Equipment for a quarantine tank?

[Wulfen]

Hi all.
What equipment and conditioners/medication do I need to set up a quarantine tank?
I will be stating setting up my main tank next week and thought I would set up a quarantine tank at the same time.
I will be doing a 4-week cycle before adding fish to the aquascape but thought it would be a good idea to cycle a quarantine tank at the same time.
Cheers 🙂

 

[tam]

Easiest way to cycle a quarantine filter is to have it sit in the main tank - or at least the media from it. You can keep it in there and its ready without needing planning. Tank can be anything, doesn't even have to be a glass tank.

Don't go too crazy stocking up on meds as you may not need them and they do have expiry dates.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

What equipment and conditioners/medication do I need to set up a quarantine tank? I will be stating setting up my main tank next week and thought I would set up a quarantine tank at the same time. I will be doing a 4-week cycle before adding fish to the aquascape but thought it would be a good idea to cycle a quarantine tank at the same time.

I don't have a specific quarantine tank.

I have a tank set up with a filter etc. and this is where I store my spare wood, plants etc., it just doesn't have any permanent inhabitants. When I get new fish, or a fish I want to keep an eye on, or unexpected fry etc. I place them in the tank. It just doesn't have any permanent inhabitants.

A lot of people think that a filter/tank kept like won't be "cycled", because it hasn't had an ammonia source, but this isn't true. A grown in tank will have plenty of biofiltration capacity.

cheers Darrel

 

[Wulfen]

Hi all,I don't have a specific quarantine tank.

I have a tank set up with a filter etc. and this is where I store my spare wood, plants etc., it just doesn't have any permanent inhabitants. When I get new fish, or a fish I want to keep an eye on, or unexpected fry etc. I place them in the tank. It just doesn't have any permanent inhabitants.

A lot of people think that a filter/tank kept like won't be "cycled", because it hasn't had an ammonia source, but this isn't true. A grown in tank will have plenty of biofiltration capacity.

cheers Darrel

Cheers Darrel.
I have an old small 18inch tank and double sponge filter. I may even have a small heater hanging around somewhere.
Would this size tank and filter be ok?
To tell the truth I am not quite sure how one runs a quarantine tank.
When adding fish do you add anything to the water or do you have to first assess if there is a need to treat?
Cheers

 

[tam]

Tank size depends what and how many fish you want to put in it, just like for any tank. Mine is a 30cm cube but that works for a handful of nano sized fish. It's planted, and basically like Darrel, just a second tank with no inhabitants. Well actually, the last batch in haven't moved on and it's got quite a lot of shrimp... that's the trouble with having a spare tank. You don't have to have one permanently going if you don't want to though.

The goal, or mine anyway, is to keep newbies separate from existing fish. They stay separate for 3-6 weeks and I treat if I spot anything that needs treating. That way any issues is confined to just those fish. If you have no fish yet in your main tank you could add straight to it, and then just quarantine any further fish you add.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have an old small 18inch tank and double sponge filter. I may even have a small heater hanging around somewhere.
Would this size tank and filter be ok?

Perfect.

The goal, or mine anyway, is to keep newbies separate from existing fish. They stay separate for 3-6 weeks and I treat if I spot anything that needs treating. That way any issues is confined to just those fish. If you have no fish yet in your main tank you could add straight to it, and then just quarantine any further fish you add.

That one.

To tell the truth I am not quite sure how one runs a quarantine tank.

Usually people have a spare bare tank, to which they can add a "cycled" filter.

or do you have to first assess if there is a need to treat?

Yes you just keep an eye on the fish mainly you are looking for white-spot, velvet or signs of internal parasites (like Camallanus).

cheers Darrel

 

[Wulfen]

Many thanks guys 🙂

 

[rebel]

It's important not to have substrate in the quarantine tank. Makes it easy to clean it out after each episode of quarantine.

 

[Nubias]

From my limited experience just bare bottom tank of suitable size for intended fish. Sponge filter and heater with heater gaurd if required.