Maintaining filter in a quarantine tank

[murali]

Hi,

Will someone please suggest to me the best way to maintain a quarantine tank.

Should I keep a filter in the tank between new fish, if so, how do I maintain the bacteria in the filter?
Or, when I put a fish in quarantine, do I use a filter from another tank, for example taking one of two sponge filters from an existing healthy tank.

Thanks,
Murali

[gary1218]

It's kind of a "catch 22" question. If you use the same filter in the "q" tank all the time you risk introducing something the last batch of fish in the "q" tank might have had to the next batch.

On the other hand, you run the same risk by taking a filter from an existing tank and using it in the "q" tank. You may be introducing something from the existing tank to the new batch of fish in the "q" tank.

I don't know if there's a good way to "disinfect" a sponge filter of any "nasties" but not kill the good bacteria.

Personally I think if the fish in the "q" tank didn't show any signs of any problems I would reuse that same sponge. I would squeeze it out well and then add straight ammonia to the water every day or so to re-establish the good bacteria and then to also keep it going.

GARY

If you're going to quaranteen a single fish in a tank of 20-30 gallons, then you really don't need a bacterial filter. Daily waterchanges will be more than enough. Believe it or not, many Asian breeders have nothing in their tanks but an airstone (the air out there is just the right temp, so no heater needed). They have a lot more fish in a tank than you would in your QT tank. I'd just suggest that to eliminate the risk of infecting your QT tank.

Brad

[Carol_Roberts]

I always seem to fill up my extra tanks and then have to clear one out when I need a Q-tank. I keep an extra sponge filter in a healthy tank and use it for new arrivals after a good cleaning.
Carol

[murali]

Hi,

Thanks friends for your responses. You have presented me options.
I appreciate it.

Murali