Easy Quarantine/Hospital Tank Setup

[jec11718]

So you have a sick fish, new addition, or fancy expensive coral that you just couldn't past up buying at the LFS....NOW WHAT? Well if you are a gambler... Ignore the sickness, and hope your fish gets better on its own. That new fish...take it home, acclimate it properly and "dump" it into your DT! Or that new coral.. whatever hitchhikers there are- they would like a new home too!

 

A QT is for all marine life, Corals included, but this guide leans more toward sick fish, esp. those with ICH.

 

I am no expert, but I just recently set-up a new QT/HT tank. This is how I did it, it was not difficult but there are steps you should take to make it less stressful to you and your fish, coral, and inverts! I have never made a post about something others might follow to help a sick fish, a quarantined new addition or new coral so this post is what worked for me and my fish are not stressed or dead so I think its safe to say that the steps I followed were safe/stress-free and will work. But here is the disclaimer...Get all your facts and equipment straight before you put your new fish or sick fish in QT.

 

Ready??? THE LIST OF EQUIPMENT:

 

1. Tank--shoot for 50% of your DT size...If your DT is 100gallons a 55 will work but a 29 would suffice.

a 10 works nice for a 10,15, 20 or even 29. But be reasonable...it doesn't have to be exactly 50%. I used a ten because my DT is 20H. The new tank came in a three-sided piece of cardboard, it was the perfect three sided background for less stress on tank inhabitants. I taped it to the back with clear tape. I used one side of the cardboard to document everything I did with each med application, WC or buffer or test. Dated so I would have a useful calender to follow a schedule. wc every 4 days with meds, a buffer for ph every two weeks, stress zyme every other opposite of buffer etc.

 

2. heater/thermometer-- I used a spare 100w that I had and a two dollar suction cup thermo.

 

3. Filter-- I used a HOB. The one I had on hand was a Whisper20. It gives good flow and filters about 75-100 gallons an hour. I did not put the carbon insert in it. Medication and carbon don't mix! I had some options for media to sustain bacteria...sponge or ceramic stones or cylinders. What I had on hand was Bio-Max ceramic stone cylinders. I decided to not put any type of filter pad or poly media in the HOB.

That way the flow of the HOB would just wash over the bio-max.

 

4. The Bacteria!!! If your DT has a HOB or canister or sump you could take some of the media from it to put in the hob of the QT. some people leave a sponge or bag of media in their sump...My DT had a HOB but no removable media....I was using it just for flow with a insert poly screen to get out big particles..I was relying on my LR for actual filtering. My concern was how to go about getting a seeded filter for this new QT???? I don't have access to friends or anybody with a DT or seeded media.....OK I'm up a creek without said paddle! ONE AND ONLY to the rescue!!! It is a live nitrifying bacteria that comes in a bottle with a 1yr shelf life!! How nice is it to call a doctor and actually talk directly to him? Your sick fish need a doctor right? One and Only was made by Dr Tim! When I called, he answered the phone! You can immediately add fish to a brand new QT if One and Only is added to your media and HOB..... When I added the bacteria to my ten gallon I poured the One and Only right in. It took me a couple of hours to be ready to add fish but how much more direct can it get? In less than two hours a new tank had fish swimming around in it with a biological filter and the set-up took a few hours then all sick fish/ those needing QT were added to tank.

 

5. Medication and Test Kit-- A good source of meds are available...I was treating ICH...chelated copper was my med of choice to eradicate ICH. I purchased it a Petsmart. Your LFS will lead you in the right direction in the way of which med for which sickness. Get a good test kit for it too! You will need to test for proper level of medication.

 

6. Oxygenation of water..A simple air pump and air stone will keep your water oxygenated because the meds will make it harder to breathe for your fish. Giving your fish highly oxygenated water is good, If you are QTing for just QT the pump is optional... It couldn't hurt tho!

 

7. PVC...A nice comfortable relaxing home away from home! I added a few pieces of pvc for the fish to feel comfortable and to hide in. Your HAFH is BB thus no live sand, no LR and no light either. Your regular room lights will be enough. By staying away from LR and LS your meds will not be absorbed by LR thus changing the level of meds in your QT. You want to monitor your med levels. I had a copper test to check my levels.

 

8. Lid...I went to Home Depot and looked for acrylic or plastic that I could use for a cover. I found a piece of corrugated plastic 18X24 for 4 bucks..people use it for making their own signs and it cuts with scissors. I made a tight fitting drop in lid. It really helps with evap!

 

9. Water and Water changes....I used 7 gallons of my DT water, I filled the rest of the way with new SW. My fish were moved over immediately and there was no need for acclimating, My new sw was the same that I always use for wc's. Don't forget to make a mark on the side of tank to control evap and top-off with fw.

 

10. Master Saltwater test kit... nuff said.

 

11. everything that touches the QT....will not touch your DT other than the fish that will return back to the DT. I am not kidding...You have a disease in your DT and now in your QT....the DT will eventually self eradicate the ICH by being fishless..no host, your treating your fish with meds for ICH in QT...don't cross contaminate your DT by mixing WC hoses, nets, buckets or putting a hand in one and then the other.

 

 

The next chapter will have actual setup. This is a work in progress.....

[jec11718]

Chapter two!

 

Location, location, location!

