Permanent QT Tank?

[Roosterjack]

I am pondering setting up a permanent QT tank with a hardy damsel or other fish in it that will keep the biologic filtration going when there are no other residents. I am not looking for thing of beauty but rather a way to actually perform a consistent QT process.

I don't add fish often, but when I do I tend to do so more or less at the spur of the moment. Setting up a tank to QT the new addition spontaneously tends not to happen. I find the same circumstance to be even more trouble when an emergency arises, as even with a bacterial additive the inevitable ammonia spike is the death knell for the poor devil who goes in.

I was thinking a 29g tank, bare bottom, with a couple pieces of live rock in it, and the requisite aeration, heat, and filtration. My questions are:

1. What is a good inhabitant that will be able to soldier through the occasional prophylactic copper regimen (multiple times spread out over perhaps months). It also can't be a bully that is going to go bananas with every new arrival.

2. Should I match the general parameters of my DT, or is there value in running a higher or lower salinity/alk/etc?

Thanks!

 

[Spare time]

Have you thought about using ammonium chloride to keep it going rather than a fish? It is cheap and last a while. This way you don't have to worry about feeding and keeping the fish alive.

As for general parameters, a salinity and temp near your display would probably be best. I don't think there is really any reason to keep it differently other than the possible hyposalinity that some used for certain issues.

 

[zalick]

Following along because I just setup a 20 long for the same reason. Put a couple pieces of rock from my sump and a HOB.

 

[Idoc]

I am pondering setting up a permanent QT tank with a hardy damsel or other fish in it that will keep the biologic filtration going when there are no other residents. I am not looking for thing of beauty but rather a way to actually perform a consistent QT process.

I don't add fish often, but when I do I tend to do so more or less at the spur of the moment. Setting up a tank to QT the new addition spontaneously tends not to happen. I find the same circumstance to be even more trouble when an emergency arises, as even with a bacterial additive the inevitable ammonia spike is the death knell for the poor devil who goes in.

I was thinking a 29g tank, bare bottom, with a couple pieces of live rock in it, and the requisite aeration, heat, and filtration. My questions are:

1. What is a good inhabitant that will be able to soldier through the occasional prophylactic copper regimen (multiple times spread out over perhaps months). It also can't be a bully that is going to go bananas with every new arrival.

2. Should I match the general parameters of my DT, or is there value in running a higher or lower salinity/alk/etc?

Thanks!

I know many people on R2R who run constant quarantine tanks. I don't know if I agree with keeping a fish in it at all times, though. Copper treatments are poisonous...kind of rough to put a fish through that regularly!

But, I think you can actually accomplish the full time quarantine tank without using a fish. The nitrifying bacteria are not going to die once they are established...they may thin out some or go dormant (which is what I suspect occurs), but they will come roaring back as soon as there's an ammonia source present to allow replication. Another way to keep the bacteria going is to put a pinch of food in the tank once a week or so.

Then, when you are ready to add a new fish...just do a big water change to give new saltwater for the incoming new fish! This water change will have minimal, if not zero, impact on your bacterial population! Plus, this allows you to "reset" the salinity to the same level as what the incoming fish is currently living in.

Another thing to consider anyhow... if you maintain a longterm quarantine tank, you need to manage the biofilm within the tank...ie: glass walls, PVC fittings, etc... It has been found that a large biofilm buildup can hinder some of the medications used during treatments. So, you need to "clean" some of these areas regularly anyhow. I keep a sponge in my HOB filter that doesn't get changed so that is the constant in my quarantine tank...If I decide to keep one going for a long time period.

Typically though, I just set up a tank about 3-4 days before a new planned addition...use some BioSpira...and bam, I have no issues with ammonia. But right now...I had to setup a quick hospital tank for an injured fish and have had to change the water a couple of times due to the tank's bacteria not being established...and difficult to get the tank's bacteria established since also dumping in antibiotics at the same time!

As for the salinity...as previously mentioned...it should be reset to the same salinity the fish is used to living in or what is in the "bag" that arrives with the fish. Then during treatments, adjust slowly up to your DT salinity so that transition is easier on the fish. As for alkalinity...I don't bother testing that in a fish only quarantine.

 

[Fastpitch]

I keep a permanent 20 long and 10 gallon at all times. I dont keep fish in it. Just throw in a little food once in a while.

 

[Jay Hemdal]

I am pondering setting up a permanent QT tank with a hardy damsel or other fish in it that will keep the biologic filtration going when there are no other residents. I am not looking for thing of beauty but rather a way to actually perform a consistent QT process.

I don't add fish often, but when I do I tend to do so more or less at the spur of the moment. Setting up a tank to QT the new addition spontaneously tends not to happen. I find the same circumstance to be even more trouble when an emergency arises, as even with a bacterial additive the inevitable ammonia spike is the death knell for the poor devil who goes in.

I was thinking a 29g tank, bare bottom, with a couple pieces of live rock in it, and the requisite aeration, heat, and filtration. My questions are:

1. What is a good inhabitant that will be able to soldier through the occasional prophylactic copper regimen (multiple times spread out over perhaps months). It also can't be a bully that is going to go bananas with every new arrival.

2. Should I match the general parameters of my DT, or is there value in running a higher or lower salinity/alk/etc?

Thanks!

I run all of my QT on a permanent basis. I only sterilize them if they held fish for which I had uncontrolled losses. Otherwise, at the end of a quarantine run, they are just as clean as the fish I moved into various DTs. I will use food to keep their biofilters active. Don't use just ammonium chloride as that can feed the bacteria its main food source, but then they can strip out the micronutirients, and the population can crash. Uneaten food contains everything they need to keep growing.

Jay

 

[nereefpat]

1. What is a good inhabitant that will be able to soldier through the occasional prophylactic copper regimen (multiple times spread out over perhaps months). It also can't be a bully that is going to go bananas with every new arrival.

Maybe a black molly. They are also cheap and expendable.

2. Should I match the general parameters of my DT, or is there value in running a higher or lower salinity/alk/etc?

I would run slightly lower salinity, since water at the fish store and mail order is usually 1.020 s.g. or lower. It makes for an easy acclimation from store/mail to the QT tank.