Cheap DIY QT Tank????

[sharper]

So now that I have unwanted hitchhikers from the Zoas that I got....even though I have no money at all, I may have to make a temporary QT tank for any new corals I get.

Does anyone know how or know a link for me to make my own small QT?
Small and Cheap would be the best! Thanks!

[WaterKeeper]

Sure, get a plastic tray large enough to house them. Use a powerhead, HOB filter or canister filter to provide circulation. You can use the heater from your evap or salt make-up water container. For a short term quarantine lighting is not an issue. If it goes longer then you can use standard daylight fluorescent tubes to provide the light. Just move the corals as close to the lamps as possible.

[latazyo]

10g tank 9.99
powerhead - already have
heater - already have
PVC pieces (in case you get fish) - 3 bucks

total under 13 bucks

[sarduci]

Large plastic tote for storing books - books dumped on floor
Backup heater to main tank - spare parts bucket
Clip on light for working under car hood - borrowed from garage
Power head - spare parts bucket for skimmer

Cost for me - $0.00

Don't worry about a skimmer for it, but you might want a small air pump for a longer stay to get oxygen into the water and extra water movement.

Be careful with the heater to make sure it's not touching the plastic if you are going to use anything but a real fish tank, it'll melt through most stuff in a few days, or like I found out with a 55g plastic trash can, a few weeks......

[jjakes24]

do you have to worry about any ammonia spikes in a qt because of no bacteria?

[Andrew]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7965989#post7965989 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jjakes24
do you have to worry about any ammonia spikes in a qt because of no bacteria?

I never have had ammonia spike problems in any of my QT tanks. I always just start the cycle of the tank with some liverock and while the cycle takes place, algae will start to form on the pvc pipes and starboard. Then after the tank cycles, I just removed the liverock from the tank.

[WaterKeeper]

I use water change water from the display to fill a quarantine or hospital tank. I also picked up, thanks to Steve Pro :thumbsup:, to run a small bio-wheel filter on my sump. When I have fish in QT or H tanks I just move it over for a instant biofilter. Works like a charm. Short of that you can do fairly large daily water changes. The only drawback there is you need to readjust the medicinal dose after each water change.