Seeding Filter Media

[BossHoggin]

Bought a new AC50 HOB filter for my 55G QT. I have the standard AC foam inserts for all 3 tiers of filtration in the media basket. The filter is currently running on my reef to seed it. My question is how long MINIMUM should I run it on the reef tank to get the filter well seeded.

A few factors: the filter will be running along with a remora pro HOB skimmer rated to 100G. I will be dosing microbe-lift special blend as well, had good success with this in the past. The fish going in the QT is a 7" miniatus grouper so the bio-load will be significant. I will be treating the miniatus with cupramine for ich. Was going to prophylactically treat all new additions with cupramine (hypo for copper sensitive fish), and prazi then observe for a while after, still in QT, including the grouper. Of course I will be keeping the grouper in QT for 9 weeks so the DT can go fallow. Was planning all of this from the beginning. Just had the grouper in the DT since my QT wasn't up, but the fish was an irresistible deal on boxing day.

However things have changed, things are more hurried, hence the minimum seeding time question. The grouper has gone from flawless health, well settled in, always out, exhibiting excellent color, begging for food, ect. to a decent case of ich in the last 3 or 4 days, getting progressively worse. Of course the grouper is still eating and doing ok, they are tough fish but it is clearly unhappy scratching constantly, rarely coloring up and hiding a fair bit.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mrscribbled]

It takes 6 weeks to seed new media, I personally use instant ocean bio spira to immedietly cylcle new media. Works great, Dr tims one and only is another great product and is actually the same as dr tims. These are the only quaranteed to work long term products. The others which are so called fresh and saltwater are actually land bacteria and need daily dosing to keep ammonia in check.

 

[MrTuskfish]

I think it usually takes about 3 weeks to properly seed filter media for a QT. With a low bio-load, it may take longer. I've heard a lot of good things about Bio-Spira, it may help with ammonia in the QT. But, i'd have lots of water ready for WCs. If the grouper is the only fish, tank transfer may be the best ich treatment. There's a sticky above.

 

[cordell]

You'll get different opinions on this.. it seems the best answer is to seed the sponge for as long as you can. 6 weeks would be safer than 3. I've been successful several times with as little as 2 weeks, but that was just for a couple clownfish.

It is a good idea to get one of those Ammonia Alert badges to put in the tank, and glance over at it every time you walk by the tank.

And in an emergency, keep some Prime close by.

 

[FlyPenFly]

Personally what I do is run multiple small mesh bags of filter media like Matrix in my DT. When I need to activate Q tank, I just take one of the bags and put it in there. I make a new bag to replace that one in the DT. Something maybe to consider in the future.

I've had good luck with BioSpira and Seachem Stability. The most important things regardless of any brand is how long has it been sitting and what were the temperatures it was exposed to. Anything that experienced freezing is all dead. Anything older than 8-10 months is very sketchy.

What's nice about Dr. Tim's stuff is that he overnights it with heatpacks like livestock. Expensive but reliable.

 

[MrTuskfish]

You'll get different opinions on this.. it seems the best answer is to seed the sponge for as long as you can. 6 weeks would be safer than 3. I've been successful several times with as little as 2 weeks, but that was just for a couple clownfish.

It is a good idea to get one of those Ammonia Alert badges to put in the tank, and glance over at it every time you walk by the tank.

And in an emergency, keep some Prime close by.

Yeah. I was typing (fumbling with the keyboard while Mrscibbled was posting. o, I'd say somewhere between 3 6 weeks. Actually, there are so many variables that almost any Amsterdam could be right. Up until recently, Miracle-Gro bacteria in a bottle products were worthless; some downright dangerous. Bio-Spira and Dr. Tim's seem to actually work.

NEVER use prime, or other ammonia - neutralizers with copper.

 

[cordell]

MrTuskFish, can you elaborate on never using Prime? I thought I had read in several places to use it if ammonia unexpectedly climbs in a QT, to save the fish. Is it because of the copper?

Just curious because, up until now, I had always planned to use it in QT if needed, which I never actually had to do. So if that is a bad idea, I'll need to adjust my QT routine a little bit.

 

[wooden_reefer]

Bought a new AC50 HOB filter for my 55G QT. I have the standard AC foam inserts for all 3 tiers of filtration in the media basket. The filter is currently running on my reef to seed it. My question is how long MINIMUM should I run it on the reef tank to get the filter well seeded.

One minute is enough to get it "seeded".

Seed is indeed what you should aim for.

To GROW it, DO NOT just put it in DT. This is a very marginal and limited approach.

You should never PLAN to rob the DT of bacteria to be used in QT. The bacteria population in DT is to support the bioload in DT and is not designed to have spare.

There are several marginal considerations: if the bioload you are adding is very small compared to the bioload in DT, you can rob the DT without much consequence and just restrict feeding in DT for a while.

In general, DO NOT plan to rob the DT. You should cultivate extra bacteria.

After you have seeded the medium, you put the whole QT filtration medium in a separate container (may or may not be the QT itself), feed ammonia, and allow the filter medium to grow bacteria.

In a bind, robbing the DT can be a resource and can save you from a calamity, but do not plan to do so.

 

[MrTuskfish]

The seeded sponge is a very small part of the aerobic bacteria in the DT. This method has worked well for me and many others for years. There isn't always time to grow bacteria for a HT.

I'm assuming the DT is well established when a sponge is put in to seed. Aerobic bacteria multiplies very quickly. I've never heard of anyone having an ammonia in their DT because they removed a seeded sponge for the QT; most of the DT's bacteria was still in the DT.

 

[MrTuskfish]

MrTuskFish, can you elaborate on never using Prime? I thought I had read in several places to use it if ammonia unexpectedly climbs in a QT, to save the fish. Is it because of the copper?

Just curious because, up until now, I had always planned to use it in QT if needed, which I never actually had to do. So if that is a bad idea, I'll need to adjust my QT routine a little bit.

Prime, and others, are fine as long as you aren't using copper. Prime (et al) form deadly compounds when used with cupramine, and I assume, other brands of copper. Here's some good info on Cupramine, the FAQ are a must. http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Cupramine.html

 

[BossHoggin]

Sorry I haven't updated. Been really busy. The grouper is in quarantine. Hooked him clean on a small barbless fish hook. I ran the aquaclear on the reef for 7 1/2 days before transferring it over. Better than nothing I guess. I dont trust any of the bottled bacterias to do the job without routine dosing. I heard good things of biospira, I tried the bottle that treats 75G. I had ammonia @ 0.25ppm after ~12 hours (I have the red sea ammonium test for when I start cupramine, as well as the amonnia alert badge, was just using API for now). I dosed special blend after finding this ammonia reading, dosed prime as well. (i know not to use this when I start with the cupramine). Special blend has worked for me in the past, keeping a QT well cycled until I cut the dosage back, letting the "real" bacterias take over. This is my plan for this QT as well, I will not be breaking it down between fish.

The grouper has a swollen eye, but not cloudy like popeye would be. I believe it is a swollen due to physical injury scratching on the rocks. I used epsom salt and his breathing and eye are better. Have a water change cooking for tomorrow. Will do the water change, then start the skimmer tomorrow. Will periodically shut down the skimmer saturday to dose special blend again. Start it back up Sunday and do a half dose of cupramine then, and a half dose the next day.