setting up a qt tank... need help

[UTTAngel]

I have a 6g that I want to use as a qt.. I had it set up once before and when I put a damsel in it, the damsel seemed to get really sick/pitiful looking when he was healthy to begin with.. I had used water from my main tank and I had several pvc couplings in there so he could hide, a heater set at the same temp as my main tank and a waterfall filter with the carbon removed.. am I doing something wrong? As soon as I put the damsel into the main tank he perked right back up.. In a couple weeks I'll be getting more LR and a maroon clown and the damsels I have now will be going back to the store.. I just want to make sure that I won't be killing my clown.. also, I'm thinking about trying some pulsing xenia.. how do I acclimate these and do I need to qt this first too?

Any help would be welcome

Thanks

[Avi]

The thing that's, IMO, the biggest problem with using a QT is that most often, the fish that's getting put in there is being put in a tank that's not cycled or not cycled anymore. The result is that putting the fish in there and feeding it, etc. generates a cycle with the attendant levels of ammonia, etc. that negatively impacts on...or even kills...the fish that is being treated. So, come up with some method of keeping your QT tank cycled all the time and you'll be ahead of the game.