Starting Over....sort of...Fallow and QT help needed

[gefilte]

My yellow tang killed everyone else and was promptly returned to the lfs. Before the die-off, my blue regal tang had a little ich, everyone got stressed out because the yellow tang was picking on everyone, etc. I had no QT and was treating in the tank. All I have in the tank now is my bubble tip anemone and some snails and crabs. I am going to let it go fallow for 4+ weeks before I put anything else back in. AND, I have learned my lesson about a QT. If I am going to set up a QT, how do I get it started biologically? I would think I wouldn't want to use any material from the display tank because the ich may still be in there. I was thinking I could set up my QT and get a fish now and QT him while the display was fallow so that when the display was ready, so would the fish.

P.S. Am I correct that you only QT one fish at a time?

 

[jvennitti]

getfilte,

I can't help with the question on using the stuff from your current tank because I only have about 4 months experience. There is an article on QTs that will help some with the setup. Basically, it is a heater, filter, tank, cover, and optional hiding places. I've seen PVC fittings suggested so the fish has a place to hide. From what I read, it does seem like one fish/QT is suggested generally.

I recently set up my 10 gal QT because I got LR and the ammonia spiked. It was not the ideal situation, but I mixed the SW and put her in without cycling. I figured that was better than her in an ammonia-filled tank running between 4.0 and 8.0. I monitored the water to make sure it didn't spike.

Good luck! I hope you get more responses to the other questions. If you haven't already, you could try searching. It seems like someone must have asked a similar question before.

Jeff

 

[SquishyFish]

Do not use anything from your current tank if you have ich. Ich can live dormant, as you apparently know, for about 4 weeks. I have a great article on it that explains its life cycle and the reasoning behind why we handle ich the way we do. Let me know if you would like to read it.

Anyway..if you use items, water, or sand from your current tank you could possibly bring ich into the QT. A q/t can be set up with nothing more than a hob filter and a heater. Paint the back, 2 sides, and the bottom...if you dont it will stress the fish out. Its like living in a house of mirrors. After that..just watch the levels.

Check out this article on setting up a Q/T

http://www.reef-aquarium.net/resources/disease/qt.html

incase your interested...here is the one on ich

http://www.reef-aquarium.net/resources/disease/ich.html