# Quarantine tank questions



## Kerstin (Sep 16, 2009)

Hi there, I enjoyed your forum and your communication on the salt water tank setup, and the reminder of how bad the ich can be... i have set up 3 tanks in my lifetime and want to do everything right this time too that I may have left out before. I was very blessed in being able to keep my tangs alive, but had challenges and with your reminder I may just never buy one again. I have never had salt water tanks with protein skimmers (and never had real coral) but want to start now. I actually always had penguin filters and shall try, for the first time, to go without. I always had success though with keeping all my fish alive (and mostly healthy) incl. shrimp, starfish, other invertebraes (definitely no sea horses...too sensitive) and horseshoe crabs, WOW are THEY hardy! I lost my fish during one of the hurricanes and 1 year later, after not having been in my house, no electricity, no a/c, no NOTHING, I found my forgotten mini sized horseshoe crab alive, sticking it's head out from under the sand. It was about 120 degrees in my house, no ventilation, no lights, etc. For 1 year he made it...and finally 'mommy' (bad mommy!!!) gave him to a pet shop. Anyhow,
Thanks for the reminder on the Quarantine tank. Do you suggest a full set up like another small protein skimmer and mini powerhead, etc. also? I have a 10 gallon tank I can use for this...but only a regular compact light with it...no fancy lighting, nothing but an empty tank and a hood. Thanks for any communication. I just joined this forum tonight (after not being able to locate my marine handbooks from years ago) 
Kerstin


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## Kerstin (Sep 16, 2009)

....the horsehoe crab still had the water that was left and evaporated down to the last third.


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## Pasfur (Mar 29, 2008)

Actually, one of your Penguin filters would make a perfect filter for a 10 gallon quarantine tank. Nitrates are not a concern in a Q tank, because the fish load will be very small and water changes will be large and frequent. So, to answer the question, there is no need for a protein skimmer on a Q tank.


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## Kerstin (Sep 16, 2009)

Dear Pasfur,
GLAD you are online! I just came home and am so sad that I still have not set up the tank 
I tried going back to Petco to return one of the bio skimmers and exchange for a bio filter....to just at least get started and do the fish thing at least...but they shut the store down early and would not help me... i told them I had to drive over 1 hour rountrip to get there and back and had rushed the entire time to get there before they closed. (Sign said 9 pm). I got there at 8:53 pm ....
Very upset with them. I had an even exchange and they refused anyhow. 
So, fate would have it that I ended up with now 2 bio skimmers, no filter, one powerhead, 20 lbs. or live sand, dry /hard coral and nothing else. Oh yeah, 27 gallons of salt water just sitting there in my tank, no movement even. I have a heater and that's it.
What can I do? Can i just put all the things in there (1 bio skimmer) and the heater and sand and coral and powerhead and watch it cycle itself???
thanks for any feedback...
Kerstin


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## Kerstin (Sep 16, 2009)

Yes, I will buy some kind of filter for the 10 gallon tank...was at Walmart and almost bought a whisper for a 10 gallon...but waited..


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## Kerstin (Sep 16, 2009)

Correction: not a Bio Skimmer, but a Protein Skimmer is what I have two of!


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