Going to set up my first QT tank

[newaridiar]

After I move back to my dorm and make sure my ten gallon is settled (babies and loach taken to the LFS and tank in good condition) I want to add some new fish (most likely one of the varieties of "blue-eyes" rainbowfish), and being sick of always having to treat my whole tank for ICH, I want to set up a QT tank.

Right now I think I will get either a plain 2.5 or 5 gal glass aquarium using a small air pump (which I already have) with a sponge filter OR get a MiniBowl, Eclipse or similar set-up. Which do you guys think I should get?

AND
should this tank be cycled before I get any new fish? (I'm planing on getting some Ghost Shrimp for my 10 gallon, should I use these to cycle it?)
Should it be bare or have substrate? Should I keep a live plant in it?

TIA

**edit** I broke down and decided to put an avatar up

 

[cginflorida]

If you have the space, think about getting a 10 gal as your QT tank, that way your fish will have more room, and you can get more at one time. If you have to stick with the smaller tank, I think it's just up to you which kind you like better.

Fishless cycling is definitely the way to go. I've never had ghost shrimp, so I don't know about using them for cycling. It seems they'd be put under the same kind of stress with ammonia and nitrites, though.

I wouldn't put down any substrate because if you bring home any disease and have to disinfect the tank, you don't want to have to deal with gravel. My 10 gal QT just has 3 decorations for hiding places and some plastic plants. I wouldn't bother with live plants in a QT, but that's just my opinion.

Good luck.

 

[newaridiar]

Cost is my main reason for not getting a ten gallon, that and I only plan on adding about 3 more fish and ghost shrimp, then MAYBE seeing if I can find a nice healthy betta to take over the QT tank.

Also I live on campus and they have a rule of ten gallons per person (getting around that by keeping the ten gal in my b/f's room down the hall, where I'll be spending most of my time anyway)