Quarantine tank

[lmforbis]

I currently have a 55 gal reef tank with a 20 gal refugium. I have kept salt water fish for many years then took down my tank after a crash caused by a 3 year old deciding the fish were hungry and feeding them an entire can of flaked food. Now that she is older I decided to start over. I resurrected and significantly improved my old system about 8 months ago. I am going to buy another smaller tank to use as a quarantine tank. My question is what would be a good size? I was thinking 20 gal. With a HOB filter. I currently have an oscellaris, a pajama Cardinal, a shrimp gobie and a black capped basslets. I don't have any current plans to add any fish I just want to be prepared for the future with a cycled QT tank. Anything I add would be of similar size to the fish I already have. Is a 20 gal adequate for a small fish to live comfortably while it is in quarantine? I don't want to create more stress while they are in quarantine.

 

[jay0705]

Yes that is good. If u were looking for bigger fish I would say a 29 or 40b but a 20 for your types of fish is plenty. Idk the area your in but ***** has a$1 a gallon sale rt now

 

[lmforbis]

That sale is the reason I'm doing it now. Thanks

 

[jay0705]

Lol np

 

[lmforbis]

I purchased a 20 gal tank. Inside I have a couple pieces of PVC pipe and a couple very small pieces of live rock from my display tank to seed the bacteria. The bottom is bare. For filtration, at the moment, I have a power head with a sponge over the intake. Is this adequate long term or would I be better buying a HOB filter? It seems the sponge is a good place for bacteria to grow and all the water will flow through it. Just added the water today but only about 15 gal. Will add more in time. Half from my display tank and half is new. To cycle, I will feed as if there are fish in there and watch the parameters. Do I need to have a light while it is cycling or is ambient good enough? At some point should I put a CUC in it? I can pull a couple hermit crabs and snails from my display tank at any point but I don't think there will be anything for them to eat for a while.

 

[jay0705]

No cuc is needed, bc any meds or hypo if needed would kill them. No light is needed. The filter issue, you prob will want some type of filter

 

[pegasus]

I purchased a 20 gal tank. Inside I have a couple pieces of PVC pipe and a couple very small pieces of live rock from my display tank to seed the bacteria. The bottom is bare. For filtration, at the moment, I have a power head with a sponge over the intake. Is this adequate long term or would I be better buying a HOB filter? It seems the sponge is a good place for bacteria to grow and all the water will flow through it. Just added the water today but only about 15 gal. Will add more in time. Half from my display tank and half is new. To cycle, I will feed as if there are fish in there and watch the parameters. Do I need to have a light while it is cycling or is ambient good enough? At some point should I put a CUC in it? I can pull a couple hermit crabs and snails from my display tank at any point but I don't think there will be anything for them to eat for a while.

You really don't need to cycle a QT. You only want to house a fish long enough to see if it's sick, and/or to treat it if it is sick. You don't even have to set it up until it's needed. Small water changes are all that are necessary to keep it up once a fish is quarantined. A few rocks can be added to make the fish more comfortable by having a hiding place, but it's not necessary as far as natural filtration goes. They don't have to be live rocks, either. Dry base rock works just fine. Siphoning detritus from the bottom of the tank and replacing the water with fresh saltwater is all you have to do. 10% daily should suffice. I've kept as many as 4 fish in a 10 gallon QT for weeks, so I'm pretty sure 1 in a 20 gallon QT won't be a problem. You'll have to maintain it more (daily) than a "cycled" tank, but you don't have to worry about maintaining it long-term... nor have money tied up in filters that you may or may not use. Just my 2c...