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abarrera
12/31/2008, 05:36 PM
I have got a 20L aga for a QT tank. Need Ideas on the best way to set this bad boy up! All suggestions and tips will be appreciated, no Idea where to begin!

jenglish
12/31/2008, 05:41 PM
minimal to no lighting required, no rock, no sand. a few pieces of PVC for hiding. I like either a HOB like aquaclear w/ room for a sponge and carbon or cheapo air driven sponge biofilter/ air driven carbon. Keep it cheap and simple. The positive of the air driven stuff is it is cheap enough to throw away if you treat w/ something that you can't clean out like copper.

abarrera
12/31/2008, 06:10 PM
Don't think I have ever seen an air driven filter? dose the QT have to Cycle?

D_Hood87
12/31/2008, 06:20 PM
i would say no b/c of the stuff u might be treating with would slow the bacteria down so much which is why the water changes come into play so often in a QT..you can find an air driven filter at most LFS and some wal-marts

jenglish
12/31/2008, 06:23 PM
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3579+3936&pcatid=3936

just hook it up to an air pump. I have a bucket of air pumps in my shed from yard sales.

You want a QT to cycle for sure. If you can keep your sponge (air driven or HOB power filter) in your DT somewhere out of sight 30 days before it can get it good and seeded to speed up cycling the QT. I use the same tank for QT as I use for HT. While QT needs can generally be planned ahead for HT needs sometimes arise out of nowhere. good luck

abarrera
12/31/2008, 07:40 PM
thanks for the link.

Onyx97
12/31/2008, 08:31 PM
I use this filter in my Q tank and it works pretty well.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~Current_USA_SubCurrent_Internal_Filter_w__Pump_Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies_Filt ers_Internal___Undergravel_Filters_Water_Pump_Driven~vendor~Current_USA~SearchStr~~action~view~idPro duct~CU08026~idCategory~FIFRITWP~tab~4.html

jenglish
12/31/2008, 08:38 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14052868#post14052868 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by abarrera
thanks for the link.

In general you can get them locally and its not worth shipping, but with a link you can at least see what I'm talking about.

As for Dhoods and I saying opposite things (you will get used to this in the hobby) I have to admit many of things one will do in a hospital tank will damage bio filtration and most nutrient issues can be handled w/ WC. If you have time and are just doing a observational quarantine b4 adding to your disp[lay I think it makes me rest easier knowing its nitrate and not ammonia building up in my system

abarrera
12/31/2008, 09:04 PM
Thank you both for the input. I found a lot of useful info on Q-tanks and hospital tanks. I was under the impression they were the same; given they can be both, I think that it will be setup the 20L in my room like a bare bottom mini display tank(for close observation) and use an extra 15Tall I have for a hospital tank(sick/diseased/parasite infected) being they are fairly cheap to set-up.

What is the news about the rena smart filters? How well do they work

jenglish
12/31/2008, 10:13 PM
I will say that I use one tank for both (not at the same time obviosly) but have an extra if I had to do both at once. I am unfamiliar w/ those filters. are they the ones that alternately fill and empty? I am a bit wary of those. A good old magnetic impeller Hagen or Penguin are known to run a looooong time. I sort of like simple equipment if its going to sit in a storage for months or years at a time.