantine tank? I was thinking about getting a 10 gallon tank for one. I want to get some more fish since my auqrium has almost cycled all the way and everyone is healthy. I DO NOT want to introduce any sickness to my fish that I have tried so hard to keep alive!lol I didnt know if taking some of the water from the tank I have and put it in the 10 to get started would be the best idea or if there was something else. All opinons welcome! I just want healthy fish!!!!!!!

 

[Allivymar]

Theres a coupla different ways to do a QT tank. All of em require a tank *grin* which you have. Also a filter and a heater. Just about everything else is optional. I do not recommend substrate, although some plastic plants and maybe a ceramic cave or PVC tubing for cover would be ok (and easy to sterilise if need be).

Keep an extra filter sponge in the main tank if you do the tear down thing in between QTing; you can throw it into the tank with the new fish and instant cycle. Or, keep a fish (sort of a canary in a coal mine) in the QT tank to keep it cycled, although I don't necessarily recommend that. I raise snails atm in my QT tank; also have an empty 10g for emergency purposes as well.

Don't need to use tank water, although you certainly could.

 

[madasafish]

Yeah. Usually, it's best to cycle a tank with fish. Consider taking some fish from your larger (or just other) tank and having them cycle the small tank if they're hardy enough. Do you have any feeder fish or Zebra Danios? These seem to survive cycling.

Also, starting your new QT tank running with "old" water from your other tank might be a good idea. Also, if you have filter media from your big tank which are just about to be changed, you might consider adding those to the QT tank or to the filter on your QT tank. This will encourage bacterial growth.

So, perhaps next time you do a water change in your other (larger) tank, consider syphoning that water into the 10-gallon. You probably don't need only old water in the 10-gallon and you could fill it half way with new water, and then add the old.

Yup, no need to get new fish, really.

How big is your other tank?

Hope this helps a little.

 

[madasafish]

Allivymar beat me to it!

 

[ADCISCO]

My beginning tank is a 29 gallon. Though I have posted about having a nitrite problem. I keep doing a 20% water change only to have NO CHANGE!!! The reason I wanted to start the qtank was to get some fish ready to put in the tank if it ever gets rid of the nitrites! Am I probably just starting to create more problems :? ? I just want the nitrite to go down! Its been going on 2 wks and I still cant get it down....everything else is perfect! I cant figure it out. The only thing that I have put in the tank other than water for 2 wks is aquarium salt. I thought for sure that by now that it would have gotten lined out. I have just about used the whole dry tab master kit in the past 2 wks testing the water! I think that I am going to go tonight and get the liquid nitrite kit....the other is killing me and I am just about out of tabs...I think that I have 5 left! I already have the one for PH so I think that I will just get that one for now and use the rest of my dry tabs in the kit till they are gone and go get the ammonia and nitrate ones. I could kill my brother in law.....this tank has cost me a fortune.....he lives in CA and we live in WV and he buys one for my 7 yr old and leaves.....I told him he needed to start sending a FISHY ALLOWANCE!!! At least 100 a month!LOL But I do love the aquarium and the fish....I got me a Betta 2 wks ago and he is in his own vase and is doing great....feed him once a wk....there is one of those peace lillies in the water with him.He seems very happy.... Can you spoil your fish???? I think that mine are.....they come to the glass when I go up to it!LOL They dont do that for anyone else!

 

[Allivymar]

LOL by 5 mins madasafish LOL good to see were on the same page

Hey ADCISCO? Tell your bro he is expected to come back to WV every 2 weeks to do water changes *grin*

Also, I hate to say it, but those vases with the plants n Bettas? Ugh. The Bettas do NOT eat the plants; I strongly suggest upping those feedings. And if they told you you wouldn't have to do water changes cause the plant will take care of it? They lied. Lastly, temp changes are really hard on Bettas. They really need a heater, which is near impossible to accomplish in a vase. Definitely take a peek here: http://freshaquarium.about.com/library/qa/blqa2061.htm . It explains it much better the I do LOL

Heh, and yeah its easy to spoil your fish...my fat piggies are a prime example. I stopped feeding them twice a day cause they all looked like they needed Jenny Craig LOL And I'm not surprised they know you...I think fish are brighter then they are given credit for. I normally feed my guys; when I come up to the tank the start looking for food to fall to the bottom. Hubby feeds em snails from the snail tank. When they see HIM come to the tank, they gather up at the top (he makes em jump a little to get to the snails ). How the hell they can tell the diff is beyond me, but I see it in action.

 

[madasafish]

Sorry--off topic...

Yo, Allivymar, what's the deal with the new, ALIvymar on the site? Have you seen this new person??? Is this an alter ego? A sister/brother? An unrelated person?

Very strange...

 

[Allivymar]

Heh tis me...I mucked up my email addy. Went to change it and messed it up, and of course it sent the new confirmation to the messed up non-existant addy and I couldn't access it LOL I actually had to join AGAIN so I could leave a msg for fishfreek and reefrunner to help me.

*bows* Mistakes like that take true talent *grin*

 

[ADCISCO]

I know bettas wont eat the plant.Someone told me that they lived on the stuff that grew on the roots they had two in our office for over a year and they did great. My sister in law has one that she has had over 2 yrs like that. I was told to make sure that there is at least an inch between the bottom of the plant to the water. When the water gets below a certain point I put some more in but I make sure that he has that inch of air space. I read that you can put them in a community tank but you have to watch out for fin nippers. I would do that if I knew that he wouldnt get hurt. He's so pretty that I dont want him to get his little tail nipped! This is my 3rd betta...I had one yrs ago and he didnt last but a few months and this one has already outlasted the last! Maybe he is just stout!

 

[madasafish]

LOL, Ali/Allivymar! Sounds like something I might have done. Glad you're back to your double-l normal self!