Quarantine tank question?

Yes use some zebras they will do fine in that large of a tank. By starting with a large tank you are buying yourself a lot of forgiveness. Just a bare bones 10 gallon will work for a quarantine tank. I would not recommend you put your fish in the quarantine and then the main tank (as it sounds like you are considering.) Some people would disagree with me but that just sounds like a bit of extra stress on the fish and another chance for a problem. I just introduce them into the tank they will be in.

You can quarintine them in the home tank to start with. Only buy a couple of fish to start. Keep those in there until the tank is cycled completely. It won't cycle without the fish in it. Then after a month quarintine new arrivals in the 10 gallon with a filter. Use some of the gunk out of the main tank filter to cycle it. I would get one fish at a time and quarintine them for at least 3 weeks. Hey I'll give you a faster way to cycle the main tank. Do as I say with the two fish, test for ammonia daily and never ever let it get over .50 ppm. Change a lot of water. You may have to change 50% every other day as small water changes don't have much effect. Do not clean out your filter for weeks, that's where the good bacteria are going to set up home. The nitrites will start to go up continue changing the water until you get start to get nitrAte in the system. Then you can relax on changing the water. You may use aquarium salt when nitrites are present will help your fish through the ordeal. Salt in a fresh water aquarium is not needed normally unless you have illness or cycling the water. The trick is to change water and leave the filter alone. If you do it right it will cycle in about 3 weeks as opposed to 6 or 7. Don't use zeo lite and salt together. Zeo lite is not better than water changes anyway. If you use it only temporary to remove ammonia, no longer than 3 weeks and toss it. I wouldn't use it at all. Feed lightly during this process, every other day all they can eat in about 2 or 3 minutes. They will be hungry but don't worry they will survive on very little. Once it cycles you can feed once or twice a day all they will eat in about 5 minutes. Fish will grow according to how well the water is kept not the size of the tank they're in. Don't over feed, don't overstock. Learn what you can on your own and do not trust the petstore. Don't put that tank cycle crap in the water whatever you do. Or meds in the main tank. One last thing green algea is good algea, it won't grow until there are nitrates in the system. Leave as much as you can stand to look at. Any other color algea indicates a problem (brown, red, purple). Do get rid of that stuff. The key to keeping fish is consistancy at every level. That means same temp, same ph, consistant water changes. Its all about balace and good clean water. Choose the best food and keep it fresh. Research your new pets extensively. Welcome to the hobby. There is nothing in the world like a well maintained tank with big healthy happy fish in it.

I hope you're starting this tank with a "batch" of fish. You need to cycle this tank. And cycling a new tank is best done with only 1 fish to start. The process with take about 3 weeks. Once your tank is cycle, you need to add additional fish one species at a time, as the biofilter needs to adjust for the additional fish load.

Putting a batch of fish in at one time will kill them all. I suggest to research tank cycling before to get any fish.

Edit:

I was going to suggest Danios to cycle the tank. That's an excellent choice. You'll do well.

Sure, that's fine. Personally I don't even include gravel in my quarantine tanks. Nothing but a heater, sponge filter and a light. The light is only so I can get a good look at them. Go as cheap as possible for that use, just the bare necessities are really best. No gravel means no where for parasites to hide and a much easier time removing uneaten food.

MM

Your idea sounds fine, just be sure to get cheap hardy fish, like what the clerk suggested, so you don't waste any money. The quarentine tank does not need to be any bigger than what you have unless you plan on getting huge fish. Good luck!!

so long as you dont put many fish in the quarantine tank and dont over feed it should be ok.

true just make sure it has a filiter