# keeping a hospital tank



## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

I always have the problem with needing a hospital tank, and having a hospital tank available..but never set up and running. So then not only do I need to put a sick/injured fish for treatment , but run the risk of causing more damage because of cycle. Right now I only have a 10 gallon, but I am actively searching for a 20 gallon of CL ( People seem to be over pricing!). Is a 20 gallon good for a hospital tank? Right now the smallest fish is 3inch , biggest is 5-6 inch. species from Champsochromis caeruleus to molto likoma. I don't expect them to reach adult size for along time, so i'm hoping the 20 gallon is suffient for now. 
Also , when you have no sick/injured fish in the tank..will it stay cycled? If not, How do you keep it cycled?


----------



## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

If you're using a HOB filter for the hospital tank, just take some bio media and add it to the HOB. Instant cycle. Loose bio like Matrix is ideal for this. Another option is to run a sponge filter in the main tank and then transfer it to the hospital tank as needed, or if you have a large enough canister, add the sponge in the bio basket/tray and remove as needed.
I keep empty tanks cycled by adding a drop or two of ammonia monthly. The bacteria go dormant until a new food source becomes available.


----------



## epicseller2012 (Mar 1, 2014)

thank you, I have a couple of fx6 and really like the idea of putting the extra sponge in the canisters.


----------



## Austinite (Jul 27, 2013)

Thank you to the OP for posting this question.

GTZ, when you say a sponge in the canister filter, I have Eheim canisters that have a blue coarse sponge and then a white filter floss type sponge, would either one work to cycle a hospital tank? I have a 10 gallon tank in the garage with an HOB as a possible hospital tank, would you just put the sponge in the HOB?


----------



## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Austinite said:


> Thank you to the OP for posting this question.
> 
> GTZ, when you say a sponge in the canister filter, I have Eheim canisters that have a blue coarse sponge and then a white filter floss type sponge, would either one work to cycle a hospital tank? I have a 10 gallon tank in the garage with an HOB as a possible hospital tank, would you just put the sponge in the HOB?


I was referring to the sponge on a sponge filter, which is removable and can be stored in a canister, provided the canister has room for it.
Pretty much anything in a cycled filter will cycle another filter, as long as it fits into the new filter and isn't ridiculously dirty.


----------



## Austinite (Jul 27, 2013)

Thanks GTZ. The sponges in the Eheim canister are removable and could be used, it sounds like.


----------



## Mike_G (Nov 8, 2011)

I keep a couple of Giant Danios in my 10gal hospital/fry tank just to keep it cycled and remove them when I need to house a sick fish or raise fry.


----------



## Mr Tobias (Oct 8, 2014)

I have tried starting a 20 gal hospital tank by putting a sponge from a cycled filter into a newly started filter. I've done this several times when I've needed to isolate a fish quickly and haven't had a hospital tank running. The readings always show that the tank isn't fully cycled though. I've never had an ammonia spike but I've had nitrite and nitrate readings. So in addition to having a sick fish I always wonder if the hospital tank water is not fully cycled and is causing more harm. It sounds like it's best to keep the tank running.
GTZ can you be more specific about using the ammonia to keep the cycle?


----------



## KempDesign (Feb 27, 2014)

my wife breeds guppys. I just keep the tank cycled by keeping a handful in the hospital tank until needed. Works pretty well for me.


----------



## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Mr Tobias said:


> I have tried starting a 20 gal hospital tank by putting a sponge from a cycled filter into a newly started filter. I've done this several times when I've needed to isolate a fish quickly and haven't had a hospital tank running. The readings always show that the tank isn't fully cycled though. I've never had an ammonia spike but I've had nitrite and nitrate readings. So in addition to having a sick fish I always wonder if the hospital tank water is not fully cycled and is causing more harm. It sounds like it's best to keep the tank running.
> GTZ can you be more specific about using the ammonia to keep the cycle?


Ammonia and nitrite oxidizing bacteria go dormant without a food source. From what I've read, they bounce back fairly quickly once a food source is introduced. Regardless, I still add ammonia once per month to a sitting tank with a running filter. I'm not very scientific about it so I don't have any measurements. I'd estimate adding 5-10 drops of ammonia once per month in a 10g tank with an air driven sponge filter in it.
With regards to moving mature filters to a new tank, if time permits I'd still recommend testing with ammonia prior to introducing livestock.


----------



## Ruthiebaby88 (Jul 29, 2010)

Mike G - where do you put the danios while using the hospital tank? I wonder if I could just leave them in there with my patient fish? My fish are generally beat up, not sick - mbuna. I also wondered whether I could keep some cool catfish, or tetras, or mbuna fry in there. When the patient fish is well enough to attack occupants then they are well enough to go back to main tank? I also thought of Shellie's - multies since perhaps they would leave sick fish alone as long as they don't go near their shells?

I just hate the idea of keeping an empty tank running.


----------



## Mike_G (Nov 8, 2011)

Ruthiebaby88 said:


> Mike G - where do you put the danios while using the hospital tank? I wonder if I could just leave them in there with my patient fish? My fish are generally beat up, not sick - mbuna. I also wondered whether I could keep some cool catfish, or tetras, or mbuna fry in there. When the patient fish is well enough to attack occupants then they are well enough to go back to main tank? I also thought of Shellie's - multies since perhaps they would leave sick fish alone as long as they don't go near their shells?
> 
> I just hate the idea of keeping an empty tank running.


I generally leave the danios in with the injured fish, but if need be I can just put them in one of the main tanks- they're pretty well tolerated by the cichlids.


----------



## dledinger (Mar 20, 2013)

An alternative to a hospital tank is a hang on breeder powdered with an air pump. Not the same, but at a minimum it gives you time to get another small tank up and running.

I don't overthink the cycling when setting up a hospital tank. I'll usually throw a clean sponge into a running fry tank and steal the used one for the hospital tank. If that's not an option I just grab some biomax out of an HOB.

10 gallons is all I ever use for hospital/ fry tanks.


----------

