how long do you quarantine?

[Splendid]

We very often don't even though we should. How long do you do it for?!?

[Frankie]

Im not set up for it yet but im getting there. when i did in NY i waited two weeks before anything made it to the tank.

[Snelly40]

i dont either, i would if i could, but only one tank, i have a fuge now i could use for a hospital tank, but no copletely seperate tank

[BoomerD]

4 weeks MINIMUM. Anything less isn't quarantining, as ich and other parasites have about a 21 to 30 day lifecycle.

[billyr98]

I have the room for a QT tank.. But I am not introducing any new fish to tank any more unless something really hits me at a LFS... But my big question about QT is... You guys with a QT tank, do you have it always setup with nothing in it until you need it? Because I can't see keeping an empty tank fully running with nothing in it.. I understand how important the QT tank don't get me wrong.. Just curious ??

[Frankie]

Good question billy. I had mine up 24/7 in NY at the lfs. The owners are friends of mine so it was not a problem. somtimes when they got cool stuff in they would put it in the tank hoping id buy. lol. It just had a canistier filter on it and the floresent lighting i kept off till i needed it.

[BoomerD]

I kept mine running all the time, and just "fed it" periodically to maintain the bio-colony, but many people just keep a couple of filters in the sump (sponge filters, bio-balls, etc) so they can set one up when they need it...A colonized sponge filter, and a tank of water from the main tank (presuming there are no parasite issues) and you have a functioning QT, and all that's needed is a heater, and some 3-4" PVC pieces for the fish to hide in/behind. Here's a pic of a simple QT with a home-made bio-ball filter:


IIRC, I stole that pic from Cheeks... but it's a great example of how simple a QT can be...

[billyr98]

Ok... well maybe when i get a real prop tank, i can make my 40g breeder (prop tank) into a QT tank...

[aquaman3680]

I dont because it can actually be more harmful moving it 2 times rather than just once. On the more sensitive stuff i could see why but not everything...

[Cougra]

I quarentine my fish, mobile inverts and rocks for a couple months before adding them to the main tank. Unfortunately I don't have the money for a lighting system to quarentine my corals so I have to rely on dipping. I really hate taking this risk with the corals however until I win my millions I can't afford to do anything else.

I don't keep my Q-tank up and running all the time. I basically have a rubbermaid container that I use for a q-tank. I keep a filter sponge in my sump at all times in case I need to set up the q-tank or hospital tank. Once the quarentine process is completely I disinfect the sponge by boiling it for about 10 to 15 minutes and then letting it dry out. In the mean time I'll add another sponge to the sump to get it ready for next time it may be needed.