Dry Rock in QT Observation Tank?

[BigJohnny]

Hey Reefers,

I am setting up a permanently cycled QT observation tank for corals and fish. I do not plan on keeping either in there at the same time. Plan is a bunch of frags first (dipped/observed/redipped/ observed before entering the display. Maybe one last dip [emoji6] ) then fish, then more corals after fish are already in the display.

I plan on using TTM with prazipro for all new fish before they go into observation. Seperate Formalin or Paraguard dip for clowns as well. I also have CP on hand but not sure if I will use it. Obviously if I have to medicate fish in the tank I will use carbon or sterilize everything between inhabitants/re cycle.

My qt observation tank is currently going to be set up with the following:

-20g Aqueon
-Aquaclear 50 (with sponges only for bacteria colonization plus aeration)
-Sponge Filter (again for bacteria colonization plus aeration)
-Wooden Air Stone (for aeration)
-Hydor Slim Skim Nano
-Jebao RW-4
-Hydor Koralia nano
-4 bulb T5
-pvc elbow
-egg crate 3 level frag rack for light acclimation

I can easily turn off the skimmer and air stone if I need to add any medication to avoid accidental bubbling/removal of the medication. The Jebao RW-4 allows me to have low to high flow depending on corals/fish. The skimmer aids in filtration obviously. The 4 bulb allows me to add or remove bulbs depending on coral/fish requirements.

My question is- since I won't be using copper, and the fish will already be ich free before entering the observation tank, is there any reason for me not to have a piece of dry rock in there to assist in bacteria colonization? Do I even need it or do you think the sponges will be sufficient?

Thanks!

 

[rovster]

My qt has a few pieces of rock. Only hypo and prazi for now. Have a spare 10 gal with everything I need if I want to medicate with stronger stuff, but hope to never have to. Also have an ATO on the qt, helps with hypo treatment....

 

[Silly clownfish]

I use rock in my observation tank. I seed the dry rock in my sump before moving to the observation tank. It is just old dry smaller pieces. If I have anything questionable come through, the rick gets pulled and dried and some other pieces get used for the next go-round.

 

[BigJohnny]

My qt has a few pieces of rock. Only hypo and prazi for now. Have a spare 10 gal with everything I need if I want to medicate with stronger stuff, but hope to never have to. Also have an ATO on the qt, helps with hypo treatment....

Cool thanks, I don't have room for a spare tank so I'm trying to determine what adding dry rock would restrict me from treating properly. Btw I have a Tunze Osmolator on my display and tunze osmolator on my nano [emoji6] . I don't use hypo though.

The only reason I am thinking about adding it is for additional bacterial colonization/filtration. I wonder if I even need it though since I have 3 sponges in an aqua clear 50, a 4 inch sponge filter, skimmer/3 level frag rack/pvc elbow for bacteria to live on. I know the rock is obviously more porous but the bioload will be very small.

I know rock messes with Copper treatment but I'm not sure what else. Don't plan on using copper so not an issue for me if that's it.

 

[BigJohnny]

I use rock in my observation tank. I seed the dry rock in my sump before moving to the observation tank. It is just old dry smaller pieces. If I have anything questionable come through, the rick gets pulled and dried and some other pieces get used for the next go-round.

So you pull the rock after treatment of the "questionables" or before the treatment?

 

[rovster]

I have a pretty big bioload in qt right now. Nice to have a cycled tank so waterchanges are minimal. I also have an HOB skimmer. Not that I think you need one but I had one laying around so why not?!?!? It doesn't skim much but I'm sure the oxygenation helps. My qt is more of a FOWLR now that I think of it

 

[BigJohnny]

I have a pretty big bioload in qt right now. Nice to have a cycled tank so waterchanges are minimal. I also have an HOB skimmer. Not that I think you need one but I had one laying around so why not?!?!? It doesn't skim much but I'm sure the oxygenation helps. My qt is more of a FOWLR now that I think of it

How big is your qt tank and how much rock do you have in it? Also how many/which fish?

I agree, i definitely want to go the cycled route, otherwise it's too much upkeep. I have the hydor slim skim nano internal skimmer because it's one lil beast of a skimmer and I will need really good water quality to QT sps. Oxygenation is definitely a plus and helps with pH as well. I also plan on feeding a little on the heavy side to bulk up any fish before they enter the display. Barebottom to make it easy to suspend and remove detritus.

Haha yea I have heard many a stories of people gradually/accidentally turning their qt tanks into a 2nd tank.

 

[mpderksen]

Rather than rock, I keep a pile of Marine Pure balls in my main sump. When I need my QT, my HOB holds exactly 9 of them. They are supposed to have much higher bacterial capacity than rock, don't take up space, or trap junk. When I'm done, since I don't keep it running, I just throw them back in the sump. Of course, I'd never do that if I had to use any meds.

 

[BigJohnny]

Rather than rock, I keep a pile of Marine Pure balls in my main sump. When I need my QT, my HOB holds exactly 9 of them. They are supposed to have much higher bacterial capacity than rock, don't take up space, or trap junk. When I'm done, since I don't keep it running, I just throw them back in the sump. Of course, I'd never do that if I had to use any meds.

Do 9 marine pure balls provide sufficient biofiltration for your qt tank or do you use something else as well? Also, are you sure that they dont trap meds etc?

 

[mpderksen]

My last round had 5 small fish in a 20gal for 6 weeks. No water changes were done the entire time. I did not use any meds or copper. This included an Anathias, which can be a bit delicate, IMO, and everything is still thriving. I would assume the balls would absorb anything that rock would, but I have a full box in the bottom of my 75g (in the sump), so if I had to use meds/copper, I would just toss them.

