qt tanks with live rock

[ryanpal]

morning everyone. i'd like to know if you could keep live rock in a QT tank w/out any problems if your not treating it with meds. i understand copper gets absorbed into the rock, however, if i'm just doing hypo...can i use LR in my qt tank?

 

[discocarp]

Hypo will kill off almost everything on the liverock, causing a big ammonia spike. Bad news.

Other than that its fine. If you hypo the rock on its own, let it die off and re-cycle it would be fine. Just be aware this is a long process.

 

[~SIRENA~]

If your using the qt to introduce new fish+not to treat, the LR is ok then?

 

[discocarp]

Yep

 

[tkeracer619]

Don't use it, there is no need. If you come down with some type of disease you wont be able to medicate, your rock will be tainted, ect.

Bioballs, hang on back filters, and canaster filters work the best with a QT system. Give the critters plenty of room to hide with pvc structures. To get the bacteria started put the filter pads or bioballs in your display system for a week.

 

[discocarp]

I prefer setting up my qtanks the way tkeracer619 suggests. I was just answering the question.

 

[ryanpal]

looks like im off to a bad start. i did not put the filters that i have floating in my sump yet. they have been in newly created salt water for a few days. should i still add in the filters?

and by having the filters/pads in the QT does this just allow for less freuqent water changes...which i believe should be 5% a day right?

 

[tkeracer619]

Yeah go ahead and add them to your sump to get them going. As long as they havent been in a tank with new fish your fine.

It depends, if the QT is set up and doesnt create a cycle when you add a fish then 10% each week would probably be sufficient. Most often the medication in use will require a certain % water change.

 

[ryanpal]

sorry for the confusion. what im trying to say is that i have filter pads etc. in my sump already. they've been in there for a few months. should i just add the pads into the tanks now? the fish exposed to the ich were just put in the tank yesterday.

the other tank with the new fish were in there for a week. is it ok to plop the pads in the tanks now?

 

[discocarp]

Yes, get them in there asap. If they've been in your sump for a few months they're well cycled and you need them in the qtank asap. You shouldn't need any liverock if you've got well cycled pads.

 

[qfrisco]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11998992#post11998992 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by discocarp
Yes, get them in there asap. If they've been in your sump for a few months they're well cycled and you need them in the qtank asap. You shouldn't need any liverock if you've got well cycled pads.

Question about the pads - as long as the pads have cycled in my sump "long enough", do I just stick the pads in the QT when I need it? Does water need to circulate around the pad?

 

[discocarp]

Filter pads usually go in a filter. You want to force water through them. Typically you take a sponge filter or the biomedia from a cannister or power filter and add it to the sump. Then it fits right in the filter when you are ready.

If you just have a cycled sponge that doesn't fit a filter I'd just cut it into chunks and put it into a power or cannister filter .

 

[ryanpal]

hmm i thought the purpose was to have the good bacteria act as a part of the biological filtration...unfortunatley my pads don't fit into any canister etc. that i have. is free floating ok?

 

[discocarp]

Its ok, but it would be way better with water forced over it in a filter. The idea is to have a filter that has already cycled.

 

[ryanpal]

ok..maybe i can rig something up..thanks for your input

 

[discocarp]

Since you said you have a canister, the easiest thing to do is just cut the pad into chunks and mix it in with the regular bio media.

 

[jakaufman]

Can you use the little HOB filters that are common for freshwater tanks? I think I have a leftover one from a freshwater tank which I could drop onto a QT tank.

Basically, that little filter, a heater, a powerhead, and a piece of PVC pipe is all thats needed, correct?

 

[discocarp]

You don't really even need the powerhead if you have flow from the power filter - but yep, that's it in a nutshell!