Question about new Quarantine Tank

shuguley

New member
I started cycling my new DT with LR+LS about 9 days ago... no ammonia spike yet. :(

Since I figure i've got 4 to 6 weeks before my DT is cycled, I want to go ahead and setup a QT and put two clownfish in it, so they will be done with quarantine when my DT is ready.

I have read that people will run some kind of BIO filter in their DT for a few days to build up beneficial bacteria on it, then they put the BIO filter in the QT. I also plan on running the QT barebottom with SG 1.025, some PVC pipe fittings, a heater and a small power head.

My question is..... Since my DT has not cycled yet, how do I get beneficial bacteria on a BIO filter, do I still run it in my DT, even though it has not cycled, or do I not have to do this at all?
 
If you don't have an established bio filter in your DT, then you won't be able to establish one in your QT. What I did was put a piece of live rock in my QT when I was cycling, and used a filter with a biowheel in the QT. When the QT was cycled with the live rock, I removed the rock and put it in the DT before I added fish to it.

In terms of timing, when the tank was cycled, I added the clean up crew, and waited a few weeks. At the time you get the clean up crew, you should be able to get a fish for the QT. That way, you'll only be without fish in the DT a few weeks, but you'll have a fish in QT to look at.
 
You don't need a full cycle for the qt. You only need the ammonia stage of denitrification . Nitrites and nitrates are not a worry in qt and the ammonia consuming bacteria are the first to establish themselves. So if your dt has been runnig a couple of weeks any media from it should tranfer the bacterial filter you need for the qt. I use a piece of seeded filter sponge sponge a canister filter which acts as a crbon box on my display. I put a dirty one in the hob qt filter. Check your ammonia in qt and keep some ammo lock or other ammonia detoxifier handy for emergencies. An ammonia alert badge is a nice addition to the qt.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12837564#post12837564 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tmz
You don't need a full cycle for the qt. You only need the ammonia stage of denitrification . Nitrites and nitrates are not a worry in qt and the ammonia consuming bacteria are the first to establish themselves. So if your dt has been runnig a couple of weeks any media from it should tranfer the bacterial filter you need for the qt. I use a piece of seeded filter sponge sponge a canister filter which acts as a crbon box on my display. I put a dirty one in the hob qt filter. Check your ammonia in qt and keep some ammo lock or other ammonia detoxifier handy for emergencies. An ammonia alert badge is a nice addition to the qt.

Why aren't Nitrites a worry? I had two fish come down with Ich, I setup a 10gal Hospital tank, with 2gals of DT water and the rest newly mixed SW. I had a HOB filter with filter floss from my DT. I let the HT sit for a night, then put the fish in the next night. I came home from work the next morning, and my clown was on his way out. He was breathing hard, facing straight up, and bobbing all over the tank. He died an hour later. The only thing I noticed was Nitrites of .25ppm. No noticable amount of ammonia was measured. What do you think my issue was? Was the way I setup the tank ok, and was I alright with the .25ppm of Nitrite? I left the HT up for another week and never could get rid of the Nitrite.
 
If, you had Nitrite of .25ppm. Then you had ammonia in the HT. You must track ammonia in the HT/QT at all times. A ammonia alert badge would work in your favor.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12838204#post12838204 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by smoknta
Why aren't Nitrites a worry? I had two fish come down with Ich, I setup a 10gal Hospital tank, with 2gals of DT water and the rest newly mixed SW. I had a HOB filter with filter floss from my DT. I let the HT sit for a night, then put the fish in the next night. I came home from work the next morning, and my clown was on his way out. He was breathing hard, facing straight up, and bobbing all over the tank. He died an hour later. The only thing I noticed was Nitrites of .25ppm. No noticable amount of ammonia was measured. What do you think my issue was? Was the way I setup the tank ok, and was I alright with the .25ppm of Nitrite? I left the HT up for another week and never could get rid of the Nitrite.
:( Sorry about your clownfish.
Nitrite interferes with chloride absorbtion internally and in freshwater fish competes with internal mechanisms that absorb chloide leading to imbalances including oxidation of the hemogloblin and a decrease in the blood's ability to carry oxygen. .This is not an issue in salt water unless you get to hundreds of parts per million because slat water is loaded with chlorides!9,350ppm There have been tests which exposed clownfish to various levelsof nitrite with mortality occuring over 330ppm,which you can't even measure on your test kit which stops at 1ppm.
Nitrite does not appear without ammonia first. So it is possible ammonia rose without being noticed. There are other possibilities for your fish deaths including; the infestation or the manifestation of a secondary infestation( secondary infestation are much worse since the parasite multiples 2 to 300 fold). medication overdose or mixing incompatable medications,inadequate aeration, etc.

I use a 29 gallon for qt with seeded filter sponge in my hob. I have an airstone, heater,ammonia alert badge, thermometer in a bare bottom tank with pvc pieces for structure.
 
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