QT first fish in planted tank?

[lucylulu]

I'm going to use Aqua Soil for my tank. It says it lets of ammonia to help cycle the tank, so not to add fish for the first 3 weeks. Is there any need to quarantine the first fish in. Could the plants be at any risk?

 

[coralbandit]

The plants would only be at risk if the new fish ended up needing a treatment in the tank with a non plant friendly med...
I add fish to their new homes with plants often. I don't move fish around so once they enter a tank it is like a QT /species specific tank forever...
I would test your tank instead of just relying on 3 weeks to make ammonia go away.. Every tank and water cycles differently.." Silent cycles "[no fish with plants and ammonia] can take a while. Do you have a test kit so you will know when ammonia and nitrite are zero?

 

[BBradbury]

I'm going to use Aqua Soil for my tank. It says it lets of ammonia to help cycle the tank, so not to add fish for the first 3 weeks. Is there any need to quarantine the first fish in. Could the plants be at any risk?

Hello luc...

If you're keeping an extremely clean tank with lots of large, weekly water changes and the new fish appear healthy, I don't think you need to quarantine new fish. You can look at the body, skin, fins, eyes and gills of a fish and tell if it's healthy. If it's active, has good color and no obvious blemishes and there are no dead fish in the tank, then you can be reasonably sure the fish is in good shape. As for your tank, if you keep it maintained very well and your fish are healthy, then the chances of your fish being infected with a pathogen are very remote.

B

 

[lucylulu]

Thank you coralbandit and BBradbury. I didn't know about tanks cycling differently, but that certainly makes sense. I'll be sure to do tests.

Is it still important to do water changes when there are only plants in the tank?

 

[BBradbury]

Tank Cycling

Thank you coralbandit and BBradbury. I didn't know about tanks cycling differently, but that certainly makes sense. I'll be sure to do tests.

Is it still important to do water changes when there are only plants in the tank?

Hello again luc...

Removing and replacing water during the nitrogen cycle is for the benefit of the fish. If you're cycling the tank some other way, then I don't understand the need to change the tank water.

B

 

[lucylulu]

Hello again luc...

Removing and replacing water during the nitrogen cycle is for the benefit of the fish. If you're cycling the tank some other way, then I don't understand the need to change the tank water.

B

Awesome thank you B, I'm so looking forward to getting going on my first setup.