Does anyone have a QT/Frag tank connected to their DT?

[Logzor]

I am about to add a QT tank to my main display. The plan is to add a 20L or a 40B (if I can find one) next to my 90g DT. I will install ball valves to route water from my return pump and add a drain into my sump.

Should I need to QT I can simply shut the ball valves. This gives me the advantage of having my tank water in the QT ready at all times. It also gives me the option to use it as a frag tank that has my tank water in it (which is dosed with a LM3).

Does this make sense?

[LoyalConvict]

I had a 30 gallon plumbed that way for a while. only used it once before i made it into a fuge for my 75 i recently set up.

[gamareklus]

if you use copper in it you can never reconnect it to your display so i wouldn't use for a qt tank, i think a frag would be ok.

[LoyalConvict]

Originally posted by gamareklus
if you use copper in it you can never reconnect it to your display so i wouldn't use for a qt tank, i think a frag would be ok.

excelent point, unless you drain it scrape off the silicone clean it with vinegar rinse it reseal it.

[Logzor]

I have never had the need to use copper and never plan on it. The last fish treatment I did was a formalin bath for my clownfish when it got brook. I did this in a 5g bucket and popped him back into the DT after the dip.

Most coral dips would be out of the QT since they only take 15 minutes or so (iodine, two lil fishes, ect).

[SharkBait_Mtl]

I am connecting a 30g QT/isolation tank to my main system so that way I will always have my system water in my QT. However, I am using the profilux auto water change (10g/day if there is a fish in QT or 20g/2 days if no fish in QT) to pump my old water into the QT and have the tank overflow into my work sink. If I am treating the tank with medication I close a ballvalve on the "return" that will divert the water into the drain. The QT tank will also have a seaclone HOB skimmer.

[gooyferret]

Originally posted by LoyalConvict
excelent point, unless you drain it scrape off the silicone clean it with vinegar rinse it reseal it.

That is a little extreme having to peal the silicone off the tank and reseal....Draining the tank, rinse with vinegar and running carbon afterwards should complete take care of any copper that was left or leaching into the tank. Leaching of copper would be very unlikely from the silicone.

QT tanks should be a complete seperate system. You could use it as a FT and put the fish in there to observe then if you see a problem have another little tank for QT. I personally feel copper is one of the best and ensured ways of treatment.

[LoyalConvict]

Originally posted by gooyferret
That is a little extreme having to peal the silicone off the tank and reseal....Draining the tank, rinse with vinegar and running carbon afterwards should complete take care of any copper that was left or leaching into the tank. Leaching of copper would be very unlikely from the silicone.

lol, but where's the fun in that?

I know its not the ideal way but I was mainly using it for extra water volume. and when I bought my purple tang I used it as a seperate QT. and then I never hooked it back in.

[SharkBait_Mtl]

Originally posted by gooyferret
That is a little extreme having to peal the silicone off the tank and reseal....Draining the tank, rinse with vinegar and running carbon afterwards should complete take care of any copper that was left or leaching into the tank. Leaching of copper would be very unlikely from the silicone.

QT tanks should be a complete seperate system. You could use it as a FT and put the fish in there to observe then if you see a problem have another little tank for QT. I personally feel copper is one of the best and ensured ways of treatment.

I agree with gooy....except on the copper being the best and ensured ways of treatment.

I have a friend that started using chloroquin phosphate to treat his tankmates that had ick and had very good results.
I recently treated a client's 1200g FOWLR tank (angels, tangs, triggers, damsels, no inverts) with chloroquin phosphate. ALL the fish in there had ick. There was a niger trigger in the tank that looked completly white with spots and I thought it was going to die. Within 5 days almost all ick was gone as well as 95% of all cyano. All the fish are alive, and eating well. I am going for a follow-up (10th day of the 10-day treatment) to see how all his fish are on Monday.

IME some fish do not react well to a copper treatment. If Chloroquin phosphate cleared his tank of ick that wel,l I think it will be the first course of action in my QT.

[snorvich]

If your quarantine tank and your display share water, there is no quarantine.

[SharkBait_Mtl]

My QT and DT only "share" water in one direction. from DT to QT only. when my auto waterchange on the main system runs, all the "old water" will be pumped into the QT and the QT will drain into my worksink. No water will ever make it back from the QT to the main system.

[snorvich]

Originally posted by SharkBait_Mtl
My QT and DT only "share" water in one direction. from DT to QT only. when my auto waterchange on the main system runs, all the "old water" will be pumped into the QT and the QT will drain into my worksink. No water will ever make it back from the QT to the main system.

Well in that way, there is no contamination, assuming your DT is disease free.

[Macimage]

I have not plumbed my qt tank to my main tank, but I use the water from the dt for all the water changes.

It would be handy to have them set up side by side with a ball valve, but I have them a few feet apart and use a pump.