QTing a paired goby and pistol shrimp

[BIGD0G]

I have a 180g tank that has been running about 6 months now with 2 clowns in it. All water params and in check and normal. I am looking to add the next inhabitants and wanted to add a paired goby/pistol shrimp. Of course I want to Quarantine them. I have a 10g QT setup with a heater, HOB filter, light and PVC fitting in it. No sand or rock.

My question is can I use this as the QT for the goby/pistol shrimp as it has no sand? Want to make the comfortable as possible in QT and feared with no sand to burrow in they will not be happy. Anything special about QTing livestock that likes to burrow in the sand?

Thanks for the help.

[BIGD0G]

Thoughts?

[Uncle Salty 05]

If you have some expendable sand I would go ahead and put some in there.
Just be prepared to toss it if any meds are used.
Is the HOB filter cycled?

[Cymonous]

I believe you can take a cup of sand from the LFS you get the pair from or a cup of sand from your DT and place it in your QT. I did this for my diamond goby to sift. Then you can place food in the sand for them to eat.

[BIGD0G]

Ok makes sense then to add some sand for the quarantine. I guess I have read so much about maintaining a clean QT I was taking it too literal. I do have an extra bag of sand not used in the DT that I can add to the QT then dispose of when finished. Yeah the HOB filter is cycled. I put a new filter in the sump of the DT for 5 days before changing it. Also this is the same QT I used for my clowns. I have done a water change in it since they were moved to the DT. It has been fallow now for about 3 months.

Thanks for the help.

[m0nkie]

if the QT hasn't been medicine dosed yet, you can use a shallow bowl to add the sand. This way it's much cleaner and easier to remove. When finished, just put the bowl back into sump. Every time you QT stuff, just put that bowl of sand back in. Works as a filter also since the sand is cycled.

[Uncle Salty 05]

Yeah the HOB filter is cycled. I put a new filter in the sump of the DT for 5 days before changing it.

5 days is not nearly long enough to become biological.
It takes a minimum of 2 weeks, a month or more is best.

[BIGD0G]

Ok I will add it to the sump longer. Thanks for the help.

[Uncle Salty 05]

If you have time, you can just put an ammonia source in the QT and let it cycle with the HOB filter just like any other tank. That would be best.

[BIGD0G]

Just to be clear the QT is cycled already. I used it to quarantine my clowns. It has been fallow now for about 3 months now since then. I did not use any medication in it for the clowns just did a water change once they exited quarantine.

[Uncle Salty 05]

If it has been fallow for 3 months, all beneficial bacteria died from starvation 2-1/2 months ago.
Unless you have been ghost feeding or something to keep them alive.