Setting up Quarantine Tank

[HeatherW]

So I have made the plunge... I actually bought a tank that I don't plan on using all the time!!

I just got me a 14 gallon kit - Aqueon.
14 gallon (20L x 10.5w x 16.5H)
came with hood that has 2 15w T10 120v bulbs
heater
filter - aqueon power filter (not sure if it is a CA10 or CA20) I will have to go to the store and see if I can figure this one out

so I have started my fishless cycle to get this tank ready so I can buy me some more fish to replace my losses. I have learned my lesson and hopefully we won't have to be dosing that 90 gallon tank too often.

I have several questions about how I am supposed to do this tank.
- what should I dose the ammonia to? do I still do 4.0ppm even though it is just a hospital / new aquisitions tank?
- after this tank is all set up and all my additions are in there how do I maintain it? I know this won't be for a while since I have lots of planning ahead of me.
- also, can I go ahead and put plants and stuff in here. I understand everything may not survive with meds and stuff, but I was thinking of doing some java moss and maybe some floating or planted anacharis. I have those in my 90 gallon and so far so good. also maybe a java fern. or is it advised to just not have much in here at all?

here is my future purchasing list:
3 rainbows - probably bosemani (currently have 2 bosemani and 1 turquoise in my 90 gallon and want to add to my school / friends)

so I should keep these three guys in here for 3-4 weeks? do I have this right? they will be ok in there for that long? I know this is a small tank for them

after the rainbows are moved over, I want to add another molly to the 90 gallon and 2 platy to the 20 gallon. and possibly a set of 3 platy to the 90 gallon.
so then could I do the molly and a set of 2 platy - move them and then the last set of 3 platy?
I don't want to stress out my fish while I am making sure they are bug free.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

So I have made the plunge... I actually bought a tank that I don't plan on using all the time!!

I just got me a 14 gallon kit - Aqueon.
14 gallon (20L x 10.5w x 16.5H)
came with hood that has 2 15w T10 120v bulbs
heater
filter - aqueon power filter (not sure if it is a CA10 or CA20) I will have to go to the store and see if I can figure this one out

so I have started my fishless cycle to get this tank ready so I can buy me some more fish to replace my losses. I have learned my lesson and hopefully we won't have to be dosing that 90 gallon tank too often.

I have several questions about how I am supposed to do this tank.
- what should I dose the ammonia to? do I still do 4.0ppm even though it is just a hospital / new aquisitions tank?
- after this tank is all set up and all my additions are in there how do I maintain it? I know this won't be for a while since I have lots of planning ahead of me.
- also, can I go ahead and put plants and stuff in here. I understand everything may not survive with meds and stuff, but I was thinking of doing some java moss and maybe some floating or planted anacharis. I have those in my 90 gallon and so far so good. also maybe a java fern. or is it advised to just not have much in here at all?

here is my future purchasing list:
3 rainbows - probably bosemani (currently have 2 bosemani and 1 turquoise in my 90 gallon and want to add to my school / friends)

so I should keep these three guys in here for 3-4 weeks? do I have this right? they will be ok in there for that long? I know this is a small tank for them

after the rainbows are moved over, I want to add another molly to the 90 gallon and 2 platy to the 20 gallon. and possibly a set of 3 platy to the 90 gallon.
so then could I do the molly and a set of 2 platy - move them and then the last set of 3 platy?
I don't want to stress out my fish while I am making sure they are bug free.

What you can do is run the filter on an established tank for 2-4 weeks to seed them move it over to the QT. That's I what I do or I just steal some biomedia from a canister.
You can run the tank all the time by dosing ammonia or (after cleaning) move the filter back to an established tank to keep it cycled.
IMO a QT should be bare bottom with some plastic plant and a cave. Easy to clean and nothing to kill with medications.
I quarantine for 2 weeks. Sometimes 4 if I don't trust where I got them.

 

[HeatherW]

2 weeks - sounds good. I was thinking of doing it just a little longer since I started having problems right at the 2 week point
I have some extra filter media from my angelsplus filter I got to cycle my other tanks so that is what I am using now. so after I am done using it I guess i could just stick the filter in the 90 gallon and keep it there until I need it again.
which way is easier? moving that filter in and out of the 90 won't mess with my 90 cycle will it?
I have a rock and 2 small plastic plants that I was going to throw in there... just thought about taking a clipping off of my anacharis and trying it out in the QT as well. maybe I will just leave it alone in the 90 gallon for now

thanks!

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I prefer to move the filter back and forth. It won't mess with the cycle IME. Make sure if there is something contagious in the QT that you disinfect the filter housing and replace the media before moving to the main tank to seed again.

 

[jlk]

I keep a 20g going as a qt right now. Theres pfs sand on the bottom & I use it to grow plants/qt plants, too. I 'try' to dose it with 4ppm ammonia when I remember to do so- it works out to be 2 or 3x a week & I have never had an issue keeping it cycled (5 days is the longest ive gone without dosing so far...). With the issues your having with the latest group of fish, I would really qt for atleast 3wks- longer would be better but this will be your call. Hope this helps!

 

[librarygirl]

The easiest thing would probably be to run the new filter on your established tank for a few weeks; it's less hassle than a fishless cycle. Then move the filter over to the QT tank when you're ready for your fish. I have a couple of spare tanks (a 5.5 gal I use for QT if needed and a spare 20 gal from when I upgraded) but I don't run them all the time. I have extra filter media in my filters so if I need to temporarily house some fish in a QT I can just pull media from one of my filters on my community tank.