Does a bare-bottom QT tank need to cycle?

[UncleSalt]

I'm setting up a 20L QT tank to move my fish into before they move into my new 120G. The QT is going to be a bare-bottom tank with a simple heater and HOB filter, powerhead, and a piece of PVC.

Is it just as simple as load it with salt water, acclimate fish, let them sit? Or does the QT tank need to cycle? If so, how do you cycle it?

 

[sk8ter20art]

You need to seed the qt tank with bacteria. Put a filter pad in your current tank for at least a week to get some bacteria growing on it. Then get your qt tank up and running, then transfer the filter pad and do a little ghost feeding. A bottle on amonia reducer would be good to have on hand. Also how many fish and what size qt?

Why don't you just wait till the new tank is cycled and only move the fish once. Lot less stressful, and you only have to catch them once.

 

[UncleSalt]

You need to seed the qt tank with bacteria. Put a filter pad in your current tank for at least a week to get some bacteria growing on it. Then get your qt tank up and running, then transfer the filter pad and do a little ghost feeding. A bottle on amonia reducer would be good to have on hand. Also how many fish and what size qt?

Why don't you just wait till the new tank is cycled and only move the fish once. Lot less stressful, and you only have to catch them once.

As much as I would like to do that, I never QT'd my fish when they entered this tank. I think I notice some ich on them and want to treat them with cupramine. Best way to do that is with a QT tank! One of those things where I didn't do enough reading before I introduced livestock!

 

[Jersh]

Have you looked into the tank transfer method, as a form of QT? I do that with a 2 week observation after, in a tank with sponge filter media from my DT.

The tank doesn't have to be cycled. The main thing you should be worried about is ammonia building up in the QT, from fish poo and uneaten fish food. Ammonia can be eliminated with prime, sucking up uneaten fish food, bacteria seeded filter media, and water changes.

The other important things for QT is temperature and SG matching.

 

[Spar]

Have you looked into the tank transfer method, as a form of QT? I do that with a 2 week observation after, in a tank with sponge filter media from my DT.



The tank doesn't have to be cycled. The main thing you should be worried about is ammonia building up in the QT, from fish poo and uneaten fish food. Ammonia can be eliminated with prime, sucking up uneaten fish food, bacteria seeded filter media, and water changes.



The other important things for QT is temperature and SG matching.

+1

I always have a couple sponges seeding in my DT for this purpose. Pretty much is an instant cycle. I still monitor ammonia though just in case.

 

[RobH]

When I setup my qt I just take water from my DT to fill the QT, with the usual heater, powerhead and a small filter, and a tube for fish to hide in. I have never set one up and cycled it, not because I don't think you should cycle it, I just have a habit of going to the LFS and not leaving empty handed, so I usually set up my QT when I get home. I just do regular water changes, but I refill the QT with DT water when I do water changes. I keep it as simple as possible and it works for me.

 

[sk8ter20art]

Are you transferring anything else from the current DT like your live rock to the new tank besides your fish? If so your problem may come back after QT. If you are just moving them to a larger tank be sure to leave the old tank fishless for 4+ weeks (i believe) to run out the itch life cycle.

You still haven't told us how many fish etc.

 

[Ryanrttu]

Good place for all QT questions

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2195588

 

[UncleSalt]

Are you transferring anything else from the current DT like your live rock to the new tank besides your fish? If so your problem may come back after QT. If you are just moving them to a larger tank be sure to leave the old tank fishless for 4+ weeks (i believe) to run out the itch life cycle.

You still haven't told us how many fish etc.

I have 3 fish. A purple tang, and two clowns. Everything will be QT'd before it goes into the new tank. The old rock/sand will NOT go into the new tank. It will be dry rock, dry sand, and i'll ghost feed or table shrimp it to get the new tank going cycle wise. I want everything QT'd before it goes into the new tank. The new tank doesn't arrive until Thursday so it has some time before it'll be ready for anything.

 

[UncleSalt]

So if I am correct, I can move some existing DT water into the QT tank, then it won't cycle. I can then add my fish and start dosing Cupramine. I can then monitor ammonia and keep up with water changes and add prime? CorrecT?

 

[HumbleFish]

So if I am correct, I can move some existing DT water into the QT tank, then it won't cycle. I can then add my fish and start dosing Cupramine. I can then monitor ammonia and keep up with water changes and add prime? CorrecT?

Never mix Cupramine (or any copper based med) with Prime (or any ammonia reducer).

It sounds like you will need to do regular WCs to control ammonia in QT. I highly recommend one of these. Liquid ammonia test kits will oftentimes give you a false positive reading when testing water that contains copper.

 

[shesacharmer]

Please read this: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2195588

The idea with a bare bottom QT tank is to never let a cycle start to begin with. Frequent water changes, a HOB filter with only a bit of filter floss changed daily or more often if any smudges are seen on it. Clean fresh seawater with pvc hiding places, a filter and heater only and your wet pets should thrive in QT. They can go to the playground (DT) when they are no longer grounded.

 

[Jersh]

So if I am correct, I can move some existing DT water into the QT tank, then it won't cycle. I can then add my fish and start dosing Cupramine. I can then monitor ammonia and keep up with water changes and add prime? CorrecT?

Just so you know, there is no such thing as "cycled water". The water itself doesn't contain the bacteria to complete the nitrogen cycle, the live rock does. Freshly mixed saltwater is just as good as water from your display tank. I wouldn't add any DT water to your QT tank, especially if there were fish in the tank with ich.

 

[shesacharmer]

+1

+1

Just so you know, there is no such thing as "cycled water". The water itself doesn't contain the bacteria to complete the nitrogen cycle, the live rock does. Freshly mixed saltwater is just as good as water from your display tank. I wouldn't add any DT water to your QT tank, especially if there were fish in the tank with ich.

I use saltwater which has been mixing for at least a day in my QT. Freshly mixed saltwater is too caustic so mix ahead and bring it up to temp before putting it in your QT. Or let it sit in the QT with the pump running for a day before you first add the fish.