Quarantine setup.....

[fatoldsun]

I’m looking for a creative quarantine setup – any thoughts? I have a 10g that I thought would work for a single fish but I may be able to adopt a larger group and I even think my wife is on board but 10g would be 8 small – medium fish (2-3” max) so there’s no way the 10g will cut it. Also I guess it would be a good idea to have a more suitable back-up plan if I needed to move a large portion out of the DT for some reason, so I was thinking of using a medium sized Rubbermaid container - any reason why this would be a bad idea (other than the obvious downside of not being able to observe them too easily while in QT) - I would go with a clear or a light color at least. Also, if I do this, anything specific I should do to clean the container before I get it up and running? My thought was to clean it with vinegar and RO/Di water. I would start with a new container. Also, thought I’d start with 50/50 water from my display and new SW to match the water they’re coming in. I have an old HOB bio-wheel filter with the bio-wheels in my sump now to add some bacteria to the set-up and I have my old super-skimmer that I could use as a HOB also plus frequent WCs I thought would work but I just need something big enough for the fish

 

[TanksNStuff]

Dave, while not an exact science, the "rule of thumb" is 1 gallon per 1 inch of fish. From your group size mentioned, you will need 16 - 24 gallons.

Personally, I'd recommend going even bigger than that. More volume = less problems. I'd suggest like a 30 long or something maybe. Don't forget you will likely have some LR in there also. I like to throw in a few PVC fittings to give the fish some hiding places too.

My 12g aquapod you were going to buy most likely will be too small for that many fish at once.

Check the deals and steals forums, there's always someone trying to get rid of a tank suitable for this.

 

[fatoldsun]

George - do you think a rubbermaid type container would not work?

maybe I'm still suffering from the sensation of what I thought was a stroke that I thought I just had - I'm told it was an earthquake and not me....

 

[TanksNStuff]

Haha, yes it was an earthquake. I think about 75% of us all thought... did that just happen or am I going crazy?

I guess a rubbermaid could work. Are you talking about a rectangular kind or like a brute trash can? I think anything that can hold water would work. It's not a display tank, so the way it looks doesn't matter. Functionality does, so as long as you can hook up your biowheel or whatever you use for filtration (I have an Aquaclear 200 power filter that is rated for up to 50 gallons if you need it) then you should be fine.

I suggest you find something that's labeled "food grade" though. The saltwater might have some affect on a typical plastic container. As far as cleaning it first... not a bad idea. Vinegar & RO/DI should be good enough to remove any dust, chemicals, etc. that might be on it from sitting around. Rinse it good after cleaning with clean water and dry with some paper towels and you should be fine.

Whatever you decide to get, keep in mind that with 8 fish and limited filtration, you'll need to do a lot of water changes. Make sure you set up your QT so that it's easy to do them. (Keep the tank off the ground if you need to siphon it out.)

 

[fatoldsun]

ok, so maybe this is a stupid question but if I walk into target, etc... is there something special I should look for to determine if it's food grade? oh, and it would be one of the rectangular storage bins - I have some drums but I don't think I could use them - it would be impossible to observe the fish in there.

other thought was a resturant supply out near work - they have those more rigid opaque plastic containers - may be easier to observe the fish than it would be in something that's a dark color.

...or, I just pick 2 (coral beauty and the hippo tang I guess) and stick with the 10g
the list if you didn't already see this on RC is:

2 tangs: a 3" hippo tang and a 3" bristletooth tang
a 5" foxface
2 angels: a 3" singapore and a 2.5" coral beauty
a 3" royal gramma
and 2 yellow damsels
and some SW mollies (interesting - didn't think people switched them over, supposed to be good for algae - maybe a home in the sump)

 

[TanksNStuff]

Usually, if it's food grade, it will say so on the label somewhere. If it's not listed, that doesn't necessarily mean it's not though. If it's real thin and clear, chances are it's not. I wouldn't get too hung up on that though. If it looks like a thicker, sturdy looking plastic, you should be fine.

I haven't seen the list... first time hearing about it. Are all of these coming from an established system or a LFS?

I just searched for that post and noticed he has the salinity at 1.010. That's not a great thing, but it won't kill them either. Some people purposely lower the salinity to kill ich (it's called hyposalinity if you want to google it.) If you do end up getting the lot (or any of them) make sure you match the salinity they are at and slowly raise it up to your display tank parameters. Don't raise it too fast. I'd suggest checking This link out.

This sounds like a deal that's too good to be true. So I'd suggest you take a good look at the fish before agreeing to buy them. Make sure they're eating, look for white spots or damaged skin, etc. I'm not trying to scare you off, just think you should be careful about it.

 

[fatoldsun]

I asked about the hypo (thought the same thing when i read that-usually not done without cause) and was told he had an ich scare a few weeks back. Especially w the blue hippo I'm concerned but I will keep it at 1.01 for a week or two and bring it up slowly after that. Hopefully w 4-6 weeks in QT all will be ok. I know it's too cheap to come risk-free but I'll look carefully when I get there. If they look ok plus a some patience on my end w/ the QT time hopefully will be ok. It will be weird to stock up that fast. That's almost more of a concern for me

 

[TanksNStuff]

Ok, well, the good news is that all of them have had some time to cohabitate, and will have at least another month while you QT them. That means they "should" get along once you put them in your main tank (not sure how the clown will react to them, but I'm sure it will be fine.) The bad news is the bioload on your tank will change drastically if you add them all at once.

