Once you have chosen a location where you want to put your quarantine tank, you can now start constructing it. To construct your quarantine tank you need to follow these steps:
Installing Proper Insulation:
You will need to ensure that you properly insulate the quarantine tank. You will use blue insulation foam for this task.
The first task is to lay down a sheet of the blue insulation foam onto the ground or surface where you are going to have your quarantine tank. Once you have laid down the blue insulation foam place your quarantine tank onto it. Now you will need to place sections of blue insulation foam on the sides of the quarantine tank. Trim away the parts of the blue insulation foam that aren’t needed and secure firmly in place using duct tape. This step is essential as it will help you to maintain a steady temperature in your quarantine tank.
Install the drains and filtration system:
Once you have the blue insulation foam secured to the quarantine tank it is time to install the drains and the filtration systems. The first thing you want to do when you are installing the drains and filtration system to the quarantine tank, is to hook up the bottom drain to the edge of the tank. Then you will hook up the filter to the drain pipes. Attach the water pump inline after the filter and place the outflow pipe over the edge of the quarantine tank.
Fill the Quarantine Tank:
Once you have the pumps and filters in place, it is now time to fill your quarantine tank. The best kind of water to fill your quarantine tank with is water directly from your discus aquarium. However, if that is not possible and you are using municipal water, remember to add dechlorinator to the water, and allow enough time for it to take effect before putting your discus into the quarantine tank.
Turn on the Pump:
The next step is to turn on the pump and make sure there are no leaks, and that all the joins in the piping are secured tightly. You will want to make sure that you manually check each one by feel, and not just by sight, as sometimes there is a miniscule leak that could become a problem later, but is not visible to the naked eye.
Add Salt:
You will next need to add salt to the water. Kosher salt is the recommended kind of salt to use for your quarantine tank but regular non-iodized salt will work as well. Remember that you want the water in your quarantine tank to have a salt level of roughly 0.3%.
Check and Test the Shop Lights:
You need to check that all shop lights are functional and at the right height for your quarantine tank. The light needs to be low enough to provide enough light, but not so low that it gets in your way when observing or treating your discus.