How do you setup your QT Tank?

Just wanted to see how everyone setted up their QT tanks. There's a few things that come to mind as I will be starting my first QT tank.

Do i set this up on the spot when a fish needs it? Or do i have to prepare it in the beginning? If i have to prepare it in the beginning, doesn't that mean I have to feed the tank some source of ammonia to keep the cultivating bacteria alive?

Otherwise, if i have no sick fish, then the QT will run for multiple months with no source of ammonia to keep the cycle going. At the end, this will just cause the tank is recycle once i put my sick fish in the tank, which most likely will kill it if ammonia is high, nitrites are high, and the fish is already sick to begin with.

If setting it up instantly (when a fish needs it), what do you need? I really don't wanna spend moolah on a skimmer/sump/return etc for this QT. Is a heater and LR sufficient or do i need more things?


Thanks!!!

 

Most set them up on the spot. You can use a simple hob filter, heater, maybe an airstone. Lights too (nothing special for fish). Just keep up on water changes.

It's best to start new each time because the sicknesses can contaminate objects and the tank so starting new each time combats this.

Add in some big PVC to give the fish somewhere to hide. I don't use LR becAuse, again, I break it down when done to prevent Sicknesses from hanging around.

Water changes and ammonia testing daily is your friend. Along with a bottle of amquel to neutralize ammonia and nitrite.

Something that I like, that I've just started doing, is buying an extra filter pad for my HOB filter an putting it in my sump. Then when I need to set up the qt I can use a filter pad with live bacteria... Also, I ended up getting one with a biowheel so i threw that in the sump also....

 

I pretty much do what Rog does But I keep a chromis in mine just to keep things going. I do test for ammonia but not as often as my qt tank is established.

 

if i'm doing hyposalinity(1.009 sg) for instance, do i just dump the fish in from my DT to my QT?

or should i be drip acclimating it from 1.025 to 1.009?

 

I just dump. Going the other way is a different story.

Depends on what fish it is. When I was planning on my OSFF, I had a barebottom tank with LR set up for them. With my Blackfoot lionfish I had his display tank set up for him.... he was never officially QT'd, I guess.

These are my views on it. QT tank setups.

 

great link!

 

Very good information.