okay, I'm convinced the need of QT.
now, being more specific and practical,
say I set up a QT with my 10g tank, making it simple and basic.
I could take water from the main tank.
I would need a heater.
Do I need a protein skimmer or PH?
10% weekly water change?
anything else?
I don't have to keep it running all the time. just when I get new fish?
How about new corals? Can they carry disease?
too much to learn....
the book is on the way...
Yes, use the water from your main system to set up your QT because it is established with beneificial bacteria. The QT tank should also be bare bottom (no live rock or sand), which makes it easier to clean, and medicate, if needed.
You can add a small protein skimmer if you like, but at a bare minimum, you will need a power head/pump for water circulation and a heater as well. I like to add a large piece of PVC pipe to provide cover for the fish as well. The larger the QT, the more stable it will be. And yes, you do want to do water changes as well.....weekly or so depending on your bio-load. If you have a large fish, like a tang, in a smaller QT, then you may need to change water every other day...just depends on your load and whether or not you add a skimmer to the QT.
I use a 29 gallon bare bottom QT for all new fish. I also use a Prizm skimmer, heater and maxi jet power head. If the fish show signs of marine ich, I also add UV light to the system and treat with hyposalinity. The most common disease/parasites you will encounter in this hobby is marine ich. There are only two proven methods to cure ich: copper and hyposalinity. Neither method can be carried out in your reef aquarium (both copper and hyposalinity will kill everything else in your reef). It is so much easier to put your fish in QT first as opposed to introducing a sick fish to a healthy environment.
For more information on hyposalinity, marine ich and QT, go to the following websites:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.htmlhttp://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.phpI only QT fish, but I dip my SPS corals in a solution to prevent RTN before they are placed in my reefs. If you do QT corals, you would need to add so much more (intense lights and more circulation etc.), which would become expensive.