Quarantine Now! We've all heard the expression "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and it holds true even in the basics of our hobby. However, one of the most common mistakes among experienced and inexperienced hobbyist alike is an abbreviated or non-existent quarantine (QT) protocol. So, if everyone is familiar with the term QT, why isn't everyone playing along?

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Huh???????

Huh???????
sorry.. all fixed.. :)

Nice link there Rob! Definitely shows how cheap it can be to do a little (QT)!

SHD, you crafty bugger, got to the end to find out you wrote it..lol
ive definately had my head in the sand for too long, are these the online pieces we were talking about some time ago?

still differ in opinion on the filter material used in the hybrid set-up unless of course its new or practicly nuked every time your finnished with it.:love!:

still differ in opinion on the filter material used in the hybrid set-up unless of course its new or practicly nuked every time your finnished with it.:love!:

It's a 2 dollar sponge filter.... ya toss it. The only thing I personally sterilize is the tanks. Eveything else gets tossed

Great article, I am definatly an offender, and I have about everything I need to do on just laying around. Couple ?'s though:

Do I just leave the sponge in my main sump until I need it? Seems like that would be a Mitrate factory, or do I just put it in a couple days ahead of needing it?

Also, I have a HOB biowheel filter laying about, could I just get a new biowheel and toss it in the sump to be used in the QT?

Can I just fill the QT with tank water form my display?

Do I just leave the sponge in my main sump until I need it? Seems like that would be a Mitrate factory, or do I just put it in a couple days ahead of needing it?

It's always nice to have one sitting in your sump. We've all brought home unplanned items. Keep your sponges clean and will not have an issue with nitrates. Not that a little sponge would do that in a healthy tank.

Also, I have a HOB biowheel filter laying about, could I just get a new biowheel and toss it in the sump to be used in the QT?

How expensive are biowhells? I wouldn't use anything you couldn't throw away or sterilize after.

Can I just fill the QT with tank water form my display?

It all depends, how good is your water? Really really think hard about that.
If it's not optimum don't use it. You want to give your newest purchase the best chance you can.

some could argue the "aged factor" of the water sourced from DT, as apossed to sterile fresh mix, but im sure not going to..lol

Id still keep a QT seperate in every way from the main.
Seperate set of nickers for every occasion i say. :D

never underestamate a bottle of cycle if self presivation drives you down the bacterial path, corals are a different story all together so when your talking fish you gota use your head. the variables & factors involved have to be taken on board. If your new fish has just been shipped from the red sea, your going to be looking for stress & fatige & your not going to feed your new fish as much at the start cause a) they wont really want to eat, and b) the duration of travel im most cases would shrink the gut cavity anyways, thus resulting in less build up of wastes anyways ..aka ammonia........sweet sweet ammonia. um, yeah, where was i...arr yes.........where as the fish you've had your eye on in the store the last 2 weeks is already eating cause you've seen it before, & you've asked to see it feed right before purchase, so henceforth in the back of your mind trickle water changes could more than likely be on the cards to keep levels consistant.
cycled, non cycled, or SHD coined term "Hybrid" approach, it does matter, what matters is at the end of the day you use your gray matter logicly & perform small water changes often. right..who has my beer!