Keeping a cycled quarantine/second tank with inverts?

Ok so I want to keep a quarantine/ second tank constantly set up with its own cycled filter. I don't really want to keep an extra filter in my main tank because of how it'll look and the space it'll take up and I'd rather not use extra filter media kept as stand by in my main filter in case it brings problems with it into the 2nd tank or, worse, drops the ability of my main tank filter to deal with the existing bio load. I have a small, 3rd tank, I can use as a hospital tank if any meds are needed for sick fish.
My question is whether Inverts can be used to keep a second tank cycled ready for quarantine (My thinking is diseases don't cross between fish and inverts so both will be safe with the other). If inverts can be used i'm assuming you'd have to keep quite a lot, how many? My second tank will be running at 20 Gall US with an internal power filter, small pick up filter and an airdriven sponge filter to give me various options that I'll try not to bore you with here!!! Thanks in advance for any help offered,

Jim

 

The thing with inverts, is there bioload, isn't very much. So any fish you might add to the QT tank, will probably throw it in a minI cycle from the extra bioload. The extra media works best IMO

 

Yep, getting the impression their bioload is next to nothing unless you keep lots, which I want to do anyway. Got some RCS as a cleaner crew for my community tank and have discovered they're actually quite fascinating! Thanks for the response

 

depends ich can infect inverts I don't think snails would produce enough Bioload. You could just have a regime of adding a dose of ammonia to the tank every other day and changing it once a month. I say run 2 sponge filters in the main tank. Or keep ghost shrimp in the qt tank or a feeder crop like wild type guppies something you won't care if it gets sick and they all die...

Or keep it empty and keep a bottle of tetra start smart with it.

 

Ahh Ok, so Tetra mart works then? Thanks. Will probably keep some fish in it as well but can't think of any common ones that don't eat shrimp fry!

 

Hey, you guys get up early don't you!

 

hi

am I right in thinking you want to keep inverts in your QT tank?

if yes then I don't think it will work, I was going to do the same but a lot of medications are not safe for inverts so I had to shelve the idea

you could look at my QT/RCS tank thread, might give you some help

 

HI Baggy When I get chance I'll check those threads out, supposed to be going to my childs sports day in a bit - weather permitting (so maybe not hey!).
I'm going to keep an extra, small filter in the second tank as it's not really on view and use that in an empty 5 gallon tank Ive got that I can fill and set up as the need arises. If meds kill the filter it won't matter as I'll still have cycled material in the other tanks. Cheers for the response, I'll check that link later....

Jim

 

good luck on the sports day, but I meant the meds would kill the shrimps, snails ect, a lot have copper in them which is no good for inverts

 

It got rained off, who'd have predicted that!! Going to keep inverts in second tank I think and just use the little tank for any meds. Won't be anything in that one, not even water, until I need it. Even without the copper, fish disease treatments other than natural ones are foul