Quarantine Tank Set Up/Break down

[pyro9097]

Hi There,

I have my main display tank going and everyone seems happy and healthy! I've already had ich once and I've only been in the hobby for like three months. To avoid that (or any other disease) from demolishing my tank (Again) hopefully, I want to set up a QT tank. I was able to secure a 10g from CL that I should be picking up tomorrow.

I have some extra filter material from an old filter cartridge. The filter was sucking up fish/they were getting stuck behind the filter so I removed it but didn't want to lose the BB on the mesh material so ripped it off and added it to my AC30. This is where my question comes in...

I have read on several pages what to do with the filter material that you use in the QT tank. Some suggest tossing it, other suggest re-introducing it into your display tank. My plan is to get some cories this week and QT them for 2 - 3 weeks. If the do not come down with anything, is it okay for me to just keep the new tank running and qt my next fish (Thinking dwarf gourami)? After finishing my QT in about 4-6 weeks can I add the extra filter/material into my main tank for any future quarantining I have to do, or should I toss all material and clean the filter?

As always, thanks in advance for all the help!

 

[Masha]

Subscribing to see what others say

My answers would be - yes, if you have quarantined fish in the tank for 2-3 weeks with no sign of illness, you can keep the Q tank running and introduce the next batch of fish into that same Q tank.

When you are not using the Q tank, put the filter media into your main tank's filter, if it will fit. Then it will be ready use back in the Q tank if ever you need it. Or that's the theory!

 

[ScaryFatKidGT]

Leave the HOB on the main tank until you qt, if everything is good put it back, if not throw away all the filter media and bleach the filter. Then allow bacteria to grow before setting up the qt again.

 

[pyro9097]

Quick update:
Got the stuff from the guy yesterday about noon and had everything cleaned and set up by 1:30. I moved bunch of seeding material over to the qt tank so hopefully it was enough! I then went to the LFS about 7 and picked up 6 cory cats. Labeled as julii but I'm pretty sure they are the false variety.

I think I got quite lucky in terms of getting more than what I paid for. For $15 I got a ten gallon tank, heater, penguin 100 filter with cartridge and some other decorations (tossed those).

Thanks for the replies all!


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