New to Quarantine Tanks - Need Help

[nickkohrn]

I have never used a quarantine tank, but I want to set one up for my new build. I have a question about using them.

 

Do you typically use a smaller tank?

 

If so, how are you handling the daily top-off?

 

Do you do water changes weekly, every couple of days, or daily?

 

If you are using it for corals, what kind of lighting do you use compared to your display's lighting?

 

I am still in the rock-curing process, so I have a while to go, but I definitely want to do this build better than my previous ones.

 

I really appreciate your kindness and help!

[Newstead]

No pro by any means, but I started with a fluval spec5 for quarantining corals, now use a regular 10 gal with just an AC70 to QT fish and corals for my 75. I do twice weekly water changes, usually 3 gallons but 5 if it needs it. Be sure to use an ammonia badge. While dosing prazipro I run an airstone at the opposite end from the AC70. I run LEDs on the QT, barebottom with pvc elbows for hiding places when fish are in QT.

[xAyanex]

There are a few rule-of-thumbs you can follow for QT (quarantine tank) size. One is to get a tank that is approximately 20% or more the size of your main tank, the bigger the better. But it also depends on the fish/other things you will be using it for. Small fish may only require 5 gallons a piece, while a large fish might need a 29 gallon tank.

 

I physically top off my tanks. (No ATO for me.)

 

You must monitor ammonia. Typically you may use a sponge filter that you have preferably had in your main tank's sump so it is seeded with some bacteria. (Yes this would probably produce some nitrate in your main tank, but it should be negligible.) This will help keep ammonia and nitrite levels down, but you have to do water changes as often as necessary to keep it at a safe level for your fish. If that means once a week, great. If that means every other day, oh well, still gotta keep that fish healthy.

 

If you are using it for corals, I'd recommend not going all -out with your QT lighting. Remember, this isn't the time to get the corals best colors showing or try for growth. You're literally just watching for disease, bad hitchhikers, and giving the livestock a change to eat without competition and get used to whatever weird food you're giving them in this weird new place after all the shipping and transferring stress they've gone though. Don't waste your money on the best lighting, just get something good enough to good the coral alive and healthy.

 

I am by no means an expert, but I read up a lot on quarantine tanks recently. I'm still extremely new to reefing and my tank just finished cycling recently.

[aviator300]

I have a small 3 gal tank I use to quarantine everything before it goes in my display. I use it for coral, inverts, and fish (when I get one).

 

It's bare bottom with a PAR 30 light and a AC 30 filter. I considered putting live rock in to provide bacteria but decided not to so it would stay very clean without any hitchikers that may be on the LR.

 

I still wanted to provide a media for bacterial growth so I filled a small media bag with the little ceramic pellets that come with the AC filters, let it sit in my display for a couple weeks to pick up bacteria, and them put it in the AC 30 filter. I will rinse it weekly with water changes so it won't build up nitrates.

 

This has seemed to work so far because the parameters remain good between water changes.

[xAyanex]

It is strongly recommended not to have live rock or sand in a quarantine tank as bacteria, parasites, etc. can live in the cracks and crevices. It is better to have a very clean tank with just PVC for hiding places. Everything is easily scrubbed down before each water change.

[nickkohrn]

Thank you all for your recommendations! I will most likely have onely one fish, a Pink-Streaked Wrasse, in my main display (10g). The rest of the livestock, besides a clean-up-crew, will be corals. I am upgrading my stock lighting within the month, while my tank cycles, so I'll just use the stock lighting over my quarantine tank.

 

I will definitely look into an ammonia badge. I can see how it will require a keen eye since there will be little filtration.

 

Is a quarantine tank something that I should keep up and running constantly, or should I just set it up a couple of days before I know that I'm going to be making a purchase? I realize that it's a very difficult thing to do, but I don't want to make any impulse purchases. I really want to do my research on everything that I purchase to put into my tank, so I plan on knowing when I will be purchasing corals.

 

I guess I can just use a permanent marker to make a line on the tank so that I know where the water level is at to keep the recommended salinity levels when topping-off.

[xAyanex]

Thank you all for your recommendations! I will most likely have onely one fish, a Pink-Streaked Wrasse, in my main display (10g). The rest of the livestock, besides a clean-up-crew, will be corals. I am upgrading my stock lighting within the month, while my tank cycles, so I'll just use the stock lighting over my quarantine tank.

 

I will definitely look into an ammonia badge. I can see how it will require a keen eye since there will be little filtration.

 

Is a quarantine tank something that I should keep up and running constantly, or should I just set it up a couple of days before I know that I'm going to be making a purchase? I realize that it's a very difficult thing to do, but I don't want to make any impulse purchases. I really want to do my research on everything that I purchase to put into my tank, so I plan on knowing when I will be purchasing corals.

 

I guess I can just use a permanent marker to make a line on the tank so that I know where the water level is at to keep the recommended salinity levels when topping-off.

I just plan on setting it up when I need it. Like I said, I keep the sponge in my sump area so it is somewhat seeded with bacteria, and I will just set it up before I make the purchase. (Of course I make sure it is at the proper temperature and salinity and the water chemistry is okay before adding the fish.)

 

In terms of your top off, that is okay, but realize you should check your salinity with your refractometer every day anyway. Also, if you didn't want to use permanent marker, a piece of tape on the outside would be less permanent.