 

1. set-up the QT somewhere that is easily assessable and does not have a lot of traffic. Remember..hospitals are quiet zones. You are trying to make this as least stressful as possible for your new arrival or QT inhabitant. He is having a really bad day and quiet time, and no outside stimulants will greatly increase his chance of getting better or acquainted to your life, home, and routine!

 

2. Add water, heater, and HOB. I used about 70% old water from my display because my new set-up would house my old fish for two months and I wanted to make the switch as easy and acclimation free, so by taking the fish and water they were already "home". The rest of my water was ACA..."as close as" I could get to finish off the full amount to make my tank full. I tried to match ph, salinity, and temp. it took about two hours to make sure temp was aca.

 

3. ONE AND ONLY..... I didn't set-up until I had my live nitrifying bacteria in hand...Dr Tim's Aquatics mailed me my One and Only by priority mail...ordered on Tuesday arrived on Friday! Once I had all my equipment I was ready and set! Oh by this time my fish had been scratching and showing signs of ICH about a week or so...it took a few days to figure out because only one fish had spots...the other three were fine and never reacted to the ICH. Even in QT they never had any signs of spots or scratching...none-the-less....THEY went to QT....I want ICH GONE!!!! no chance of any remaining ICH for me!!! I narrowed down that I introduced ICH by purchasing two juvie clownfish and didnt QT...They both died within three days, If QT'd it wouldn't have put ICH in my DT.

 

4. One month of medication, one month of no meds and then the QT can be broke down and put away...until My girls want another firefish or chocolate chip starfish!!!! QT anything and everything! that's my motto.....Did i mention that I hate ICH?? I hope that you have found this helpful and can save yourself from getting ICH in the first place by QT..if not QT will happen later rather than sooner...

 

5. There are some debates about copper leaching......Yes copper leaches from LR if its medicated. If LR is used in a QT with copper it can NEVER be put into a tank with inverts ever again...It will leach out slowly and kill them....I had a LFS tell me to buy LR just for a QT tank about two months ago...I asked him about leaching...he says "Yea, just throw it away..it served its purpose" well...10 pounds of LR at his store is $8 a pound.....DO YOU want to chuck $80 down the drain????.... One and Only is $17 with shipping....if I had a seeded sponge I might not have had to get that either...(I'm not selling One and Only, I had to have it.) I did get Mr. LFS to concede that he gets ICH only twice a year in his store...Yea RIGHT! So make a educated decision about your biological filter and I wish you a speedy Fish recovery!!!!!! If I get any request for pics in the next few days I will post up some of my QT set-up

[trippinsting]

nice write up... pics would be nice. =)

[Reefmaster1996]

nice write up... pics would be nice. =)

+1 I tried to explain the same thing in "how to properly introduce new fish" but not many people listened.

[Reef Turk]

Nice write...

[jec11718]

OK! Pictures upload asap....I appreciate the comments! Thanks! Josh

 

Chapter Three! PICTURES

This is my Ten gallon QT

[jec11718]

My pictures are all too big for multiple pics per post! If you look really close at bottom of my writing is my daughters name in her handwriting

[jec11718]

This is why you add PVC!

[jec11718]

This is the plastic lid that HD carries in the lumber/door/window area. Tight fitting but still allows for filter, air pump lines, heater and evap control. With the air stone blasting the salt creep just about disappeared completely. Notice my location..really the only place left in the down-stairs area of our townhouse..the countertop....as close as I could put to wall, under the cabinet, and facing away from kitchen.

[jec11718]

I've got just 8 more days and my Qt is over!!! Two months sure has gone by quick!

[risk1994]

So what do you do if you want to QT a coral? You need to purchase an entirely new lighting setup to keep it in the QT tank. Lighting is the most expensive part of my system, I cant afford 2!

[thegambler26]

So what do you do if you want to QT a coral? You need to purchase an entirely new lighting setup to keep it in the QT tank. Lighting is the most expensive part of my system, I cant afford 2!

In the long run, the light would probably be cheaper and save you a ton of headaches. I've learned the lesson the hard way! Didnt quarantine some zoo's that had zoo eating nudis on them. I couldn't figure out why they we're disappearing til I found one munching on them one day. They quickly devoured just about all my polyps and caused a headache trying to get rid I'd em before they got the rest. Flatworms that come in on corals can also be a huge pain to get rid of. I understand that lights are expensive but for a QT you just need something that can sustain them for a week or two. You could always get a used one or go with a par 38 bulb which are comparitavly inexpensive.

[jec11718]

your coral can go a few weeks on a lower light level, a simple 10k and 460 actinic t5ho for a qt tank is less than 100 bucks!

[jec11718]

Noticed that a lot of people have issues with ich. It only takes once and you learn to QT!!!!!

[th64]

Nice write up...Wouldn't it be better to not use anything out of the DT to avoid introducing any parasites into the qt?

[jec11718]

assuming that your QTing fish from your DT...its easy to transfer fish immediately to a tank if you use water from the DT. PH and temp will be almost the same maybe a degree or two off, and your going to medicate so the water will be completely dosed, anything in it will be killed.....so it doesnt hurt to use it and if you are just QTing a new purchase with no meds then yes you dont need DT water. If your DT is healthy tho....its up to the individual!

[Rollenbor]

What are your water change habbits while your fish are in the HT with meds?