 

[mpderksen]

Dry Rock in QT Observation Tank?

I should also add that I keep the sponge/carbon filter (throw out the bio-wheel) and I did change it halfway through. No reason to "cycle" that part, since the balls contained enough bacteria that the amount on the filter floss was trivial. Note that I'm basing my method on advice of others, and the manufacturer's claims if the balls capacity.
If I understand it correctly, the amount of bacteria that are present balances the bio-load of the tank. Let's say 9 balls have 1 billion bacteria each, and I add another fish. Then over time, it might go up to 1.2 billion. Remove a few fish and the load drops to 0.8 billion. This is why the standard is to add fish a few at a time to a system. Capacity and actual numbers are different. My assumption is that the load of 9 balls in my current tank contain enough to manage the 5 I added. I saw no rise in nitrates or phosphates, though I had to feed 3x/day, in small amounts for the Anthais.
I don't have hard numbers, but I my, limited, experience it seems to give me success. Next month I'll set it up again for a round of coral and 2 small fish. Corals have a better way of telling you if they are happy. I'll have to watch it more closely.
The reason I mention the changes in bacterial population is that you may have periods where you keep the QT running, but with nothing in it. I would suspect that, while its empty, the load would drop. I feel it's better to keep the balls in a stocked tank to maintain the population. No reason you could keep it running without them between cycles and just add the balls back when new critters show up.

 

[rovster]

How big is your qt tank and how much rock do you have in it? Also how many/which fish?

I agree, i definitely want to go the cycled route, otherwise it's too much upkeep. I have the hydor slim skim nano internal skimmer because it's one lil beast of a skimmer and I will need really good water quality to QT sps. Oxygenation is definitely a plus and helps with pH as well. I also plan on feeding a little on the heavy side to bulk up any fish before they enter the display. Barebottom to make it easy to suspend and remove detritus.

Haha yea I have heard many a stories of people gradually/accidentally turning their qt tanks into a 2nd tank.

Tank is 30 gal standard. I have a build thread for it, LOL!

Currently a small swallowtail female and several anthias. First 4 fish had full blown ich, actually had 5 and lost one, but they pulled through. Currently in hypo. All fish eating and out in the open. Can't wait until I put them in the display! I need the fish poop....

 

[BigJohnny]

My last round had 5 small fish in a 20gal for 6 weeks. No water changes were done the entire time. I did not use any meds or copper. This included an Anathias, which can be a bit delicate, IMO, and everything is still thriving. I would assume the balls would absorb anything that rock would, but I have a full box in the bottom of my 75g (in the sump), so if I had to use meds/copper, I would just toss them.
View attachment 324510

Cool thanks

 

[BigJohnny]

I should also add that I keep the sponge/carbon filter (throw out the bio-wheel) and I did change it halfway through. No reason to "cycle" that part, since the balls contained enough bacteria that the amount on the filter floss was trivial. Note that I'm basing my method on advice of others, and the manufacturer's claims if the balls capacity.
If I understand it correctly, the amount of bacteria that are present balances the bio-load of the tank. Let's say 9 balls have 1 billion bacteria each, and I add another fish. Then over time, it might go up to 1.2 billion. Remove a few fish and the load drops to 0.8 billion. This is why the standard is to add fish a few at a time to a system. Capacity and actual numbers are different. My assumption is that the load of 9 balls in my current tank contain enough to manage the 5 I added. I saw no rise in nitrates or phosphates, though I had to feed 3x/day, in small amounts for the Anthais.
I don't have hard numbers, but I my, limited, experience it seems to give me success. Next month I'll set it up again for a round of coral and 2 small fish. Corals have a better way of telling you if they are happy. I'll have to watch it more closely.
The reason I mention the changes in bacterial population is that you may have periods where you keep the QT running, but with nothing in it. I would suspect that, while its empty, the load would drop. I feel it's better to keep the balls in a stocked tank to maintain the population. No reason you could keep it running without them between cycles and just add the balls back when new critters show up.

Could alsi keep my qt running with pure ammonia equivalent to my next inhabitants or an auto feeder. Thanks for the marine pure balls idea. Seems like a great option for limited space.

 

[mpderksen]

Could alsi keep my qt running with pure ammonia equivalent to my next inhabitants or an auto feeder. Thanks for the marine pure balls idea. Seems like a great option for limited space.

I don't have enough experience to answer that. Only that what I've done seems to have been successful.

 

[BigJohnny]

I don't have enough experience to answer that. Only that what I've done seems to have been successful.

Don't worry it wasn't a question haha. I was just saying that is a way to keep the QT tank going when fish aren't present [emoji106]

 

[mpderksen]

Lol, okay. Just need to be careful that I don't present myself as a subject matter expert. If you wanted to keep it going, a few snails may keep it going, and they can feed on just the algae growth, I would think.
Thinking out loud, if you did bring home some fish to QT, the bacteria would expand just like adding it to a DT. Your tank would just sit like the early stages of a new tank, where we all add the CUC prior to adding fish.

 

[BigJohnny]

Lol, okay. Just need to be careful that I don't present myself as a subject matter expert. If you wanted to keep it going, a few snails may keep it going, and they can feed on just the algae growth, I would think.
Thinking out loud, if you did bring home some fish to QT, the bacteria would expand just like adding it to a DT. Your tank would just sit like the early stages of a new tank, where we all add the CUC prior to adding fish.

Also an option. Thanks for your input