QT tank setup.

[reefbound]

Hello all, now that my 75gal tank seems to be supporting life and has cycled I want to start adding more fish to keep our clown fish company.I went and bought a 10 gal QT tank, Millennium 1000 wet/dry filter and I have a 200 watt heater to keep those fluctuations in check...anyway how should I set this up because its only needed for fish right? as inverts arent susceptible to fish disease right??? Should I use water from main tank or mix new?Should I lower the sp g or keep it at the main tank level? oh so many questions ....

Edit: (All living in the 75 gal)
I have an Ocellaris Clown fish (3 1/2 weeks old, 1"1/2 long)
5 peppermint shrimp
4 emerald crabs
20 blueleg hermits
20scarlet hermits
5 nasssarius snails
20 astrea snails
1 coral banded shrimp

 

[Brodie]

I wouldn't add anything else. You have an enormous amount of creatures in your tank. If anything, I would thin that down significantly, or you're going to have big problems.

 

[reefbound]

I wouldn't add anything else. You have an enormous amount of creatures in your tank. If anything, I would thin that down significantly, or you're going to have big problems.

Just so you know, All those critters are in a 75 gal tank with 90lbs of liverock and a 15gal refuge/5gal sump...not in a 10gal tank...Thats going to be the hospital tank if you will...

 

[Brodie]

Ah..that would make much more sense. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. With a QT tank, it really depends on what method you want to use, hyposalinity (lower salinity), or a copper treatment. What method are you planning for a qt?

 

[reefbound]

Ah..that would make much more sense. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. With a QT tank, it really depends on what method you want to use, hyposalinity (lower salinity), or a copper treatment. What method are you planning for a qt?

Thats ok,I should have been more clear (i have since used the edit button)
anyway I not sure what would be best,This is my first marine aquarium and Im not sure...I would like to QT all the fish I purchase as to limit possible infections to the main tank.

 

[Brenden]

QT'ing all your fish prior to intro to the main is the way to go. I keep some base rock in my QT so the tank is always seeded. When I do not have fish in it I feed the tank. I also throw a poly filter in my main a week before I plan on getting fish to add additional bacteria. Poly filters and Pura filters work great for keeping the bad stuff out of your water. If you treat with copper etc I would remove any rock etc that is in the QT as it will be ruined once it has "medicine" in it. I keep a 30 gallon trash can of water mixed constantly for water changes in the QT. I have never had to treat anything other than using hypo. HTH

 

[reefbound]

my plan is to QT all incoming fish, How long should the QT tank be running before its used? I can use some water from the main tank and put a piece of liverock in there too,I have a filter pad from my trickle filter soaking in the sump that I could use to seed the Millennium 1000 wet/dry filter do you think this will work? thats my plan anyway. and should the specific gravity be lowered or kept the same as the main?

 

[dorian965]

like brodie said, depends on the method you use to treat. i would go the same as the main tank so you can cut down on aclimation between the two. you can also pull the rock out and lower your salinity to "hypo" if need be without much trouble.

 

[fishman]

The only problem with putting LR in the QT is that IF you have to pull out the LR to do hypo or even copper, your pulling out the bacteria base and then the levels will tend to spike on you...happened to me at least. I still battle with keeping a QT...I use PVC pipe and let the bacteria grow on there. Bu then again I have found if you keep filters of any sort in a QT, the levels tend to rise as well. Cant seem to find a method that works for me...please send me more info as well as the original poster if someone doesnt mind.