quarantine tank and new tank questions

[wildroseofky]

I plan on setting up a 29 gallon tank and using my 10 gallon tank as a quarantine tank. When I set the 29 gallon up, I am going to transfer some of the plants, some of the gravel, and the other assorted decorations from the 10 gallon into the 20 g. My current filter has a sponge and a filter pack of carbon and fiber. Instead of moving the current filter into the 29 g can I just move one or the other of the filter media into the new filter which will be the same brand just larger? I want to keep the 10 g cycled but I want to make sure my bacteria gets off to a good start in the 20 g. Do I need a light for the quarantine tank or will the room light be enough? I have a plant grow light over my 10 g and the 29 g is going in the same place. Just wondering if I really needed extra light on a quarantine tank. It gets indirect light from a window in my room. Do I need to put any of the 10 g water into the new tank or can I start with fresh changed water? I have 2 mollies and 4 ghost shrimp to move and wondered if the stress of moving them would be lessened if I just took half the water from the 10 g and added it to the 29 g.

I plan on getting some other fish and the species I am looking at say they need 6 or more of them to feel secure. If I buy 6 of them, such as khuli loaches, and put them in the quarantine tank for 4 to 6 weeks, then add them to the main tank two at a time over a period of 3-4 weeks, is that okay? I read on here that you need to add new fish slowly to allow the bacteria a chance to compensate but if they need to be in a school will they be okay in pairs for awhile?

I have so much to learn.

Oh, I guess I should add that I am going to use sand in the 29 g with gravel around the fake plants to anchor them. Or maybe build a barrier out of rocks and put the gravel in the center of the tank and the sand around the perimeter. Still working on the decorating.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

The filter itself doesn't need to move over the media is what needs to move over. If you move only some of it over to the 29 you'll still need to cycle it but it will speed things up because youve added bacteria in the media. The 10 gallon won't stay cycled without a ammonia source for ever, eventually it will die off. What i do is move media over from one tank to the other when I need a hospital or quarantine tank.

 

[Rivercats]

Using water from the 10g in the larger tank won't help any in cycling since there is very little BB in the water column. Listen to Andrew about the filter media. Also with small fish like the Kuhli loaches you could move all 6 over at the same time after quarantine since they have a small bio-load especially if they are little. After add them just monitor your ammonia and nitrites and do WC's if you have a spike in either one.

 

[wildroseofky]

Thanks for your help. Another question, should I add any treatments to the QT tank like wormers or such? I have been researching and some say to treat as a precaution others say no. What are your thoughts on this? I have seen various products that say to use as a precaution on new fish. Many years ago I used to keep fish and lost them to ick. Anything to prevent this?

 

[Rivercats]

I've never used anything but I also never keep a substrate in my QT tanks.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

I totally agree, I've never used anything till the show some kind of symptom.