Benefits of a QT!

[Frogspawn]

OK,

i have been reading through some of the threads and i am seeing that more then a few people dont QT... WOW! Either you guys are some of the luckiest people i know or just have more money then you know what to do with

IMO QT is a MUST DO! Its not hard people! and its a good habbit to have just like washing your hands after well.... you know what.

Its very easy to set-up a QT. theres no need for it to be up and running 24-7 like some people seem to think. also some people think you should wait for a cycle.. its simply not true! at-least IMO.

heres a cheap QT

10g Petsmart tank 10-15$
50w Heater
Cheap power head for water circulation.
and 2-inch "T" plumbing fitting.
Optional- Hood with a Light

No need for filter!

there might be 25$ in that set-up above. Not to mention this 25$ can save you 100's of dollars if not more.

Directions.
1. Set up QT 2 Days before the big purchase
2. make the temp, SG, and PH match the main display.. Not to hard.
3. Float the Fish or coral in Bag for temp.
4. Drip Acclimate for PH, and SG in bucket or what-ever you used.
5. Add Fish or coral to QT with the lighting off (causes unneeded stress)
6a. For fish in the QT i dose with Copper for 2 weeks only because it seems kill most forms of parasites such as Ick, white spot... Its nots a cure all, but works well for me.
6b. For Coral i use dips made to rid them of possible bugs then just watch it over the next few weeks. I might need to break out my spare HQI if needed
7. 30% water changes every 3 days..
8. If all seems to look good.. add to main display following steps 3-5


I know people have different ways of QT and by all means this is not the only way to QT. its simply what i do and have done over the past 3 years.

 

[Zer0]

Good post dude. Now we have another thread to link to when we tell people about the importance of QT'ing your livestock before introducing to the main tank.

This post should be stickied imo.

And here's an article on QT'ing from our own database. Just as an add-on to this post,

Quarantine for saltwater fish

 

[melosu58]

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

To me this is the best read on QT your fish. Good post FS. Rep points coming.

 

[Fishqueen13]

Ill be honest, in all my years of FW and SW keeping I have NEVER used a QT tank (close to 20yrs). Even when I lived by the beach and took things straight from the ocean. I have never had any health related issues in any of my tanks, that I can remember. So I guess I am just really lucky.... Besides even tho I am older now and ya should prolly know better, my husband wouldn't let me get another tank, even if it wont be set up all the time, he wouldn't even let me buy a 1gal Betta tank for our son.

 

[logansmomma1228]

Walmart has a 5 gallon kit for 30$. It comes with hood, crappy lights but lights nonetheless, and filter. There might be something else but I think that was it. Oh yeah it has some sample stuff, water conditioner, fish food. Good QT tank IMO. That's what I got anyways. I'm tempted to put fish in it permanently though... lol. I also have thought about decorating it. Would it be bad if I just kept water in it but didn't keep it running all the time? The water won't get all funky will it? It just seems like a PITA to have to empty it and fill it every time you need to QT.

 

[Bloomk]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but why no filter?

 

[nf37]

Hate to contribute to the necro of this thread but I wanted to say something about buying a 5 gallon tank to quarantine.

You REALLY REALLY have to consider what you are going to be putting in quarantine, why you are putting it in quarantine, and how you are going to about quarantining the speciman.

Would you put a tang in a 5 gallon tank to watch for any illness? Don't you think the 5 gallon tank would harm more than help?

Just somethings to think about.

Edit: to answer a question... yes you would have to empty the water after quarantine of an animal, especially if you used any medications. If I was treating a fish for ich or puff eye, I would think it would be a good idea to clean out any infected water.

 

[ShadoeFox]

Wouldn't it kind of depend on the fish size. I've seen some very small tangs, so while my sw qt is now a twenty gal, I think there are common sense factors to consider other than tank size for qt... Though obviously were talking about sort term for a new fish. Medicating existing stock 8am change rules too

 

[David S]

Hate to contribute to the necro of this thread but I wanted to say something about buying a 5 gallon tank to quarantine.

You REALLY REALLY have to consider what you are going to be putting in quarantine, why you are putting it in quarantine, and how you are going to about quarantining the speciman.

Would you put a tang in a 5 gallon tank to watch for any illness? Don't you think the 5 gallon tank would harm more than help?

Just somethings to think about.

Edit: to answer a question... yes you would have to empty the water after quarantine of an animal, especially if you used any medications. If I was treating a fish for ich or puff eye, I would think it would be a good idea to clean out any infected water.

I think a 5 g qt is better than nothing,dont forget lfs have there stock in small display tanks,

 

[Bloomk]

Ok but why does he say not to use a filter on a qt tank?

 

[Gti_Leo]

often times the carbon pulls out medications from the water, which in some ways defeats the purpous of having one.

personally i would setup a QT and i might actually use treated tap water for it, the copper that may be in the water will help kill off any parasites that the fish may be carrying, if thats not enough copper you can always add some more.

 

[Bloomk]

Well, I'm using it for new fish not treating for anything right now.

 

[scottayy]

well a filter is fine i believe
just not with carbon in it if you're adding medicines or something
in fact i keep filter floss in my sump in case i need an emergency qt i will have some cycled meida

 

[Bloomk]

after the fish that died this morning, i think i will be using live rock in my qt tank from now on.. had an unexplained ammonia spike in less than 12 hours..

 

[David S]

promblem is you dont want live rock in a qt which may be used for medicating fish.I would run a filter(just sponge)in your dt and transfer it over to the qt when you need to use the qt,even a used filter sock wil help

 

[Bloomk]

promblem is you dont want live rock in a qt which may be used for medicating fish.I would run a filter(just sponge)in your dt and transfer it over to the qt when you need to use the qt,even a used filter sock wil help

there inlies the problem.. that is exactly what i did, still got a huge amonnia spike and killed my racoon butterflyfish.. Ammonia was 0.25 at 10 PM, by 11 am the next day it was 1-2 ppm.. Only difference between this and the ohter times i have quarantined a fish is lack of live rock/sand.. Nobody can explain why, but most agree, live rock would have slowed down that ammonia spike..

 

[Gti_Leo]

you still have to cycle a QT tank or get a power filter with a bio wheel

when the fish pees and poos it releases polutant into the water so it needs to be broken down

 

[Bloomk]

See, this is why this hobby is sooooo frustrating.. One day people say qt tanks don't need to be cycled, just put water in the tank, set everything up, get the water stable and temp right and add the fish and do water changes... Others say no, you have to let it cycle... Some people say white, some people say black.. !!!!! Frustrating

 

[Gti_Leo]

well you need some wat to break down ammonia into nitratres, so its either you do it chemically or biologically. if ammonia is present your fish will be poisoned and die

 

[Bloomk]

Yea, I know... So my experience says u NEED live rock if you have a small QT... A cycled filter don't do the job