Quarantine Tank For Fluval Flex

[vanhallyn]

We are in the process of setting up our Fluval Flex 32.5 reef tank. We would like to have a separate tank running for quarantine and sick bay as we get to the point of adding inhabitants. Looking for guidance on how to do this and what is required for a successful, basic quarantine tank. Ideally would love to not have to spend a fortune on an entirely new saltwater system, but I'm not sure what other way to do it. What are you using for quarantine tanks? What do you have set up for it? Filter and heater? Top of the line lighting vs basic? Do you need a skimmer? Not new to aquariums but newish to reef tanks. Ran a 90 gallon "reef" (mostly fish only with a few soft, hardy corals) but it was over 10yrs ago and I forgot how much I've forgotten in that timeframe. I did not have a quarantine tank back then, so the idea of one is new to us.

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

I'm a big believer in QT'ing fish, and indeed anything "wet"

R2R has a sub-forum for fish disease, treatment, and QT, as well as a Fish Medic team to help:
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/fish-disease-treatment-and-diagnosis.771/
A QT tank need not be expensive or elaborate. For your sized display tank, I think a 10 gallon QT tank would suffice. You can get a 10 gallon standard tank from PetCo when they do their half off sale for about 12 bucks American. You'd need at least a decent heater, ideally on a controller to prevent a malfunctioning heater from over heating the tank, but I just use inexpensive haters in my QT tanks. I like the Marina brand heaters for this; inexpensive, and work well for me without an additional controller.

Some rely on water changes to mitigate ammonia, but I'd rather have a mature bio filter on my tanks. I like to use Hang On Back filters, specifically the Hagan/Fluval AquaClears. I like to keep some plastic bio media in my display tank(s) in case I ever have to quickly setup a QT tank. I like to use plastic kitchen pot scrubbies from my local doallar store as bio media, keep a couple in your main tank for a couple months, and they'll be well matured to run your QT tank. You can safely reused plastic bio media after dosing medication like copper, but I just pitch the kitchen scrubbies once the QT is over.

Sponge filters are another great biofilter for a QT tank; place the sponge in your display tank for 4 to 8 weeks, and it should be well populated with nitrifying bacteria.

A fish QT tank does not need to be lit, and indeed not having a light may reduce stress on the fish while in QT, with the exception that it's helpful to be able to turn on a light to observe the fish for signs of illness. A simple, basic freshwater light strip is fine for this, no need for expensive reef-capable lighting here

You'll need to offer you fish some hiding spaces to feel secure. Again, plastic is favored here, with PVC plumbing fittings often used; they won't react with medication often used to QT fish, like rock will.

This is the R2R fish QT protocol with more information on how to setup a QT tank. I prefer this paradigm to others because if you ned help, the author(s) of this thread are right here on R2R if you need them. Certainly, please post back if you have further questions

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/current-quarantine-protocol.825055/
#fishmedics

I hope this helps and good luck!

 

[JumboShrimp]

Nowadays I mostly used a cycled Innovative Marine 15 gallon All-In-One for one or two fish at a time (with an egg-crate grate as a divider when needed).

 

[vanhallyn]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

I'm a big believer in QT'ing fish, and indeed anything "wet"

R2R has a sub-forum for fish disease, treatment, and QT, as well as a Fish Medic team to help:
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/fish-disease-treatment-and-diagnosis.771/
A QT tank need not be expensive or elaborate. For your sized display tank, I think a 10 gallon QT tank would suffice. You can get a 10 gallon standard tank from PetCo when they do their half off sale for about 12 bucks American. You'd need at least a decent heater, ideally on a controller to prevent a malfunctioning heater from over heating the tank, but I just use inexpensive haters in my QT tanks. I like the Marina brand heaters for this; inexpensive, and work well for me without an additional controller.

Some rely on water changes to mitigate ammonia, but I'd rather have a mature bio filter on my tanks. I like to use Hang On Back filters, specifically the Hagan/Fluval AquaClears. I like to keep some plastic bio media in my display tank(s) in chase I ever have to quickly setup a QT tank. I like to use plastic kitchen pot scrubbies from my local doallar store as bio media, keep a couple in your main tank for a couple months, and they'll be well matured to run your QT tank. You can safely reused plastic bio media after dosing medication like copper, but I just pitch the kitchen scrubbies once the QT is over.

A fish QT tank does not need to be lit, and indeed no light may reduce stress on the fish while in QT, with the exception that it's helpful to be able to turn on a light to observe the fish for signs of illness. A simple, basic freshwater light strip is fine for this, no need for expensive reef-capable lighting here

You'll need to offer you fish some hiding spaces to feel secure. Again, plastic is favored here, with PVC plumbing fittings often used; they won't react with medication often used to QT fish.

This is the R2R fish QT protocol with more information on how to setup a QT tank. I prefer this paradigm to others because if you ned help, the author(s) of this thread are right here on R2R if you need them. Certainly, please post back if you have further questions

#fishmedi#fishmedicck!

Thank you so much! Very helpful information

 

[vanhallyn]

Nowadays I mostly used a cycled Innovative Marine 15 gallon All-In-One for one or two fish at a time (with an egg-crate grate as a divider when needed.

