Setting up QT Tank

[ame16]

Hi everyone,

I'm setting up my first quarantine tank while I wait for my DT to arrive, and would appreciate some advice. I picked up an IM 20 Long on FBMP I’ll be using. So far I have:

• IM Nuvo 20 Long
• Eheim Jäger 75W heater
• 3D-printed media tower
• Planning to buy the IM Desktop Media Kit
• Sicce 0.5 return pump
• Cheap hang on filter
• Cheap Hygger wave maker
• RODI
• Salt

A few questions:

1. What's the simplest and most effective filtration setup for this tank? Is the IM Desktop Media Kit and cheap hang on enough, or should I add anything else?
2. Planning on doing bare bottom, no sand. Just seems easier…any appreciable disadvantages to this approach?
3. I received a bunch of dry rock with the tank I plan on using. Simply rinse and add to the tank at my discretion?
4. I want to use Fritz Turbo 900. Is it really as easy as dumping in an ounce then adding fish a few days later?
5. API Master Test Kit fine for now? The saltwater one?
6. Anything else I may be missing?

I’ve been doing tons of reading and research, but I’d appreciate a quick gut check since this will be my first saltwater tank and I’m a bit…overwhelmed. I’m trying to keep this as simple as possible.

 

[KrisReef]

Here's the place to find the information & explainations.

Current Quarantine Protocol

2024 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these...

www.reef2reef.com

DRY ROCK (Aragonite) is no bueno! See post 10 regarding sand or rocks. HTH

 

[ame16]

Here's the place to find the information & explainations.

Current Quarantine Protocol

2024 Quarantine Procedures Jay Hemdal David Scarborough Protozoans (Cryptocaryon/ich, Amyloodinium/velvet) and Metazoan trematodes/flukes are by far the most common parasites found on newly acquired fish. A carefully managed, proactive quarantine process can effectively eliminate these...

www.reef2reef.com

DRY ROCK (Aragonite) is no bueno! See post 10 regarding sand or rocks. HTH

Ahh, thank you! The gentleman kindly gave me some rock with the tank (along with the wave maker and filter), so figured I’d make use. But sounds like it’s not a great idea, so c’est la vie.

Maybe I’ll grab a pound of live rock from my LFS if I decide I want rock in there.

 

[Fish Fan]

Please the thread posted above on how the R2R Fish Medic team advises setting up your QT; no rock at all, it reacts with some of the medications used during the process. You can use PVC plumbing fittings to give the fish a place to hide

 

[KrisReef]

Ahh, thank you! The gentleman kindly gave me some rock with the tank (along with the wave maker and filter), so figured I’d make use. But sounds like it’s not a great idea, so c’est la vie.

Maybe I’ll grab a pound of live rock from my LFS if I decide I want rock in there.

The aragonite (live rock- dead coral) interfers with the copper concentration, so most folks starting a QT don't use "reef rock or reef sand." Bare bottom is easier to keep the copper at theraputic levels.

 

[ame16]

Sorry, forgot to add that I’d transfer the live rock over to the DT long term (I.e. use the live rock to help start the cycle), but point taken.

Ok, so bare bottom is not only fine, it’s probably ideal. Great! Even more simple than I expected. So can I just roll with the media tower with the IM kit(scratch this, includes carbon), HOB filter, turbo 900, test levels (paying particular attention to ammonia/nitrate/nitrite), and roll with that (assuming flow is adequate, which I believe it should be)?

 

[overhead]

I think all of this is covered in the linked article, but an air stone with pump, I used the type that comes with a sponge filter and "seeded" it with bacteria. I was in a different situation, I used very porous filter material that had been in the sump of my DT tank for over a month in my HOB filter, so ammonia was not really an issue. If your plan is to use live rock in the QT and then removing it you are going to have to have something/somewhere for the bacteria to live. Like I mentioned, I used sponge filter on the air stone and 30ppi filter material in the HOB. I could not keep the filter material that came in the HOB because it had carbon in it. I did have a plate of sand in the tank last time because I was Qt'ing a goby. I just had to watch the copper levels to ensure it did not absorb enough to get the levels too low. I still had to do some water changes to keep ammonia down.

