QT Tank Question

[malx]

Hi, Everyone.

I set up a Nuvo 10 in my office as my QT tank. Here's the specs.

• Nuvo 10
• Neotherm 50w heater
• Seney Controller (parameters http://screencast.com/t/PpaZnMmbW2UR)
• Salinity is 35
• Backup Thermometer says 80.6 degrees
• One Filter Sock with Carbon and GFO in it.

So here are my questions.

1. Everyone says that Ammonia levels need to be at 0. I don't have any livestock in here and my Ammonia is reading at 0.01. Any idea why that is? Maybe 0.01 is essentially 0?
   
2. If I were to add a fish, naturally the Ammonia level would spike. Since it's a QT tank, I'm not sure what cycling I have to do if any? Should I throw some bio-spire or some other type of backteria agent when I toss the fish in?
   
3. If #2, then what in my tank will the bacteria even stick to?

Let me know,
Joey

 

[BigBlueTang]

Hi, Everyone.

I set up a Nuvo 10 in my office as my QT tank. Here's the specs.

• Nuvo 10
• Neotherm 50w heater
• Seney Controller (parameters http://screencast.com/t/PpaZnMmbW2UR)
• Salinity is 35
• Backup Thermometer says 80.6 degrees
• One Filter Sock with Carbon and GFO in it.

So here are my questions.

1. Everyone says that Ammonia levels need to be at 0. I don't have any livestock in here and my Ammonia is reading at 0.01. Any idea why that is? Maybe 0.01 is essentially 0?
   
2. If I were to add a fish, naturally the Ammonia level would spike. Since it's a QT tank, I'm not sure what cycling I have to do if any? Should I throw some bio-spire or some other type of backteria agent when I toss the fish in?
   
3. If #2, then what in my tank will the bacteria even stick to?

Let me know,
Joey

Hey Joey,
It really depends on what kind of QT you are doing. Uncycled, or cycled..

From your post, it seems like you want to go the cycled route. If you are doing this, make sure you know that medicating the tank means you will have to remove/bleach/throw away everything in the tank.
There are some really good stickies about this, especially from Sk8r in the Setting Up sticky, about the benefits of cycled/uncycled. With uncycled, its a lot more hands on and you have to constantly be checking for ammonia and always have extra saltwater on hand. With cycled, it's a lot easier, and you usually don't have to worry about ammonia, however, if you medicate, it will destroy the bacterial population, and it will essentially become a uncycled tank.

I prefer the cycled method, however, I proactively medicate the fish before they go in the QT, such as TTM, Formalin Dips, and Prazi pro. I would also read the stickies in the fish disease forum, as they will tell you what those three "medicines" are, and will keep you a lot more relaxed about the whole process..

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[malx]

Hey Joey,
It really depends on what kind of QT you are doing. Uncycled, or cycled..

From your post, it seems like you want to go the cycled route. If you are doing this, make sure you know that medicating the tank means you will have to remove/bleach/throw away everything in the tank.
There are some really good stickies about this, especially from Sk8r in the Setting Up sticky, about the benefits of cycled/uncycled. With uncycled, its a lot more hands on and you have to constantly be checking for ammonia and always have extra saltwater on hand. With cycled, it's a lot easier, and you usually don't have to worry about ammonia, however, if you medicate, it will destroy the bacterial population, and it will essentially become a uncycled tank.

I prefer the cycled method, however, I proactively medicate the fish before they go in the QT, such as TTM, Formalin Dips, and Prazi pro. I would also read the stickies in the fish disease forum, as they will tell you what those three "medicines" are, and will keep you a lot more relaxed about the whole process..

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Thanks. Good advice. I have a lot of extra rock so the cycled method would probably be preferable to me. Would be OK with tossing the rock in the event of a disaster. What do you use to keep your tank cycled? Do you use rock?

Also, are dips like, 100% necessary? I don't want to stress the fish out but if people like to do it, I'll look into it.

Let me know,
Joey

 

[malx]

Here's my QT tank. The ATO tank reservoir is next to it. Came out good! Cycling it then adding fish in a few weeks.

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