Permanent Quarantine

[Jimmyneptune]

Like the name says -Permanent Quarantine
does any one have a set up that they leave up 365 days a year to QT fish?
could you just have a system set up with live rock, skimmer, heater, pumps, sump, and treat the tank, with prazi or copper or hypo, if a fish does get a disease while in the QT?
What are the problems a person could have with a set up like this?

 

[ngoodermuth]

I think the biggest drawback is biofilm. As an observation tank, a mini-reef set-up with rock and sand would work. But, if you need to use medications you'd have to have a separate, clean bare-bones hospital tank to set-up.

QT and Biofilm

https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/QT-and-Biofilm.292878/

 

[andrewkw]

I used to, but I used sponge filters as they could be changed if needed. You don't want to use live rock in a system you're treating with copper both because it will leach into the rock meaning the rock and can't be used for displays later and because it will effect the dosage. Copper test kits are hard enough to read so I like dosing knowing exactly how much water I have and nothing in the tank that can effect the dosage. That being said I would mostly use tank transfer in smaller tanks then the fish would just spend another 30 days or so in the larger QT tank until they were ready to be added to the display and treated with prazi. If I did need to treat with copper that would be done in the larger (55g) permanent QT tank. For fish like Achilles tangs who are prone to everything I treated with copper or if they actually showed signs of disease. If they did not then tank transfer followed by isolated.

The only reason I don't have this setup permanently is I now live in the middle of nowhere so I'll never have an impulse buy. Still have the QT tanks but set them up as needed when I'm going to get fish and then take them down when not in use.

 

[Radman73]

I plan on it but it will be post medication long term observation. I'll get a 20 to observe fish when they first come in for a couple of weeks. If they appear to have anything that needs to be treated immediately this is where they'll get it.

Next up is 2 10gal tanks for TTM. This is to break the ich lifecycle without resorting to copper. The fish will also get praziquantel treatment during TMM if they didn't get it in the 20.

After TTM they'll go into my 60 cube for long term observation and aquarium acclimation. They might be in there for anything from a few weeks to a few months. This is where I'll try to get smaller fish especially to grow some and get used to feeding. If symptoms show that need meds, the fish will be removed to the 20 again for medication. If anything serious ever shows in the 60 I'll just break it down, sanitize it, and move some matrix over from the DT. The idea is to essentially treat the long term QT as a temp DT but with PVC instead of rock. Biofilter will be matrix/marine pure or the like. Easily disposed of and replaced if necessary.

 

[becks]

I've left my qt running between additions, I used a hob filter with sponge and inside the tank i use seachem denitrate as this does not absorb cupramine. After copper I use carbon and it removes all the cupramine from the system.

 

[Maritimer]

Next up is 2 10gal tanks for TTM. This is to break the ich lifecycle without resorting to copper.

Keep in mind that TTM works for ich only, not velvet.

Keep on hand ... a bottle of your preferred copper or CP solution.

~Bruce

 

[melypr1985]

something else to keep in mind about permanent QT's..... If you have a disease show up in the QT like Uronema, then you need to be able to break it down easily and sterilize all components. Keeping live rock in a QT (permanent or not) is never a great idea because of absorption, not being able to sterilize it and so on.

Honestly, I have like 5 tanks of different sizes (excessive I know) that I use for QT. I break them down after each batch of fish, sterilize all components, trash things that can't be sterilized like filter sponges and airline tubing, and then store them in the garage until I need them again. It works well if you have the space to store the tank and stuff when you don't need it.