Smart! I like it, thank you!

 

[JumboShrimp]

 

[winxp_man]

I will copy and past a post of mine from another thread about setting up a QT tank. But wild ask if you have picture and videos under bright white lights to post. And are you sure it’s ich and flukes? Or is this a guess on your end?




Paste:

I would recommend you get a system to properly QT fish from here on out.

Petco has great deals if you’re state side. They have 20 long tanks on sale all the time. If you order online and pickup in store you can get an extra 10% off. With that said a 20long is the perfect tank if you have room to set it up.

For HOB (hang on back) Filter I use the Fluval AC50. It comes with a few things to it. I only use the bio sponge that comes with it. The rest is media and other filtration stuff that is not needed for a QT tank.

For more clear water and to help reduce algae bloom or bacterial blooms once the tank is set up. I use Aqua Top Intank UV. 7watt version works for the 20 long tank. The super nice extra benefit is it create great surface agitation for gas exchange to take place and get plenty of o2 in the tank water.

For heaters I have been using Ti heater for about 1.5 years now. Prior I have done the glass versions. But no longer. The most accurate heater I have to date is a IM Hilos controller and Finnex Ti heater. But there way cheaper system that can work. The Finnex with the built in controller is a bit cheaper and has a build in fail said for over heating from what I recall.

Light, as long as you can get something with bright white lights you’re good to go. And I tend to limit lights to 6 hours for fish in QT.

Bacteria I like to use turbo start 900. Give is a few days before turning on the UV. Like the Aqua Top in tank UV because it has a UV light turnoff separate from the filter pump. So it can be used to again creat surface agitation. Since you’re at an emergency stage…. I would do water changes ever day after the first two three days. This will keep ammonia down while beneficial bacteria catches on to the HOB sponge and other surfaces it can. I actually started to do Genesis rock in my QT systems for. It does not absorb any copper.

Edit for water change clarification. If there are more fish ammonia will build up pretty quick. So so after day two I start water changes and dose bacteria as needed. It can be tricky, keep an eye out for bacterial bloom though. If you see a bacterial bloom I would turn on the UV. Play the game between UV off and on as needed based upon water clarity. BUT for alway leave the UV filter part on for O2.

Get copper power or copper safe.

For the fish some large 2-3” PVC fittings. Gives them hiding spots and less stress on the fish.


Edit: additional in depth info.
Here is a picture of my setup that has been ongoing for a year now. I’m always getting a fish or QTing for friends. So this tank is always in ready to host fish as any given time. After bacteria gets going ammonia takes a while to get going. BUT!!!…. Still run WC, reason is water quality. It end up getting gunky even without ammonia present. P04 and such from feeding. Remember there is no CUC to maintain a clean tank.

The HOB also only does so much before needing a sponge rinse. I rinse the bio sponge in a bucket that is taken out for WC. The water in the bucket will not be as dirty as the bio sponge trust me haha. In a 20 long I fill the tank with Home Depot buckets that are lakebed with gallons. The 5 gal bucket. That way for WC I know I’m taking out 5, 8, 10 gallons or whatever it is. And I know how much to put back. And dose copper for the exact amount I took out and put back in for the WC.

So with a bucket that had gallon increments I put in 15 gallons exactly in a 20 long tank. Then mark the water line and with a permanent marker I write down 15 gallons empty tank. Then I put in the heater the in tank UV, and HOB and fill it up. Then mark another like and write filter, uv and heart line. This way I don’t have to measure water to put back into the tank. It’s pre measured when I took it out and all I have to do is use a hose to pump water into the tank to the filter, uv and heater line I marked.

You can see my marks on my tank. And this had yet to let me know measurement wise. You will be able to dose whatever medication you need without fear of over dosing because you know the exact amount of water you have all the time. Also it gives you a nice system to top off for water evap with rodi.

As for media, I have done dual Fluval AC50 filters and find it enough for more fish, and this is also to a limit. But more recently as I stated above, I started doing Polyplab Genesis Rock and once it catches on that bacteria really works wonders.

This system I posted here, has yet to fail me! O2 is in abundance! I have a o2 meter, yes I check it haha, or rather used to. Now I just trust it. I don’t have to use extra aeration devices, and minimal salt creep compared to a bubbler aeration device. Best part for me no bubbles flying all ver the place. Have tried a million devices in QT tanks and this is it for me.

Now you’re ready for prazi, copper and whatever else is needed. Alway have copper power, or copper safe on hand if you buy fish here and there to get a QT going. Prazi (my personal favorite is the pure form), Kanaplex, Neoplex, Metroplex. And quality pellet food. For tangs I like the spectrum wafers before I don’t have to feed nori. The spectrum wafers are almost as good as nori. I feed it to all my tangs and angles. I know it’s good because they poop just like if they eat nori. Which is not the hard log poop from eating pellets only.

 

[winxp_man]

To make sure it’s understood, I only run the UV to help take care of bacterial blooms or algae blooms. Keeping water as clean as you can is what you want to do.


I don’t run it to kill off diseases. It’s why the fish are in QT with copper power.