QT questions

[ramon6249]

Ok I understabd that the QT is used to make sure a fish is healthy befor placeing in the display tank. From what I understand the QT should just run the bare needs. Maybe a 30G tank with a small filter and a little water movement. If this is correct then my 2 questions are:
1: do I need to keep the QT up at all times...or if i am not useing it just empty it and set back up befor I get a new fish. Since it is just bare there should not be much to it correct? the right salinity and the right temp?
2: If I do need to keep it running and maintian it, would it hurt to put a little LS and maybe a small peice of LR in it? Or is that just going to be too much to maintain for a QT?
Thanx for any info
Ramon

 

[saltym3]

QT does not need to be running all the time. It can be used just when you are using it as QT or as a hospital tank. As far as substrate none should be used in case you have to dose the tank with meds along the line. The sticky in here should cover any other questions.

 

[elfdoctors]

Good Questions.
Some people keep up a QT at all times. Others use it only as needed. While you are stocking the tank it is probably best to keep it up all the time. The advantage of this is to always have the tank cycled so the procedure is a lot safer. The disadvantage is having to take care of an empty tank. For my own needs, I have decided to keep a clownfish in this tank to make sure it is ready if I need to use it. The only parameter likely to change in an empty tank is salinity so this needs to be watched. The advantage of keeping a fish in there is to maintain good bacterial levels and to have something more interesting than PVC pipe to look at. I even have a renegade hermit crab which has been a killer in my display tank.
You can have some live rock and substrate in a pure QT. There are problems with these if during the quarantine period your fish develop an illness. In this situation you would have to convert your QT into a hospital tank. Live rock and substrate would have to be removed into another container (not your display tank). I currently have a small amount of crushed coral (which is easier to be removed than LS) and pvc pipe in my QT.

 

[niffer76]

What do you do with your clown when the QT needs to be used as a QT or Hospital Tank? And if your answer is you put him in your display, how does he adjust being moved around?

 

[elfdoctors]

Once you get to the point of having a fish in your QT, you obviously are finished stocking your tank. The QT is not likely to be used that often. I feel more secure knowing that it is still there.
That particular fish is not likely to be moved back into my display (it is a brown colored sebae clown which has been replaced by some orange perculas; it was also difficult to catch). In the event of a disease in my tank the options would be to treat the healthy clownfish also or to return the clownfish to a LFS for store credit. Just my opinion.