Can I sump a QT/hospital tank?

[james1990]

I know it's not "needed" but I have an extra nano overflow and a 10 gal and was wondering if there would be any negatives towards this. I was thinking simple filter sock, filterfloss/bio balls and a small return.

I already know that all equipment would be contaminated by dosing copper.

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Well, that's the reason why you shouldn't add it to your main system. You should keep a QT tank separate hence being quarantined.

If you want additional baffle for the just in case to keep sick fish for inspection purposes then that makes sense. It adds water volume and a place to "separate" fish that either become aggressive, ready to sell and easier to place in that location, etc.

 

[james1990]

Yes I know it needs to be separate than the display system I'm asking if I could run a sump on my QT tank which is a 29g thanks for the post

Anyone else?

 

[evoIX_Reefer]

Ok, well that could be done but what would the sumps purpose be on a QT tank? Use old water from your display to fill it and throw away the old water out from your QT. Run your QT with a big hob filter like a ac110. No fancy equipment needed for a QT.

 

[thirty6]

If your going to keep your qt on display where its visible, why not
My kids are young enough they dont know difference they think we have two tanks jn the house

 

[Awibrandy]

I agree with thirty6!

That is exactly how my QT is set up!

It so happens that what I am now using as a QT was a mini reef in my bedroom. Once I no longer wanted another tank to care for it just sat. After Sandy my 75 gallon QT was destroyed along with all my other empty tanks in the basement I needed another QT, so the old mini 20g reef became my new QT.
It has been working just fine. So far I have had no need to medicate! It is running Hypo, so the 10g sump has a heater, and return pump, GAC & filter sock. I have not found any issues with such. I change out about a third of the water weekly with freshly made new ro/di water. Fish are happy, and so am I.

 

[james1990]

That's what I wanted to hear. I know it could be done but I found it interesting that I could not find ANY literature on putting a sump on a QT tank

I was set on the AC110 but its nothing more than a foam pad/ GAC/ bio plugs

 

[Jan]

Hmm, QT is not for display. Let's say you have a fish in QT that has shown signs of velvet. Your QT and sump now have velvet thriving in it. If it is hooked up to your DT you'll have velvet in there too. If you do have fish showing signs of disease you may want to treat the fish. Some folks use their QT as a hospital tank too. MAny treatments for common ailments are very harsh; copper, formalin, antibiotics (can destroy a reef and will kill pods). Many folks keep QT in hyposalinity 1.010-1.008. Not too much can thrive in that, certainly not inverts, SPS or LPS. Anyone who has used QT and has not had any diseased fish is just lucky. To me that is playing with fire. I say they need to be kept seperate. I don;t even use the water from my DT for my QT to avoid any cross contamination.

 

[Jzhou]

You can add a sump to a QT and hospital tanks. There are some people who have multiple QT tanks all connecting to 1 large sump.

 

[Jzhou]

I don't really see a beenfit of using a sump for a hospital tank though since you would need more medication for the added volume of water.

 

[Jan]

Maybe it's because my head's a little fuzzy from a very bad bronchitis, but I don't understand the logical rational for having a sump on a QT or HT. QT and HT are all about isolation, observation for disease and possible treatment. Can someone who's been doing this a long time explain the rational of adding a sump to me?? I understand the need for some to make these setups look nice, but they're not for looking nice. Some don't even have their QT running all the time. They take it out and set it up when they need it. I look at it like an isolation room in a hospital. They are not nice looking. They are sterile looking. They have one purpose.

 

[lnevo]

Not everyone has space or desire to keep something ugly around for 2 months...or maybe they have no HOB filters and just want to reuse equipment they already have.

 

[Jzhou]

Its really a matter of preference. If you have the space, some people prefer the use of a sump because it offers the same benefit as it would for your normal tank. For my QT tank for corals it allows me space to add a skimmer and Phos reactor. In the past, I've seen people use it because it allows them to do is quarantine 2 or more fish within one system who might otherwise kill each other if they were to have been placed in the same small tank. From the perspective of using a sump for breeding tanks, a sump connected to multiple tanks also makes water changes a lot easier.

 

[Jzhou]

There is also a difference between a QT and a Hospital tank. I'm also assuming that they are talking about adding a sump to a QT system without connecting it to their main set up

 

[thirty6]

The added volume of water isa good point. I apologize i may have misunderstood original posting. I answered based on sep. system not connected to main dt

 

[james1990]

Late reply I just left work.

Sorry if some are confused... I never once said that this QT/hospital tank would be connected to my main system, I said that its it's own system and this was a matter of using a sump vs a HOB filter. Obviously medication in the event of a sick fish would permanently seed all equipment

 

[KathyC]

Yoir original question..

I know it's not "needed" but I have an extra nano overflow and a 10 gal and was wondering if there would be any negatives towards this. I was thinking simple filter sock, filterfloss/bio balls and a small return.

Late reply I just left work.

Sorry if some are confused... I never once said that this QT/hospital tank would be connected to my main system, I said that its it's own system and this was a matter of using a sump vs a HOB filter. Obviously medication in the event of a sick fish would permanently seed all equipment

I don't think there are any negatives but I don't know that comparing the use of a sump vs a HOB filter is equal.

The addition if a sump gives you :
more water to make, heat, medicate (if necessary), electricity (return & powerhead)

IMO a HOB filter in a simple tank is the way to go, less of a headache.