Hospital tank setup ?

[shlim944]

Hi, I really need some advice on the setup of the hospital tank. I currently have a very small quarantine tank - only 15inches across with a hang on filter. Problem is whenever i need to use the tank, the ammonia and nitrites go out of whack within a day or two. The hospital tank is more letal than the main tank ? I could get a bigger tank and better filter, but wouldn't the tank go out of cycle, whenever I put some sick fish in ? Since it is empty when there is no sick fish. What are the strategies that you guys use to have a successful hospital tank ?

shlim944

[Guido]

Well, do you have LR and live sand in the quarantine tank? If you don't, i would add some LR and sand to it and maybe cycle it, or re-cycle it. Maybe add a few snails for algae control. You could maybe even set up a small sump/refug for it, or just use a hang on back skimmer to keep some waist down. But a better filter would probably help as well. I'm sure dakar, graphixx, or jerry or someone of that nature could answer it better, but thats what I plan on doing with my quarantine tank. (Mine will probably only be a 10g maybe 20)

[Guido]

Sorry to spam but, yea, I'm sure a bigger tank would help. You would also want to make sure the quarantine tank has the same parameters as your main tank as to not shock the fish. But i would think if you cycled it with LR and sand in there, and did some minor water changes daily, you should be ok. But thats just my thought. (a skimmer is always a good thing too)

[shlim944]

Do I have to shut down the skimmer when dosing the tank with medication ? That's why I never put in a skimmer. The recommendation from the shops was to take out UV (don't have), take out carbon and skimmer when giving medication to the fishes.

Hmm, the tank right now is only about 4-5 gallons.... Time to get a bigger one !

[Guido]

Well, 4-5g tank is quite small for a quarantine tank... lol. But, I'm not sure if about the skimmer. I would probably think so, but you don't want to shut everything down otherwise everythings going to raise. Nitrates and such. But, I'm not sure, dakar or graphixx could best answer this.

[Whoyah]

I had the same basic question awhile ago and so I have done some research on this but I am yet to give it a try myself however in the next few months, I plan on purchasing a blue tang and plan using this method to quarantine the tang.

Based on what I have read, I plan on using a 10 gallon tank , with a bare bottom, a few clean 3" black pipe fitting for hiding places, a heater, a powerhead and a sponge filter. The main key is the sponge filter(pictured below). The sponge filter runs in your main tank's sump until needed in the quarantine tank. This allows the you to have well established colony of bacteria to transfer over when needed. This should prevent the ammonia and nitrate spikes you are seeing.

I plan on filling the quarantine tank with main tank a day or two before I get the fish. Then add the heater, powerhead, and sponge filter so everything is set up and ready.

You can't use copper to treat the quarantine tank since this is will pollute the sponge but that is the case with LR too.

I am sure some one will point that sponges are considered nitrate factory. What I have read says that since the sponge is fairly small and has such a low flow rate it really won't have a impact on a healthy system. My nitrates are at zero and I have had a sponge filter in my sump for about 6 months.

Like I said haven't tried it but it comes a recommend method from a good source. I found my info over on wetwebmedia. I am sure there are other ways too.

[zoo-a-holic]

IMO, let the tank run ALL the time. In my experiance from work, i dont think i have ever shut the skimmer down while dosing???