Advice Needed

[Schgred]

I'm in need of some advice. There is a guy that has a large established reef tank set up that is selling everything in the tank. He has 3 fish that I have been wanting that he is willing to sell at a really good price of about $40. A mating pair of clownfish (one black one orange) and one 6 line wrasse. They are about 2 years old. My issue is that I can't put them in my display tank until I make sure that the brooklynella parasite dies off that killed my first clownfish that I bought.

I have a 10 gallon tank, a heater and a hob filter that I could use as a temporary quarantine tank. It isn't cycled so I'm not sure what to do. Would 10 gallons be ok for those three fish to be quarantined in? Is this even possible? I would have the fish this week some time but wouldn't be able to get them in the display for at least 3-4 weeks. Again is this just not possible or can I pull it off? What needs to be done to either cycle it or keep the water ok?

 

[jeffaquarius]

Set up your 10 gal QT and the 3 would be OK. No need to have sand or LR in QT cause that's what it is for. The HOB filter will gradually build up some good bacteria. Just make sure you do the pwc regularly until your DT is ready. Get a bottle of Nutrafin Cycle to supplement QT with bacteria.

 

[Ingy]

Set up your 10 gal QT and the 3 would be OK. No need to have sand or LR in QT cause that's what it is for. The HOB filter will gradually build up some good bacteria. Just make sure you do the pwc regularly until your DT is ready. Get a bottle of Nutrafin Cycle to supplement QT with bacteria.

+1

As much as I'm against bottled bacteria starter, this is a perfect case where it will help.

 

[Schgred]

Ok. A few questions then:

1. What filter media should be used with the HOB filter? I don't have the bio wheel that originally came with it. Should I buy a new one?

2. How often should water changes be done?

3. Do I just use the bacterial additive once or a few times?

4. How long is too long to keep that many fish in a 10 gallon tank?

Thanks for the help!

 

[IslandHopper]

Ok. A few questions then:

1. What filter media should be used with the HOB filter? I don't have the bio wheel that originally came with it. Should I buy a new one?

2. How often should water changes be done?

3. Do I just use the bacterial additive once or a few times?

4. How long is too long to keep that many fish in a 10 gallon tank?

Thanks for the help!

1... some sponge or floss would do just fine for that setup (remember, this is just temporary and you'll be putting in the extra effort to keep it clean during this temporary stage!

2... 10 gallon non-cycled system? ... I'd probably do 2 gallons every day.

3... just once should seed the sponge/floss/whatever you put in the HOB... or maybe put half the bottle in when you first set it up, and then add another ounce or so with each daily water change until it's gone?... No set rules for this stuff, just do what seems right.

4... As long as you keep the water clean, they could live there forever... but it's probably a little smaller than they would really be comfortable with, and would result in a shortened lifespan from that minor stress over LONG periods... But I don't see any problem with the 4 weeks you have planned.

 

[IslandHopper]

Oh... If you have a CLEAN rock (or some other type of structure) around (not from the DT you've got a parasite in)... you might consider giving the wrasse something he can hide in/behind in the event the Clowns want to get territorial in that small space.