Hospital Tank

[MarkW19]

Can anyone tell me if this idea is ok...

I want to set up a QT/hospital tank.

My display tank is a 35L nano, with 7.5k liverock and a small internal filter. I intend getting a second identical small filter which is kept in the main tank most of the time for supplementary filtration and waterflow. Then, when I want to use the QT/hospital tank (which will be a 25L tank), I'll remove the 2nd filter from my main tank (it will have been in there for 2-4 weeks) and put it in the QT. I won't bother with sand or lights, but I'll put a couple of pipes in there for shelter etc., and I'll put a lid on it (and a heater of course).

Does all this sound ok?

What I'd then like to know is, if I treat my QT with Copper or other meds, can I dispose of the filter media in the filter, rinse it with RO water, and then just put it back in the main tank with new media in it? How do I fully get rid of the copper in the filter plastic so that it won't harm my display tank when it's put back in?

Thanks for any help.

[Sadielynn]

Originally Posted by MarkW19

Can anyone tell me if this idea is ok...

I want to set up a QT/hospital tank.

My display tank is a 35L nano, with 7.5k liverock and a small internal filter. I intend getting a second identical small filter which is kept in the main tank most of the time for supplementary filtration and waterflow. Then, when I want to use the QT/hospital tank (which will be a 25L tank), I'll remove the 2nd filter from my main tank (it will have been in there for 2-4 weeks) and put it in the QT. I won't bother with sand or lights, but I'll put a couple of pipes in there for shelter etc., and I'll put a lid on it (and a heater of course).

Does all this sound ok?

What I'd then like to know is, if I treat my QT with Copper or other meds, can I dispose of the filter media in the filter, rinse it with RO water, and then just put it back in the main tank with new media in it? How do I fully get rid of the copper in the filter plastic so that it won't harm my display tank when it's put back in?

Thanks for any help.

I would not cross any equipment from a hospital/QT tank . There are too many things that can be crossed such as brook , ich , black ich , parisites, and other pests ... I would say that once it is used as a QT or hosp then it is for that use only ... if you plan on copper or other meds it is better to keep them seprate....it is also qood to have a back up to the hosp QT if you plan on QT corals or inverts that will NOT have meds or copper exposed to them

[MarkW19]

OK, cool. I'll keep the 2nd filter just for the QT then. How long would you seen the small filter for in the main tank before it'll be good for the 25L? Would 2 weeks be ok?

I need some more waterflow in my main tank anyway, so I'll get a 3rd filter to use in that permanently, so I'll then have 2 small filters in my main tank (for extra filtration and mainly waterflow, as an alternative to a powerhead). Then, when I want to use the OTHER filter in my hospital tank, I'll just transfer across the media from my display tank into the other filter, and maybe do a PWC, putting some water from my display tank into the hospital. Then I'll just replace the media in my display tank with brand new PURA pads.

Sound good?

Is 25L (6G) big enough for a QT/hospital tank by the way?

[Sadielynn]

Are you asking about "seeding" ? If so you can use it to seed however the carbon will filter and become used and useless for the QT ... The way I would do it before I used it as a hospital tank would be to take water from a water change and use that ... Then I would continue to "feed" the bacteria with some flake food or such ..... You can use a sponge insert for filters to also colonize bacteria on ...not sure if you have acess to that in the UK or not , we get those from Drsfoster and smith in our filter refill paks ...

[cmor1701d]

If you are only moving filter media like a sponge then that's fine. As Sadielynn said, the carbon would be used up. You probably don't want to use carbon in a hospital tank anyway as it would remove most meds.

If you get Ich then I would try a hyposalinity treatment before anything else. Bacterial infections can usually be helped by frequent water changes in a QT/hosptital tank.

I learned the hard way many years ago in FW there is usually no need to buy expensive drugs and chemicals to treat our livestock. Pristine water conditions, kept that way with daily 10% - 20% water changes are usually enough to help the fish recover.

Years ago I came down with the flu and the doctor gave me three prescriptions. As the pharmacist was giving me my meds I asked him if these were really going to help. His replay was "Take these as directed, stay in bed, drink plenty of fluids and in 10 days you'll be better. Or, you could jsut stay in bed and drink plenty of fluids and in 10 days you'll be better!"

[MarkW19]

Cool, thanks guys. I will try hypo before meds if I can, I just don't have the time to do waterchanges every day, or even every couple of days.

I'll just move the filter pads across when needed, not the carbon.