Integrated Quarantine Tank.

[jcarlilesiu]

Hang-on quarantine tank.

Hey everybody. I have been trying to figure out how to install an easy out of the way quarantine for my new 150 gallon cube. The problem is, I really don't have any other space for a small tank. I live in chicago in a small 1 bedroom place, and I have no where else to put a quarantine or store it when not in use.

So I had this idea. I could build an acrylic hang-on quarantine. It would be about 10 gallons, and would hang INSIDE the existing tank. I would extend the acrylic up a few inches above the water line to ensure that no water goes between the main tank and the quarantine. I could keep a couple of filter pads for a small hang-on filter in my sump, and then throw a hang on the back filter on the small quarantine when ever I needed to use it. I wouldn't have to worry about heating it too much since conduction from the main tank would occur through the acrylic sides of the new quarantine.

I could build this about 10 gallons in size. I tried looking online and there were a few acclimation tanks which use this same concept, but aren't quite big enough.

Similar to this, but the sides need to be extended up beyond the hang on section to ensure no water is passed from one tank to another.

Wave2K The Acclimator  - Acclimation Tank

What do you guys think? Please dont suggest a "small" tank, I really only have 900 square feet with 2 adults, a dog, 2 cats, and a 150 gallon tank. We have no more room.

 

[Innovator]

If you don't have room for a completely separate qt tank then there is no point in attempting to qt fish. Having a tank hang on the back, within a system, or in the direct vicinity is just a holding vessel and tempting fate with contamination. IMO it's not worth the time nor the hassle if one cannot be completely separated from your main display.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

If you don't have room for a completely separate qt tank then there is no point in attempting to qt fish. Having a tank hang on the back, within a system, or in the direct vicinity is just a holding vessel and tempting fate with contamination. IMO it's not worth the time nor the hassle if one cannot be completely separated from your main display.

I guess I figured the tempting fate would be more beneficial than just adding new fish directly to the main tank.

I would love to have the oppurtunity to have a tank completely seperate from the main tank, but that just isn't a possibility.

 

[ryshark]

If you don't have room for a completely separate qt tank then there is no point in attempting to qt fish. Having a tank hang on the back, within a system, or in the direct vicinity is just a holding vessel and tempting fate with contamination. IMO it's not worth the time nor the hassle if one cannot be completely separated from your main display.

I agree with Innovator. The only benefit of it would be to allow fish to start eating etc without the stress of other fish. But for preventing disease, it would be useless if they are both connected.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

The quarantine would be completely seperate. It would only share lighting and heat from being in contact with the main tank water, but there would be no connection or flow through them.

 

[Innovator]

The fact that the tank would still be within the direct vicinity, in this case within the tank, is still not recommended and more than likely there will be a contamination of the main display either via parasite/disease or medication to treat them. If you go this route, good luck to you

 

[jcarlilesiu]

Alright. I figure that some risk of doing it this way is still better than not doing a quarantine at all. I am going to design this hang on system and see how it works out.

I understand that most members here are pretty hard line in the recommendations for how a quarantine should be set up, its just important to note that not everybody has that capability.

I am going to design this tank first to try and minimize possible cross contamination as much as possible. I suppose there will always be a level of risk, but trying to minimize the possibility is the goal.

None the less, I still feel that this option is better than no quarantine at all.

 

[austinsdad]

FWIW, I'd agree that it's not the best, but better than throwing a fish directly into the main.

 

[AdamHorton]

Isn't there also some benefit to having something like this even along side a full quarantine setup? For example, if I have aggressive fish in my display already, once I finish QTing a new arrival, I keep it in the in-tank quarantine so it can acclimate and eat without the other fish picking on it? In this setup, I guess the water would be allowed to freely flow between the quarantine and the display tank.

 

[thincat]

Your setup while having an element of risk is better then not having a QT at all. I would suggest that the water level in the QT be kept at least 2", better at 3" below the level of your main tank. Heck, give it a try.

 

[T Dawg]

Hang-on quarantine tank.

Hey everybody. I have been trying to figure out how to install an easy out of the way quarantine for my new 150 gallon cube. The problem is, I really don't have any other space for a small tank. I live in chicago in a small 1 bedroom place, and I have no where else to put a quarantine or store it when not in use.

We keep a small bucket empty and a sponge filter in the aquarium. When we need a QT we dump some tank water into the bucket and move the sponge filter over. If needed the sponge can be ditched.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

We keep a small bucket empty and a sponge filter in the aquarium. When we need a QT we dump some tank water into the bucket and move the sponge filter over. If needed the sponge can be ditched.

Hmm.. I do like the ease of that idea. Plus, I have been using my Coralife salt bucket for routine maintenance and that would be perfect. My only problem is when I acquire coral. I want to get them slowly integrated into my lighting and the hang on system would work better for that.

Plus, I have a cat, and I am not sure how I would feel about a fish in a bucket for a month during the isolation period.

Decisions decisions.