A 55G link in the Golden Chain

[goldenmean]

Melanie
Im sorry to hear about your sad rics.
I have not had a lot of luck with rics in my nano. I've lost a few and the rest have held their own but they have never grown much or split. Althought the ones in my nano now seem to be gotting bigger.

The ric roc in the 55 has been doing well. 3 of the 4 rics get really big during the day and the have multiple mouths so I am hoping they split.
The orange one has tweo mouths but he does not really get big during the day like the others

[bluespotjawfish]

It seems that the Ric Roc is the star!

[kathywithbirds]

I am consistently jealous of your access to some fabulous colors. Those rics are lovely.

[goldenmean]

I have been thinking more seriously about fish!
I like my fish wish list and did you guys and gals see the Scott's Wrasse that Prow just got?? WOW!

So the real subject of this post is quarantine tanks.
I have not done a QT before but since the fish I want are going to be a bit pricey it only makes sense to use a QT. I have not skimped on this tank yet so there is no reason to start now.

I read leebca sticky http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...step-step.html and the Steven Pro article she links
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com
Great information.
I was not clear on what a sponge filter was so I went to some retail sites and did some research. Simple and cheap!! So after work I stop by petco to look for some sponge filters. I wanted to get the filter system so I could get the sponge into my sump and start getting it seeded with that good bacteria. Petco did not have any sponge filters like I saw online - just the power filters. I thought I would check out the glass tanks while I was there.
They had the aquarium kits on sale. I got the AGA 10 gal starter kit for $30.
It includes the 10g tank, 2x15w incandescent light hood, and a Whisper 10 power filter (and some other useless crap). Just enough light so the fish can see their food.

I am thinking I could use the power filter if I did not use the filter cartridge (they have carbon, yes?) Instead I could put some sponge or bio filter pad in the bottom of the filter. Do you think that would work well?
I could hang the power filter off the back of my sump or would it be okay to just put the sponge/filter pad in the sump. Which would be best?

Or should I just forget the power filter and get the sponge filter and air pump?

[kathywithbirds]

I cannot offer advice, but I can relay what I am doing wiht an "ick-y" fish: 9 gallon QT, an odyssea with a built in filter that really just has a sponge in it right now. No powerhead. whisper of sand, bits of LR rubble. stock crappy light. dosing meds, then water change, then meds, then water change. changing sponge regularly. oh, carbon between med dosings.

[Melanie]

I used the cheapy power filter and just used a piece of filter floss as the "sponge" media. It worked great for my QT. I was very happy with my decision to have a QT and a bonus is that after you have all your fish in, you can retire the QT and use it as a hospital tank if you ever do need to treat for something. I used one of Julian Sprung's suggested set ups with live rock but no sand. I picked it because I was having trouble with nitrates when it was just bare in there.

[BigAl07]

Originally Posted by Melanie

I used the cheapy power filter and just used a piece of filter floss as the "sponge" media. It worked great for my QT. I was very happy with my decision to have a QT and a bonus is that after you have all your fish in, you can retire the QT and use it as a hospital tank if you ever do need to treat for something. I used one of Julian Sprung's suggested set ups with live rock but no sand. I picked it because I was having trouble with nitrates when it was just bare in there.

Mel do you mean like a cheapo Hang on Back likea Whisper thing?

[goldenmean]

Mel and Al - that is exactly what came with my "starter Kit" aquarium.
The bio cartidge has carbon in it so I will not use that unless I need to remove medication. It came with a thin piece of filter floss and then I bought a small Bio filter pad. Both of which I put it my sump to seed with bacteria. In 4-6 weeks they should be sufficiently colonized with bacteria to get the QT running.

This is the simple sponge filter Like what Leebca talks about in her quarantine articleFoam Aquarium Filters: Oxygen Plus Bio-Filter 2
Add and air pump and air hose and you have your sponge filter.

[Melanie]

Al, Yes, it was whatever HOB filter that normally comes with the little "kits" at petstores.

[Dentoid]

Have you considered using a HOB filter like Whisper and just adding cured LR rubble to the intake container? That's what I did with my QT.

[goldenmean]

Hi Scott

The tank came with HOB whisper10 power filter. Woodstock recommends the AquaClear filters because their media chambers are much larger than the Whispers. There is not much room in whisper media chamber. the small (1" x 1 1/2") sponge i bought just fits in it and i could add a second one but there would be no or very little water movement. So I am going to get a Aquaclear HOB.

I like the idea of using LR rubble but then if i do have to medicate I will not be able to use that rubble any more. If it wasnt for that You could just put some LR in the QT.

I am going to get the Aquaclear filter this weekend and I will get the sponge in my sump to seed it. Then after x-mas I will set up the tank and cycle it using ammonia and fish food as Woodstock and Leebca suggests.m
I'll be ready for my first fish in January.

So far here is my fishy list (Gutter guard first!)
Longnose Hawkfish
flasher/fairy wrasse (of some sort - Scotts & Exquisite topping the list!?!)
Rainsford Goby
Midas Blenny
Just added - Citron Goby

[Dentoid]

I see you are having some nasty weather. Hope all is well!

[goldenmean]

I see you are having some nasty weather. Hope all is well!

A little snow now but It is to change to sleet and ice then all rain by midnight.
This ice is a little worrysome if it cause power lines to go down.
My hood usually has no problems with power outages (knock-on-wood) but that is not true for all of Chicagoland and our many reefers.

Update:
Sunday morning and it is all rain. Snow and Ice is al gone. for now anyway.
Lights did not even flicker but HBO went out last night - not the rest of the cable - just all HBO.
The horror! LOL

[kathywithbirds]

OH!!! I saw that brain in the gallery, you better post big pics in your chronicle, we want to see it!!!!!!

[goldenmean]

LOL!!

He is so beautiful I thought he deserved his own thread.
I'll post more pics here - probably tomorrow.

i-went-my-lfs-fell-love