Quarantine tank questions......

[bryan.wilson79]

Okay after long debate I'm going to set up a QT. Unfortunately my main tank is almost cycled and ready for the "first" water change. My next move was going to be adding a pair of clowns directly in...So...I'm probably going with an INnovative marine nuvo 10 for the QT...grab a heater, thermometer, and maybe a light...my question is do I have to "re-cycle" the new 10 gallon or can I use water from my display without cycling..I don't want to wait another month to buy and insert fish( although I will do what is required for healthy system).

Please advise...

 

[A.Astore]

As long as you don't have rock and sand in the QT (which you don't want anyway) you do not have to actually cycle it. You simply need to figure out how you want to filter/clean the water the fish will be in. I use tank transfer initially which means I don't do any actual water change in the tank itself but the fish get a whole new tank of water when they are flipped to the next tank. After that process I generally just do small water changes and add a little carbon to keep the water free of garbage. Doing it this way simply means not overfeeding and getting the stuff off the bottom in the longer QT tank. I also will use bacteria in a bottle sometimes if the fish seems to carry a very heavy bioload.

As far as your water from your display. I personally use the water from my display to fill my QTs and here is why (which some will absolutely disagree with FYI): I am putting the fish in there regardless so if they will eventually go to that water why am I not using it? Now, if you somehow manage to put something in the tank with a disease and have to pull everything to allow for a fallow period do not use the tank water or you will possibly be re-infecting every time you add water from the DT. That is simply how I view using the DT water but some will absolutely disagree; however, they might also be those that have more than one DT so the fish could go into multiple different end tanks. One last thing, you say your tank is almost ready as far as water, does that mean there is still ammonia? If you still have ammonia I don't know that I would suggest using the water and I would simply use freshly made saltwater which would not require you waiting for a cycle.

 

[Dmorty217]

Okay after long debate I'm going to set up a QT. Unfortunately my main tank is almost cycled and ready for the "first" water change. My next move was going to be adding a pair of clowns directly in...So...I'm probably going with an INnovative marine nuvo 10 for the QT...grab a heater, thermometer, and maybe a light...my question is do I have to "re-cycle" the new 10 gallon or can I use water from my display without cycling..I don't want to wait another month to buy and insert fish( although I will do what is required for healthy system).

Please advise...

Yes use water and a small piece of rock to cycle the QT, this will also let you know if you have any disease present in the DT currently (if it is void of fish it should be disease free) In the future I would suggest having a filter block or filter floss in the sump seeded ready to setup a QT tank at a moments notice

 

[Brieninsac]

You don't need to cycle your QT if you use a product like Bio-spira and do weekly water changes (at the minimum).

 

[DavidGraves]

I manage an uncycled QT. Use a seachem ammonalert badge to watch for ammonia. Use filter floss in a HOB filter and change it daily. Do water changes as necessary and suck out any waste from the bottom with a baster. It sounds daunting after reading so much on how important the cycle is but for 1-2 fish its is pretty simple. Keep Prime on hand if necessary.

I even do my TTM in 5 gallon buckets with only a airstone and heater.

I wouldnt even bother with the nuvo 10. Just pick up a 10-20 gallon from petco $1/gal sale.

 

[bryan.wilson79]

Nice to hear...I was a little frustrated that I might need to wait...my current water is 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite...the Nitrates are still high hence the water change. I was thinking of doing the water change this weekend ..checking the water and then adding 10 gallons to a QT tank next weekend. I actually have some bio-Spurs left from my 40 gallon startup....So what I'm taking from most replies is its okay to really go either way with the water as long as my parameters are okay?