Isabella

Hi everyone. I have a 10 gallon quarantine tank that is empty (without fish) for most of the time. I occasionally put one of my angelfish there when she's fighting with my other angelfish. It's filtered all the time. The filter I have is a Tetra Whisper Power Filter for 10 gallon tanks. The only media insert it has is carbon that you need to change approx. every month. And I do change it every moth, even though there are no fish. My question is, since there are no fish in that tank, is it really necessary to change the carbon insert every month? There are no wastes when there are no fish. How often should I change the carbon insert in a quarantine tank (without fish)? Below is the picture of the filter I have.

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Butterfly

Isabella it's really not necessary to even keep it running or even water in the tank if there are no fish in there. If there aren't any fish in there it won't stay cycled so therefore no need for the filter. If you want it to stay cycled all the time you could get a platy or some fish of that size to live in the tank and keep it cycled. Then move the fish when you need the tank. I know thats more than you asked for, but you know I do run on
Carol

Isabella

Ahhhh, that's the point! I don't want any more new fish. I was just wondering if I can keep the small tank running (and cycled), just in case any of my fish ever gets sick, or when I decide buy new fish - so that I can put it there for some observation before putting it in the main tank. But I understand the tank will not be kept cycled without fish? Is there any way to keep the tank cycled without fish and without adding any chemicals (commercial products) to the water? So that the tank can be always ready for use whenever needed? In this new "scenario," what to do with the filter? Change the media every month, or less often?

I will add that the quarantine tank I have is the first tank I ever had. I never changed 100% of water from it. I just transferred all my fish (and added some new fish) to my 30 gallon tank about a year ago. I left the small tank running ever since, and kept performing partial water changes and filter media changes ever since too - as if fish were still in there. When I put my angelfish in that small tank (not long after the transfer to the large tank), nothing happened to it - so water was clearly fine (and I tested it for ammonia, nitrites, etc ... as well). But no fish has been in this tank for a while now, so do you think that water isn't good anymore?

Butterfly

without fish in the tank to provide "food" for the beneficial bacteria it will die. Now what you could do is put the Q tank filter on the other tank that has fish in it and keep it(the filter) running, then if you need the Q tank you can just transfer the filter over. Does that make sense?
Carol

Isabella

YES Butterfly! Thanks Great Idea. Why haven't I thought of it? My brain cells are slowly deteriorating I believe, lol. OK, so just keep this filter running all the time in the large tank, right? What about the water? Just leave the water be in the small tank? Or perform partial water changes as usual? Will this water be safe unfiltered? Will it be safe right after I have transferred the small filter from the large tank to the small tank?

Butterfly

If you put the filter on the bigger tank and run it you can empty the q tank completely and just fill it when you need it and move the filter and fish over.
Carol