I currently have a 29 gallon display tank FOWLR. I am interested in setting up a quarantine tank to protect my main tank. I was looking at the Eclipse System 12 by Marineland as a quarantine tank. Would this be a good move? Does anyone have any experience with this tank?....Thanks
Quarantine Tank
- Thread starter kmacc99
- Start date
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cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have one that I originall bought to use as my QT. It's not a bad tank, but the lgiht fixture in mine broke. Marineland sent me a new hood. The fixture in that one stopped working. They sent me another hood. Then that one stopped working. I don't know if they ever worked out the light fixture problem, but for a QT tank it's bad.
For less money than the cost of Eclipse you can buy a 10 gallon tank, heater and a hob filter with a biowheel. Throw some eggcrate on top of that and you have all you need.
For less money than the cost of Eclipse you can buy a 10 gallon tank, heater and a hob filter with a biowheel. Throw some eggcrate on top of that and you have all you need.
dskidmore
Aquarium Advice Addict
Light in the QT is useful for observing the fish. Especially if you're treating a problem rather than just doing a precautionary new stock QT. You don't need anything special though, a spare desk lamp will do.
If you do as Cmor suggested and get a HOB filter, that will agitate the water enough without an airstone or powerhead.
If you do as Cmor suggested and get a HOB filter, that will agitate the water enough without an airstone or powerhead.
A simple process would be using a sponge filter and performing 50% water changes daily, which you would need to anyways in treating with most medications. If you don't mind the minimal electrical consumption then an hob filter is even better. Don't forget a heater and if you can, purchase a 20g instead.
Patroklos
Aquarium Advice Freak
Is a quarantine tank really necessary? I honestly have no intention of keeping one, the main tank is time consuming/expensive/a space hog enough as it is!
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ask that question again after your first outbreak of Ich. The larger the tank the more important a QT tank is. This is for QT of the fish for 30 dyas before adding it to the main tank. It is essential as a hospital tank when there is a problem.
It doesn't need to up and running all the time.
It doesn't need to up and running all the time.
Patroklos
Aquarium Advice Freak
I guess it is no big deal to keep a biowheel or sponge filter running off my sump, but while the quarintine tank is running it pretty much doubles tank upkeep duties!
I guess I already took the plunge, no sense in being stingy now.
I guess I already took the plunge, no sense in being stingy now.
dskidmore
Aquarium Advice Addict
30 days of double upkeep, or risk infecting all your previous critters, and having to catch them all or treat in the main tank? Maybe with your first aquisition there's no risk, but with each additional aquisition, your risk goes up.
cmor1701d
Aquarium Advice Addict
The biggest risk is in NOT doing a QT on the first aquisiton (IMO). Stress is the genesis of many dormant diseases is fish. If you can avoid the intorudction of a pathogen into the tank to begin with there is less to worry about later.
Of course I did not do this. I did buy my original livestock from a lfs that ran copper in all his FO tanks. I also was able to reserve fish and pick them up a couple of weeks later, so the lfs pretty much did my qt for me. I did end up with a case of Ich a couple of years ago. I had to tear my tank apart (put all the LR in tubs so I could catch the fish). LESSON LEARNED.
Now I QT everything except coral before it goes in the main tank. Corals get a slightly different treatment but no original water enters my tank. I keep the biowheel in my sump for when I need it. It's like an instant cycle for the QT tank, but I still do daily 20% pwc's for the first week just to be sure.
Of course I did not do this. I did buy my original livestock from a lfs that ran copper in all his FO tanks. I also was able to reserve fish and pick them up a couple of weeks later, so the lfs pretty much did my qt for me. I did end up with a case of Ich a couple of years ago. I had to tear my tank apart (put all the LR in tubs so I could catch the fish). LESSON LEARNED.
Now I QT everything except coral before it goes in the main tank. Corals get a slightly different treatment but no original water enters my tank. I keep the biowheel in my sump for when I need it. It's like an instant cycle for the QT tank, but I still do daily 20% pwc's for the first week just to be sure.
haykay
Aquarium Advice Freak
not QTing is terrible! Much worth the "double duty" as you call it! I put one fish in my dislay without QTing (in the beggining) and it killed all my other fish the plants... Not worth losing all that. get a QT it's a must and a life saver
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