Idle QT question

[cncguy]

Is there any issue leaving a QT just running with nothing in it? I use tank water, and top off with RO/DI water. Have a heater, HOB aqueon filter, and powerhead. I have a sponge in my display sump that I'll put in the filter before putting fish in it, then throw away when finished quarantine process. What parameters should I check before adding anything, aside from salinity and temp? Does anyone else leave their QT idle with no livestock?

[gone fishin]

I don't see any reason why you could not do as you want. I would guess just check temp and salinity since you will not be adding anything to it.

However after use I would clean it out especially if you treated anything.

I personally set mine up when I need it. Just my way though.

[billdogg]

^^^What he said^^^

Why waste the electricity and water? I just set mine up when I get home from the LFS. Siphon water from the DT into the QT, plug in the HOB and heater and it's ready to roll.

[murdock84]

I plan on doing something similar to the OP since I'm just starting my tank out. I figure it's going to take me a while to collect all the fish I want and run them though QT. I figured I would need to clean the filter between fish if I need to medicate any.

[gone fishin]

I would empty and clean the entire tank after each fish left QT.

[jay.fishman]

When I was stocking my tank I kept the QT running all the time. It was just easier knowing that it was ready to go.

[formsix]

I empty and clean mine each time. However, if I had unlimited space and money I would set up a permanent QT to have in addition to my temporary ones. Fish would still go into the temporary QT tanks first and go through tank transfer, but then would chill in the permanent QT for a few more weeks before going into my DT. I wouldn't treat in that tank though, and if one of the fish got sick in there I would break it completely down and sterilize everything. But it would be a nice stop-gap between small initial QT tanks and the DT.

[murdock84]

I would empty and clean the entire tank after each fish left QT.

Thanks, that was in my head.