My experience ended in an odd way, I did a huge water change (18 gallons in a 20 gallon tank) and likely goofed something up, the fish freaked out and I had to pull them quick. But that was my mistake, either salt was way off or I let some contaminate get in the bin that stored the water.

 

[Michael Hughes]

A QT tank can be really simple. I use a 20g long and my equipment list is as follows:

• Sponge filter (pre-seeded from the DT)
• Bubble wand (came new w/ some yard sale stuff otherwise I'd just use an airstone)
• Cheap heater
• DIY mesh screen lid
• PVC elbows as hides
• 2 ammonia alert badges (had an extra so I figured some redundancy couldn't hurt)
• Copper checker (Hanna)

I painted the bottom black and also blacked out the back and both short sides. This dramatically cuts back on the fish acting frightened and I personally think it reduces stress during QT.

This is the only pic I could find (obviously without the lid here) but it shows the extra aeration from the bubble wand. From what I've read, maximizing dissolved oxygen is a game changer for QT, especially when combining meds (I do the method that overlaps copper and prazi).

 

[Fish Fan]

Your IM 20 is an AIO and that should be fine for filtration, no extra HOB filter would be needed. Adding an airstone to the display part of the tank would be a good idea too.

I would just get the IM media caddy or a 3D printed version and I would run just some plastic biomedia like bio balls, or I use plastic kitchen pot scrubbies from my local dollar store for biomedia:

If you felt like you need to, you could add a little filter floss or Poly-Fil stuffing for mechanical media. Don’t use carbon in a QT tank.

Again, no rock or sand in the QT; bare bottom and inert PVC fittings for hides.

The Fritz TurboStart 900 specifically (not Dr. Tim’s or any others) does work to get a bio filter established quickly. Get this going before you bring fish home. Use Fritz Fishless Fuel or baking ammonia (found at grocery stores and even craft stores like Michael’s) to do a Fishless cycle and get the tank ready before adding fish. We can help you if you have questions about doing a fishless cycle.

I would suggest looking for Salifert brand test kits instead of the API, they are considered more reliable. As noted just above this post, you’ll need a test kit for copper too. Arguably the best for that is the Hanna High Range Copper Checker.

I hope this helps

 

[me & my baby]

All seems good but if your going to doing copper get the Hanna checker and don’t skimp on that tester

 

[ame16]

thanks all - very helpful and you’ve given me much to think about. I am going to do a bit more research to determine if a QT makes sense or if I should set up this tank as an observational tank without prophylactic QT. kinda leaning towards the latter since my DT is only going to be 47 gallons, at most, and stocking will probably be sourced from two high quality stores.

 

[me & my baby]

I understand your hesitation but you also got to think your buying fish from someone that you don’t know and your trusting someone else with your fish . Things do get by and mistakes happen .

 

[ame16]

I understand your hesitation but you also got to think your buying fish from someone that you don’t know and your trusting someone else with your fish . Things do get by and mistakes happen .

Agree, but at this point I have more trust in the two stores I’d purchase from than myself.

Exhibit 1: See my post history. :D

Either way, I did just order some essentials that’ll be useful whichever direction I go. Those $8 fittings I needed to install my RODI under sink sure got expensive…

 

[me & my baby]

I understand your hesitation but you also got to think your buying fish from someone that you don’t know and your trusting someone else with your fish . Things do get by and mistakes happen .

Agree, but at this point I have more trust in the two stores I’d purchase from than myself.

Exhibit 1: See my post history. :D

Either way, I did just order some essentials that’ll be useful whichever direction I go. Those $8 fittings I needed to install my RODI under sink sure got expensive…

Where did you get them from

 

[ame16]

Where did you get them from

I haven’t purchased any livestock yet

 

[me & my baby]

No the fitting for the rodi

 

[ame16]

No the fitting for the rodi

Lol, my bad! BRS

 

[me & my baby]

They have been the cheapest on those fitting lately just making sure you didn’t go to the big box hardware store