Hang on back filter?
 

Hello all quick question. i am planning on setting up a ten gallon quarantine tank and was wondering if a simple hang on back type of filter would work for this purpose. ive got several laying around from the fresh water tanks of the past. the type is marine lands penguin bio wheel 100. its rated for 10/20 gallons so i was thinking about using it in conjunction with live rock. also would i need a small skimmer for this setup?
thanks for the advise!

no skimmer necessary if you keep up on water changes.. if it's a quarantine tank you plan on using regularly, 1g water changes weekly should do it. I'd stay away from the live rock, just in case you have to medicate w/ anything. Your best bet is to use PVC fittings as places for fish to hide while in there. The hang on filter will be fine, you want to seed it with bacteria from your main tank though by hanging the filter on there and let it run for a week, or take the wheels off and put them in your sump for a week to colonize.

I think it would work fine. Assuming you are going to quarantine fish only, I think a skimmer would be a waste of money (unless you happen to have one already that you could use). Be sure to stay on top of cleaning the Penguin though. They tend to get dirty quick IME.

i was actually planning on quarantining mostly new corals and clams, i already have the fish i wanted.. is this not even needed? the biggest reason i am going to do this is to keep nisances like bubble algae, and aptasia out of the main tank. its been plagued once already and that was fairly anoying.. as well as any flatworms or other bad beasties that ride in

For corals and clams you are going to need lighting if you plan to keep them in there for an extended period. The skimmer would probably be a good idea as well, but water changes would work as well. I think quarantining everything that goes in the tank is a good idea, but to be honest I don't do it myself. I tend to use only trusted sources (basically tanks I have seen in person) which works as well IMO, but limits my choices.

yep ive got the light covered, and extra T5 fixture i have, it hangs over the edges but thats ok. i was thinkin about one of those small skimmers designed to fit in the back of i think the biocubes? i dont remember what brand but something small. as for trusting the places you get things from thats what i did, and just got unlucky. also i have to do most the livestock orders online so i can't see it in person.