QT tank separated from DT tank?

[Corapandora96]

Hello!

So, I've read in a few places that your DT and QT tanks need to be in separate rooms due to possible cross contamination. I'm struggling to understand why/how cross contamination would happen just based on proximity to each other. Can someone explain it to me with specifics? I've read everything from aerosolization of "stuff" getting from one tank to the other, to water changes splashing ?? causing issues and that dirty water from one tank should never even be in the same room as the other tank?? I foster medically intensive neonatal kittens so I'm super well educated on cross contamination of diseases from one animal to another. Including airborne and fomite transmissions vs. direct contact, but I was surprised when reading this about aquariums as I didn't think fish diseases could be transmitted airborne. Can they? cause it seems like very fish store everywhere would be totally screwed if that was true. LOL

My current set up has my QT tank on the same stand below my DT. Both tanks have full lids on them, and the QT tank is tucked into the cabinet of the fish stand so it's not positioned in a way that water could fall into the QT tank from the DT. I have completely separate supplies (100%) for both tanks. Separate nets, separate feeding supplies, separate water change buckets, separate air stones, separate water testing supplies, separate air pumps, etc. etc. My RODI station, salt and mixing buckets are in a different room on a different floor of the house. I don't thiiiink I can move my QT tank anywhere else in the house as the only open spot would put it in the tiny bathroom where my RODI area is and that seems like a worse solution. LOL. But, maaaaybe? But I need to understand the why's behind moving it before I can figure out if I can move it somewhere that addresses all the risks.

 

[overhead]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/aerosol-transmission.190292/

 

[Corapandora96]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/aerosol-transmission.190292/

Thanks so much! It's helpful to see the study on it and I couldn't find that post when I searched for some reason. Probably spelled aerosol wrong. LOL Unfortunately I can't get into the full report to try to figure out what their testing parameters were but it's always interesting to see case study results. Any idea if any more recent studies have been done? I noticed the post is from 10 years ago and the study done 20 years ago?

 

[slingfox]

This is a queetion of best vs. best you are willing or able to do. Have a QT system is better than nothing. A QT tank more physically separated from the DT is better than having them right next to each other.

Most LFS don’t do strict fish QT so those aren’t great examples to model after.

 

[overhead]

Thanks so much! It's helpful to see the study on it and I couldn't find that post when I searched for some reason. Probably spelled aerosol wrong. LOL Unfortunately I can't get into the full report to try to figure out what their testing parameters were but it's always interesting to see case study results. Any idea if any more recent studies have been done? I noticed the post is from 10 years ago and the study done 20 years ago?

I did a quick search and found some studies, but I did not dig into them and really I am not qualified to interpret them anyway. Not at all being a smarta$$, but I did a google search for "aerosol transmission of fish disease".

 

[JumboShrimp]

In terms of aerosol transmission risk, I guess, too, that a lot has to due with 'comfort level' as well. I wouldn't necessarily use this tank-spacing for a set of $1,000.00 fish. (But for some Damsels? Lol. And still you would need separate tools/nets, and extreme care.)

 

[Corapandora96]

This is a queetion of best vs. best you are willing or able to do. Have a QT system is better than nothing. A QT tank more physically separated from the DT is better than having them right next to each other.

Most LFS don’t do strict fish QT so those aren’t great examples to model after.

Totally understand. I guess I was trying to see if there was a simple way to try to assess the actual risk versus the theoretical risk. But, at first response, it sounds a bit like I'll have to find and read case studies to figure that part out!

I would definitely not model my QT after an LFS, but that's a good thing to always keep in mind. It's just the logical side of my brain says "if transmission via aerosol was a big risk vs. a possible risk, then LFS's would have been forced to modify their set ups to account for it". But, obviously I also don't have ANY idea how many fish my LFS loses, OR how often their DTs wind up with diseases that very obviously had to have come from one of the "for sale" tanks. So, even that isn't a fully supported logical thought if you "tug on the strings" any! :-)

 

[slingfox]

Totally understand. I guess I was trying to see if there was a simple way to try to assess the actual risk versus the theoretical risk. But, at first response, it sounds a bit like I'll have to find and read case studies to figure that part out!

I would definitely not model my QT after an LFS, but that's a good thing to always keep in mind. It's just the logical side of my brain says "if transmission via aerosol was a big risk vs. a possible risk, then LFS's would have been forced to modify their set ups to account for it". But, obviously I also don't have ANY idea how many fish my LFS loses, OR how often their DTs wind up with diseases that very obviously had to have come from one of the "for sale" tanks. So, even that isn't a fully supported logical thought if you "tug on the strings" any! :-)

You are already far ahead of the average reefer in doing any kind of QT whatsoever. Do whatever you can within the constraints you have and start thinking about what fish you want to add!

 

[Corapandora96]

In terms of aerosol transmission risk, I guess, too, that a lot has to due with 'comfort level' as well. I wouldn't necessarily use this tank-spacing for a set of $1,000.00 fish. (But for some Damsels? Lol. And still you would need separate tools/nets, and extreme care.)

Yeah, I'm understanding that idea now. That the reason people say that they should be in separate rooms is to mitigate any risk of aerosolized transmission of diseases as they have proven that it is absolutely a possibility. Sounds like I'll just have to do more research on it to determine where my comfort level should be!

Yeah, separate everything was a no brainer for me. Putting anything in the QT tank that would then go into the DT tank just didn't make any sense to me. It's like sharing a straw with someone you know may be sick. But reading they should be in totally different rooms and your RODI stuff in a totally different 3rd room definitely threw me off. I guess because mentally it seems like each tank is a (mostly) self contained system otherwise. Sounds like that may not be true though!