Quarantine Tank

[Graham]

Hi All! Just want to ask you guys what you think about starting a quarantine tank as my first marine tank? I rent , don't have much space etc. Therefore I am thinking about starting a 3 or 4 foot tank and later converting this "main" tank into my 'spare' or quarantine tank. Any thoughts?

 

[Warr7207]

No idea on QT, wait for the gurus to answer, I think they still on lunch

Sounds very interesting

 

[jacquesb]

I am no guru at all - but, my logic tells me that this would indeed work perfectly well. BUT, I do have a few questions though:
- are you indeed planning to quarantine your fish till you have the 2 tanks (this is best practice, but, not EVERYONE follows "best practice" ;-)
- did this tank have copper in at any stage? (was it a fresh water tank that was converted to a marine tank?) - if it did (which is also common practice in quarantine tanks) - once again - the inverts will not survive this....

BUT - other than that - go ahead mate! Good luck!

 

[Warr7207]

Nice one Jacques

 

[jacquesb]

;-) Thanks Warr.....

 

[Graham]

Hi Jacques, The jist of the matter is this:
1) This will be a new tank, started from scratch.
2) This tank will be my main tank until such time as i move into my own place and can install a large reef tank.
3) This tank will be a FOWLR or FO - still have to decide what will be most practical.
4) When I get my main tank one day this tank then becomes my quarantine tank.
5) Can i place live rock in a quarantine tank or is it preferable to use bio ball type media?

What do you think?

 

[Mike]

Hi Jacques, The jist of the matter is this:
1) This will be a new tank, started from scratch.
2) This tank will be my main tank until such time as i move into my own place and can install a large reef tank.
3) This tank will be a FOWLR or FO - still have to decide what will be most practical.
4) When I get my main tank one day this tank then becomes my quarantine tank.
5) Can i place live rock in a quarantine tank or is it preferable to use bio ball type media?

What do you think?

There is little point in using live rock, primarily because if you should need to treat the fish with any copper based medicines (for white spot - C.Irritans) the liverock would become useless as most of the bio life would be wiped out by the copper, most people just use reef safe plastic boxes to allow the fish to hide and an external filter for mechanical and biological filtration.