Help me with my Quarantine setup

reefing is my hobby · Mar 30, 2020

I am trying to gather supplies for my quarantine tank. In the picture, you can see that I have a 20gal tank, a 90w heater, and an air pump.
I am purchasing today
a copper Hanna tester w/regents
A sponge filter
Ruby Reef Rally
Ruby Reef Kick-ICH
Copper Power (Endich)
Lots of glass marble for added surface area (suggestion from Dr. Tim in his MACNA lecture on YouTube)

I am today starting the cycle of my tank with Dr.Tims one & only and MicroBater7 and I am hoping that as I cycle the tank I can place the sponge in my sump since it will be copper-free to seed sponge with bacteria when the tank is ready for the first fish and it will help with the quarantine.
I am planning on a clownfish pair for the first two fish, once in the tank I am going to go through a lengthy period of refuge kick start to my copepod/amphipod population and then I will slowly add via quarantine my unitarian fish aka tangs, followed by slowly adding some gobies and wrasses. That is if my lid from Clearview lids is ready hard to say do to this covid-19.
My question for this post is the medications and planning good for the clownfish? I might have to switch to a ttm method and more supplies for tangs but I have lots of time before I am needing supplies to successfully do that. I just wanted to include long term goals for best answers. Should I be ordering different medications to have on hand and ready if needed?

reefing is my hobby · Mar 30, 2020

I want to add the reason why I am not attempting the ttm method right off the start is because of the covid-19

ReefHog · Mar 30, 2020

I'm sure others will reply but not sure kick-ich is needed as the copper will accomplish same thing and more completely. Sponge would need a few weeks in sump to colonize sufficient bacteria. You would be better off just seeding sponge with Tim's. You'll also want to get API General Cure. And a seachem ammonia alert badge for monitoring ammonia.

Big G · Mar 30, 2020

My filtration setup:
Aquaclear HOB. In the HOB the foam pad soaked in my sump for 30 days or so, or soaked with something like BioSpira. Also in the HOB a mesh bag filled with Fluval BioMax or Seachem Matrix, also soaked as above.

Bubble filter. The foam pad soaked same as above.

Very seldom have to do water changes with the above setup other than siphoning the bottom for poo and excess food.

Water circulation is very important when dosing meds. A small powerhead aimed up at the surface actively rippling the water's surface gives tremendous O2 exchange. Meds use O2; important to supplement O2.

artieg1 · Mar 30, 2020

^^^^ definitely get a moderate size powerhead (or two). You want flow to be lively, for lots of O2 exchange. HOB filter is important for ammonia, but does not provide enough flow. Meds will deplete O2. Besides ammonia, oxygen depletion is the biggest threat in a QT.

reefing is my hobby · Mar 30, 2020

I ordered everything listed minus the kick-ich thank you @ReefHog plus got some API general cure. I also found out that Petsmart was open so I grabbed myself a 2nd tank and some Hydrogen Peroxide for ttm method as laid out by Humblefish. I have a spare powerhead already so thank you @Big G . and @artieg1

2000se · Apr 1, 2020

reefing is my hobby said:
I want to add the reason why I am not attempting the ttm method right off the start is because of the covid-19

Can you elaborate on this pls. Not following..

BYU · Apr 1, 2020

2000se said:
Can you elaborate on this pls. Not following..

i was gonna ask the same thing

reefing is my hobby · Apr 1, 2020

The reason for the comment about the ttm method and COVID-19 was because I didn't think PetSmart was going to be open. I didn't want to mail order a second quarantine tank, however, I was wrong they were open which enabled me to get myself a second tank which also makes that statement no longer valid.
Hopefully, that clarifies my madness in my head lol @BYU and @2000se