Your Quarantine tank

[Regenmeneer]

My qt is 15ton. I did build it this big because my pond is 50ton, with lots of rocks and trees surrounding it. Because of the great weather we have here in the Netherlands (not very cold, but long periods of low temps), I do heat my pond. But this is costing me too much without covering the pond, and this is impossible because of the rocks and trees. Also, I want to have a qt that can give my biggest koi a comfortable home if need be.

The 15ton qt has a aerated bottom drain, a skimmer and three returns. Because I wanted the filter to be ready at all times for use on my qt, and use all the filtering on the qt in the winter, I have designed a flexible system. I have two filter systems, vortex, matting and moving bed, which I can operate using valves, and can either use both systems on the pond, both systems on the qt, or one on the pond and one on the qt. I use double valves in pipes that are connected to both systems, with a t-piece in between that can be drained of water. This way, there will be an area without water, that dries, and thus can not support any bactaria or parasites.

Both pond and qt can be heated. In winter, a polycarbonate tunnel is build on top of the qt.

Rgds

Regenmeneer

[Tom C]

I have been using a show tank for all my QT. It's up all year around with koi in it to keep it cycled. I have a bead filter on it along with a 55 gallon drum with K1 in it. All our koi are heat cycled in this tank. I have a thermakoi heater on it that kicks a**. If the tank is covered and wrapped I could bring the tank up over 100 degrees in the winter. Not saying I would bring it that high, but I could.

[Valarc]

Good point on the show tank tom - and this is an excellent example of where club membership can be a great benefit. Our club has a LOT of show tanks, and they are willing to loan them out to members for emergencies.

[Tom C]

I think every club show have a tank to let members use. The only thing I don't like about that is, one of our members has a KHV pond. I wouldn't want to see him use that tank.

[Steve E]

This is a picture of a friend's qt/hospital tank. He is very talented and meticulous in his work. The overall dimensions for the tank are 4' W X 8'6" L X 4' H. The water area is 4' W X 6' L X 3' D. The remaining 4'W X 2'6" L area is for the filtration equipment. It is constructed with 2 X 4's, framed 16" on center and bolted together at the corners. The inside of the frame is 3/4" plywood and the outside is 1"X6" tounge & groove cedar with the walls capped with 2 X 8's.

A custom fitted EPDM liner, from Pearls of Paradise, provides the water containment. This liner fits the box exactly and has no folds.

He has about $300 US in lumber and the liner was $208 US.

Filtration is provided by a Cyprio 2000 external filter, with UV. The pump is a Cyprio Titan 1450 Submersible Pump. From the filter, the water is pumped up to the tricle tower. The trickle tower was made using three plastic planter boxes purchased at the local Home Depot Garden Store. These planter boxes are approximately 10"W X 24" L X 10" D. A wood frame supports the planter boxes. He cut out the bottoms of the boxes and tightly wedged sheets of Matala mat for media. The matala mat fills up each box. Water is supplied to the top box via 1.5" pvc pipe with holes drilled it to spread the water flow out.

Cost for the filtration system was about $450 US for everything.

Water changes are accomplished using by-pass valves and plumbing. Which also allow for cleaning of the tank area and/or the filters.

Steve

(this is the quality of style I hope my qt will have when I get it finished)