Setting up First QT tank

[Viper966]

Setting up my first QT tank, just wanted to check on how i have it going

I have a 20 Gallon Long Tank, a few PVC elbows in it

Water was from the Display tank for its initial fill

I have a Fluval AquaClear 10-30 gallon HOB filter, which has a media tray with A sponge, Carbon, and Ceramic media in it.

I have a Seachem Ammonia Altert Badge in there

I phantom fed the tank, and put in a dose of nite-out

I was thinking i should probably add a small airstone to the tank as well.

Should i soak the ceramic media in the main tank? or just let it sit in the fluval filter and build up the bacteria from the nite out and phantom feeding?

I was planning on getting some new fish next week, probably a small Blue hippo tang from the LFS

Should i treat him with a small dose of cupermine regardless if i see ich? or observe him for a bit to determine my next steps? the one i have my eyes on has been at the LFS for a few weeks and is healthy and eating well, but obviously i dont want ich in my main tank.

Sorry for the newb questions, im only a few months into this, and want to do things right to practice for a new much larger tank in the house im building.

 

[anthonys51]

if you treat with any meds you need to take out the carbon.

 

[cougareyes]

If you are not starting with mature media I doubt it will be cycled in a week, I use the ac hob filters for my qt, I filled them with live rock rubble and seachem matrix media I pulled from another tank. Your fish will always do better in a fully cycled qt with enough bacterial bed to handle the full biological load.

 

[GimpyFin]

I agree, remove the carbon. It will counteract copper or other meds you are dosing.

 

[Viper966]

I agree, remove the carbon. It will counteract copper or other meds you are dosing.

the plan is to remove the carbon if/when I start dosing..

i wasnt sure if i should medicate the tang if it shows no signs of infection or not.
based on their "history" of ich, it seems like it may be a good idea to dose, but maybe not?


should i put the media in my main tank to allow it to absorb bacteria easier?

 

[FindingEmily]

You don't have to cycle a QT tank either. You can use prime to bind the ammonia and just do water changes every few days. Just putting an alternative out there.

 

[Viper966]

You don't have to cycle a QT tank either. You can use prime to bind the ammonia and just do water changes every few days. Just putting an alternative out there.

cant use prime, have to worry about potentially using cupermine

 

[gone fishin]

Personally I would look into the tank transfer method(TTM) for ich. There is a sticky above the red arrow on the forum page. It is easier on the fish than using copper. After the TTM put the fish in your QT for 4-5 and observe for any other illness. Also, I would treat with 2 rounds of prazipro for flukes.

Being that your looking for a tang an air stone would probably be a good idea they seem to do better with more oxygen.

 

[FindingEmily]

cant use prime, have to worry about potentially using cupermine

Oh yeah. I never use it, hence why it slipped my mind. Also +1 on TTM.