Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I thought it would be useful to have a place to look up how people go about Quarantine for new fish.

Do you just have a simple tank with no filtration? Or is there a grow bed attached?
How long do you quarantine for?
How big is the tank?
Do you salt the quarantine tank?

I need to set up for quarantine before I get any more fish and was wondering what other people do for their quarantine tanks.

http://www.google.com/search?q=quaranti ... en___US245

Lots of ideas.

I would think a simple aquarium or tub with an aquarium filter and aeration would be fine.

I have various size tanks that I use on a regular basis. I like formalin and KMNO4 for prophyllactics.

hope this helps.

I am interested in what treatments are safe for food fish within recirculating systems. I know in Aquaculture there are treatments used on food fish but most of those systems may not be recirculating and depend on water changes to purge the system/fish of the treatment before sale of the fish for human consumption.

In Aquaponics we are dealing with recirculating water and plants that may take up chemicals we don't want to eat.

we already know about Using salt as a treatment and that it is likely the easiest, safest, etc.

What about the benefits and dangers of using some of the other treatments?
What is good for problems that salt isn't effective for?
How to make an infected system safe for future fish?
What ones will wipe out the bio-filter bacteria?
What ones will do in the plants?
What ones are too unsafe for us humans?

I do see some people mention using meds for fish with little/no mention of if it is safe for food fish let alone is it safe for the rest of the system especially the bio-filter bacteria.

I have and use 2 methods only:
1) isolation and salt
2) removal and disposal in rubbish bin

Why mess around with sick fish if there is a possibility of future contamination of the food source - my thoughts

I understand that some diseases are not only in the fish but in the water and therefore, simply removing the fish won't necessarily make the system safe for future fish.

Is salt sufficient to render the system safe for future fish?

Hi TC,
I got a small tank made up (~800l/200gals) and connected it to my main sump tanks (I can isolate the sump tanks)
- when isolated I salt the system to 4ppt and leave the fish in the hospital tank for a minimum of 2 weeks (depends on water temp)...with the fish all well and settled in, I just connect the sump tanks together and over a period of time the salt solution will be diluted and can then move the fish at my leisure

This is used mainly for new fish being added to the system on a yearly basis, if I have sick fish it is simple to convert by removing the sump siphon

See your point, I think having an isolation tank setup to monitor new fish would cut down considerably on diseases being brought into the system.

Don't like the idea of adding chemicals to the system, even if it is to assist the fish health (apart from salt )

Agree with ELK..... source your fish from a reputable supplier, isolate them if you can for a period before stocking your tank....

If you keep your water parameters good, and in a recirculating system you have too... then really your chances of getting any disease problems should be minimal...

Most diseases are introduced, one way or another.... in aquaculture, particularly pond based systems this is often from outside factors like contaminated source water (which is frequently introduced), birds or other feral animals, air bourne contaminants.....

A recirculating system can be effectively isolated from these external factors... other than the initial, or subsequent, introduction of fish... you shouldn't be exposed to these factors...

Keep your feed dry, cool and safe from rats etc and you really shoudn't have a problem.....

Formalin is really nasty stuff..... DO NOT attempt to use it without proper instruction, safety equipment and understanding of handling methods....

Make sure you read the label & MSDS... and understand what "with-holding" periods are all about...

Commonly used in "commercial" pond based aquaculture, and recirc systems..... but I wouldn't advise it for the backyard operator.....

Potassium Permagenate (Condy's Crystals) are just a definite NO in AP systems.... besides being carciogenic, they'll kill all the bacteria in your growbeds and/or bio-filters...

Salt and/or salt dips... heated water and good oxygenation will take care of most problems in an AP system..... "ich" being the most common....

If you get a batch of fish that are really sick, then the only real way of treating them is isolation and treatment with "oxy-tet"......you'll need a vet to apply that treatment...

PM Monya for details about the procedures he had to go through when he got a sick batch of fish...

Unless you're dealing with quantities of 500+, it probably isn't worth the cost and effort....

Bin them, feed them to the chooks... and buy a fresh, healthy batch from a reputable, preferably certified, supplier.....

Prevention is the best approach..... don't put sick fish into your system.... parasites like "ich" can be a pain, but are treatable......as are a lot of fungal problems...

But fungal problems are usually associated with bad water management....

Bacterially infections are usually introduced.... usually fatal... and extremely costly to treat... avoid the problem at the source is my advise.

Rupe, wouldn't nearly every parasite or bacteria be introduced with fish? Assuming most folks are using a fish free source of water.



I guess thats my caveat.... and also my profession.

And shows my ignorance of backyard aquaponics.......I am certainly not recommending KMNO4 or Formalin or Copper Sulfate in an aquaponics system. I am suggesting that using them in an isolated quarantine tank may by warranted by the specific 'nasty' and the owner of the 'nasty' fish.

In the US we have "interstate Fish Trucks" that show up at feed stores and such outlets from time to time. They tend to be the worst about carrying 'unclean' fish. IMHO.

Reckon they should be confined to treating the "supplier" JD

Yep... parasites, bacterial and fungal problems are all introduced...

Point being that the most common source is usually when they're supplied....

Parasites like ich are commonly in fish and water supplys/supplied... hard to exclude, but fairly easily dealt with.

Good water management should prevent the situation where fungal or bacterial infections occur... they're usually secondary infections resulting from stress....

Often through bad water management, over stocking, or bad handling.... ie physical damage due to scales, slime coats being distrubed through bad handling or aggressive fish behaviour...

Pont I'm making is that with proper water management and stocking levels, a recirc system can minimalise such risks... other than supply induced risks.....

Conversely, recirc systems by their nature are problematical if such fungi and bacteria are introduced.....

If in doubt, it's probably best to quickly bin any infected fish.... and maybe flush the system IMHO.... rather than trying to treat.... certainly for bacterial infections....

Parasites and fungi should be treatable by quarantine and salt.... elevated temperatures assist greatly, but it might be hard for most people to treat their whole AP system temperature wise....

So yep, quarantine/isolation tanks definitely have a place.... and can treat small numbers of fish...

If the problems beyond isolation and salting... then IMHO you might as well toss 'em and flush.

I like my UV filter. Not pretty but effective.

http://www.aquaultraviolet.com/newproducts3.cfm?id=81

Which brings up a question about use in an aquaponics system.

Hmmm.....maybe I should start a new topic.

I have read in this forum that UV may reduce the helpful bacteria in growbeds. I thought the bacteria were somehow growing on the growbed media attached by a slime matrix and not normally free floating in the established system water.

Therefore, could a UV filter be used as a way to eliminate harmful bacteria and parasites that are free floating in an aquaponics system with no real negatives?

According to Steve's outstanding research-
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=131&p=972&hilit=Ultraviolet#p972

Specifically:


(Thanks Steve, and still not sure how or, if we should acknowledge others information on this forum, I want to out of habit and respect)

Seems like UV could be incorporated.

Has anyone used a UV filter in an aquaponic system?

And I realize they are very pricey-a definite negative-but is it feasible?

Well you have UVS that are good to kill algae and bacteria in the water
and UVC that are good to flocculate algae into clumps so mechanical filtration can remove it easier.

all depends what you are trying to achieve but if your pet aquaponics fish were worth lots of $$$$ and sentimental value as well you could consider UVS as a sort of extra insurance.
Have you checked out the 'bioforce' family of external pond cannister filters?