Hospital Tank

[PzIkHo]

So I'm finally getting another 55 to put all the fishes in my 20 gal community.
This means I'm going to finally be able to set up a hospital tank with it's own filter, heater, and lighting system.
I've never set up a hospital tank and I could use all the help I can get. I'm assuming it needs to be cycled, so will my bio media in the filter be enough that I can remove the substrate, or should I leave the substrate in? It should be somewhat sterile, right? Does lighting make a difference? Should I keep the filter running even if I don't have a fish in QT? I have a hundred questions lol

 

[Deep Seven]

Easiest way to do it is to run the filter from your 20g in the 55g tank. When you need to use the QT you can set it up and switch the filter over. Usually best to go bare-bottom for QT. No need for special lighting.

 

[PzIkHo]

So, when you say set it up, that means I should leave the QT tank empty until I need to use it, then fill it up, dechlor, switch the filter and let it run for a while? Or should I leave the same water in there for each time?

 

[Deep Seven]

First option.

When you plan on getting new fish, set up the tank, fill it, dechlor, let it heat up. Maybe do this the day before, then next day test the water, make sure everything's good, bring home the new fish, swap the filter to the QT, and acclimatize the fish.

If you leave it set up full time you run the risk of succumbing to MTS (multiple-tank-syndrome). And you'd also have to worry about feeding the bacteria when there was no fish.

 

[PzIkHo]

hmm, I've never heard of MTS, though it doesn't sound very good =[ I didn't even think about having to keep the media alive, d'oh!

Thanks so much for your help Deep Seven!

 

[Deep Seven]

MTS can be very expensive. It's the compulsive urge to set up more and more aquariums until your house is full of them.

 

[PzIkHo]

Sounds like I got MTS =/ I've bought two 55 gallon tanks in the same month lol

 

[BigJim]

Many of us here "suffer" from MTS. I've got five tanks set up at the moment and three more sitting and daring me to set them up. My wife isn't helping either. I traded some shrimp and plants for two tanks and a stand and she wants to know what I'm going to put in these new tanks.

 

[Coleallensmom]

Having the extra cycled filter also comes in handy when setting up a new tank. I just set up two 20 gal tanks one after another using my (15gal Aquatech) hospital tank filter in tandem with a new filter and each new filter/tank took a week or less to cycle.

 

[PzIkHo]

Awesome! Well thank you guys for all the help. And it's glad to know I'm not the only one =/ Maybe we should start an MTS Support Group thread

 

[BigJim]

Maybe we should start an MTS Support Group thread

I thought that's why we were all here.

 

[PzIkHo]

...good point lol