You might be better off just adding a couple initially and keeping the more hardy fish in the QT tank longer than the 1-month. Then introduce the rest of them at 1 or 2 a week or something to give your system time to adjust.

 

[fatoldsun]

I was thinking of the slow introduction too.

 

[Hawkeye]

I don't think RODI is necessary at all for QT of fish. heck you could even get away with tap water in a pinch. Also I would not use LR in a QT tank. A QT tank should just get a sponge filter which can be cleaned later and re-used if needed. LR should not be re-used if used in a QT set up - as you eventually may need to add medications and such to the tank. Best not to mix anything from the DT and the QT.

Also are you sure about that angel? Per random google search:
"The Singapore Angelfish is prone to nip at stony and soft corals (sessile invertebrates) and clam mantles"

 

[fatoldsun]

Nope, not sure about the Singapore - I read that too - truth is I'm concerned but cautiously optimistic. Anyway, I'm not sure any of it will work out. The guy seemed to have some reservations when I last heard from him so I may be back to ground zero anyway. And yes, I suppose the more prudent thing would be to look at maybe 2 (like the blue hippo and the coral beauty) and stick with my 10g QT setup. It's just tempting when such a good opportunity comes along. Unless you are starting new (like I am) you probably can't take in a group this large – and since they, as a group are proven to be compatible (with each other at least - I recognize the coral nipping is a risk offset only by the guys word that they were well behaved) that makes it more tempting. There may be some history that landed them in QT but since I intend to QT them for a while anyway I don’t see that as an issue. And then, well, the Singapore’s a beautiful fish and still a dwarf so less likely than its larger cousins to be a problem. Plus I have very little coral in there at this point (and no SPS) so hopefully if it’s well fed and used to the tank if/when I introduce some frags down the road it will leave them alone. But that’s like step 27 of 100 and I’m on step 2 now so…. fingers and toes crossed

 

[NikkiT]

I agree live rock is not necessary for your qt. I like to keep qt tanks bare bottom as well (easier to clean). If you have an extra hob skimmer, that can be helpful, but a trickle filter works just fine.
I like flower pts, mugs, or PVC fittings as hiding places for fish in qt.

 

[fatoldsun]

Thanks Nikki. I have some 3" & 4" PVC fittings I'll drop on there. And no LR just the wheels from the bio-wheel filter which have been floating in my sump since I took down my smaller tank

 

[fatoldsun]

Stocking update / question. Of the 9 fish I adopted and QT'd I've decided to keep 3. The 4 SW mollies will find a new home soon I hope. The foxface and damsel went to a new home Friday and the tomini and hippo Tangs were moved to the DT last week. That leaves the Singapore angel. How long between intro of the Tangs and the angel? Is there anything special I should be looking / resting for to see how the DT's adjusting to the increased load? Skimmer behavior, etc?

 

[TanksNStuff]

As far as water quality is concerned, you should test for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. There may be a small spike in any/all of them, depending on when you do the tests. Once they're all back to zero, your tank will have been adjusted to the new fish.

The skimmer may have started producing slightly more skimmate since you put them in. Not sure if you know what you typically got before they were introduced, but if you do, you can gauge it to see if it's back to "normal" and that should give you an idea of whether the tank has adjusted.

PS, glad you found good homes for some of the fish. That will be much easier on your system by not having to add so many in a short time.

 

[fatoldsun]

tested everything last night and ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite all came in at zero. (phosphate, not as relevant I know, was at 0.04 with my Hanna checker which may or may not be reliable and my reef stuff was still low – Ca at 370, Alk at 2.2/6.2 and the Mg I think from memory was 1120) The skimmer is acting the same - it runs very wet (or so dry that I get nothing except build up on the neck and lid but that's a whole other story – it’s a NAC-6). I assume no change is good. When the Singapore is moved up (I think I'm ok to move it to the DT) I may over-feed for a few days in the hopes to distract it away from the few zoas in there - fingers crossed. Anyway I’ll see if the skimmer pulls more.
I was just about to start over with another crop of QT tenants but the person prepping to break that tank down lost power from the storm and after 2.5 days lost all the livestock. I'm bummed but I'm sure not half as sad as he is. Thought I found my Mandarin and he had a pair of false percs and some frags

 

[TanksNStuff]

Sucks about losing the next batch of QT residents. You're probably right though, the other guy is probably more upset than you.

Sounds like your tank is adjusted to the new fish so you can move the Singapore over. Heavy feeding might be a good idea for a few days just to help keep it away from the zoas. Hopefully it won't bother if you keep him fed.

 

[fatoldsun]

Sucks about losing the next batch of QT residents. You're probably right though, the other guy is probably more upset than you.

Sounds like your tank is adjusted to the new fish so you can move the Singapore over. Heavy feeding might be a good idea for a few days just to help keep it away from the zoas. Hopefully it won't bother if you keep him fed.

I moved it up last night - just after lights out. I did a feeding this AM at the but-crack of dawn (b/c my kids were kind enough to wake me) in the hopes that it would discourage any zoa attacks. The good news is that it was out and about and I dropped in some average pellet for that feeding and it went right for the food so it was hungry and recognized that as a food source. It wasn't otherwise picking at rocks and what not so fingers crossed that it won't develop a taste for "coral meat" but as always, thanks for the input

 

[TanksNStuff]

That's a good sign. Hopefully it stays that way.