Quarantine Tank Set Ups

[flamechica]

So, after this last fish fiasco, it has become apparent to me that I need a quarantine tank set up. I count my lucky stars I didn't lose the corys I had before I added the new ones. I am not really wanting to give up one of my current tanks for this, so I have been either toying with the idea of upgrading my frogs/pleco to a 20g long or just getting another 10g for this. I have been doing some reading online about this, but it seems like there is a lot of debate on how to properly do this. Some say use a small like 1 or 2 gallon tank for this and do daily water changes, which to me seems like that would be really stressful to the fish (so I am NOT doing that) and some say to use at least a 10g and have it set up almost like a display, which seems like there would be a lot of sterilizing of decor and gravel, etc if something were to happen.... So, I was wondering how you all execute your quarantine tanks? Bare bottom or a little bit of gravel? I read somewhere that the fish might have a problem knowing which direction is up and down without some sort of gravel or something on the bottom of the tank. Seemed a little far fetched, but I've never had a bare bottom tank before to see how they would react. Do you use any decor? What type of filtration do you use? I understand the whole process of seeding media to make an instant cycle since these are tanks that probably wont be running all the time, but what do you do with the media after you are done with the quarantine? I would be concerned about putting it back in one of the main tanks if I did have issues with the fish in quarantine. It seems like the media that holds bacteria the best would be the ceramic bio media (or that one by seachem, can't remember the name), but if a sickness were to arise, I would think those would be the hardest to sterilize and reuse and they aren't real cheap to just throw away all the time. And lastly, how long do you quarantine your fish? I've seen anywhere from 2wks to 45 days.

 

[Cory]

In my opinion I would use the 10 gallon tank, paint the bottom black, from the outside. Use a sponge filter and perhaps some plastic plants if you want to make them more comfortable.

Basically you can let bacteria establish in there, but they can be disrupted by meds being used etc, so I treat it like there is almost no bacteria in the tank most of the time. I keep a close eye on the water parameters. Now my quarantine tanks see a lot of fish, if you're quarantining them for 2 months etc, after you use meds, you should be able to establish biological again.

Another way is to have an extra sponge filter in the display tank. And just an airstone in the quarantine tank. Once you believe the fish are healthy/through meds, then you add the sponge filter from the established tank to further watch them for your set period of time. Then you could bring that sponge back to the main tank. With the premise being that, if you are moving the fish to the display tank, if there was anything still remaining to come over on the sponge it would come over on the fish as well.

 

[flamechica]

In my opinion I would use the 10 gallon tank, paint the bottom black, from the outside. Use a sponge filter and perhaps some plastic plants if you want to make them more comfortable.

Thanks for the advice. I wasn't planning on using anything smaller than a 10g. I have a 4g around here, but since I plan on setting up my 55g pretty soon, I figure the 4g would be too small for fish that might go into the 55g. This will be a perfect use of the plastic plants I have retired. I was thinking about getting rid of them, but the quarantine tank will be a good use for them.

Basically you can let bacteria establish in there, but they can be disrupted by meds being used etc, so I treat it like there is almost no bacteria in the tank most of the time. I keep a close eye on the water parameters. Now my quarantine tanks see a lot of fish, if you're quarantining them for 2 months etc, after you use meds, you should be able to establish biological again.

Another way is to have an extra sponge filter in the display tank. And just an airstone in the quarantine tank. Once you believe the fish are healthy/through meds, then you add the sponge filter from the established tank to further watch them for your set period of time. Then you could bring that sponge back to the main tank. With the premise being that, if you are moving the fish to the display tank, if there was anything still remaining to come over on the sponge it would come over on the fish as well.

Ok. Thanks! That's kinda what I figured, but just kinda wanted to hear what other people did or didn't do.

 

[ShortyKiloGyrl]

I wish I would have done painted bottoms in my QT and grow out tanks. Now I'm having to add substrate instead to make them feel safer.

 

[flamechica]

I wish I would have done painted bottoms in my QT and grow out tanks. Now I'm having to add substrate instead to make them feel safer.

Good to know! So, they are affected by completely bare bottom tanks, then. I will be sure not to skip that step then. I did read somewhere that some people put a black towel or some other type of textured material under their tanks, if you don't want to paint them. Obviously, you don't want to tear down to paint since you have precious occupants in yours right now, but maybe you could slip a towel or something underneath during a large water change.

 

[ShortyKiloGyrl]

I do have a towel under my QT tank but the fish still seem effected with bare bottom during feeding. The BN don't seem to care as much but trying to take pictures of the fish in either tank is a bear because of reflections and I just think they may be less skittish with substrate or solid colored bottoms.

 

[flamechica]

Good points!

 

[KaraWolf]

mine is completely bare including the bottom. They seem to do fine, they may not be affected by the bottom because I don't have a light on it anyways- just what filters in from the room which usually isn't much and it's a 20 gallon. bit large but it's what I had spare.