Hospital tanks

[Elizabth]

I think I'm going to go ahead and invest in the 55 for my grow out tank. Part if the reason is that I would like to have a hospital tank ready. My question is this: do I need an established tank that's always running, or can I just set it up as needed? This would also be for fish other than discus if needed.

Am trying to keep the tanks to a minimum, but have realized that if I'm going to invest so much time and money into fish that I'll likely become very attached to, I'm doing myself a favor by doing things the absolute best way rather than take a shot in the dark with something subpar and have to rush around if something goes wrong.

As a side note, I've always used my mom's tank as a hospital/q tank for saltwater! She keeps a nice one running so I take advantage! Don't think discus would do too well there, though!

[Eddie]

Hey Elizabeth,

If you have an additional cycled sponge filter running in the main tank, you can simply fill the 55 with dechlorinated water and move the sponge filter over whenever you want to add fish. Et Viola!


Eddie

[jeff@zina.com]

I don't keep a hospital tank set up, but I do have quarantine tanks running. One reason I don't keep a hospital tank running is that most of the medications will kill a filter too, and I often don't even filter a hospital tank. Air stone and daily water changes take care of the water chemistry for me.

I also use small tanks for hospital tanks, they need less medication and water changes.

Jeff

[Eddie]

I don't keep a hospital tank set up, but I do have quarantine tanks running. One reason I don't keep a hospital tank running is that most of the medications will kill a filter too, and I often don't even filter a hospital tank. Air stone and daily water changes take care of the water chemistry for me.

I also use small tanks for hospital tanks, they need less medication and water changes.

Jeff

Good point Jeff, many chemicals/antibiotics will kill nitrifying bacteria. Depending on the reason for using the hospital tank, a bio-filter may or may not be required.

Eddie

[mmorris]

A 10 or 20 gallon is fine for a hospital tank. There may be times when you need to treat the community tank, but if one or two needs special care, you don't want to do it in a large tank because the meds are expensive. I store mine away in the basement and get it out as needed. I keep additional sponges in the community tank filters so if I have to move a fish to the hospital tank, I can move a sponge also.

[calihawker]

A 10 or 20 gallon is fine for a hospital tank. There may be times when you need to treat the community tank, but if one or two needs special care, you don't want to do it in a large tank because the meds are expensive. I store mine away in the basement and get it out as needed. I keep additional sponges in the community tank filters so if I have to move a fish to the hospital tank, I can move a sponge also.


Same here. I don't move a sponge over though, I just do large daily water changes 90% or more except where the meds dictate otherwise.

I have one stunted snakeskin that just isn't the picture of health and I don't have the heart to put it down. He's been in the ht a couple times. The last time with a marble size growth near the gill plate the I excised. Some melafix and a worming preventative and he was back in the display happy as a clam.:)