Setting up my first QT -- advice needed

[muppet]

I picked up a 10 gallon aquarium, brand new, a HOB biowheel filter, and a heater. I'm going to buy a couple of PVC elbows tomorrow.

The LFS guy made a suggestion I've not seen before, which is to keep a small low maintenance fish in the QT to keep the bacteria in the biowheel alive when the QT isn't being used. I figure I can get the biowheel started by leaving it in my sump under some flow for a couple of weeks, but after that I can't put it back in there lest I introduce medication (or illness) to my DT.

Anybody have any remark on this? First time I've ever heard the suggestion. If I don't do this, how do I maintain my QT instead? If I only set it up when I have a new or a sick fish, how do I make sure there's a bacterial load in there to take care of it? Can't use live rock if I medicate, right?

 

[thegrun]

You can go either way. I kept a QT for a couple of years with live rock and a royal gramma. If I ever needed to medicate, I would set up a hospital tank and move the fish into it. 95% of the time, treatment was not needed. The problem was the tank eventually morphed into another nano reef tank.

 

[muppet]

Sorry if I seem thick, here, but what's the other way I could go? If I don't keep a fish in the QT full time, how do I set it up on demand and make sure the QT'd fish is balanced with bacteria?

 

[WhoDat?]

yes you can do it that way... but what I don't like about that is.... the fish you leave in the QT tank will make a home and could be agressive towards any new fish that are put in QT.. or what take him out and put him in another tank? or in the DT tank? just seems like alot of trouble.... I've heard of some people just putting a little bit of food in the tank to keep the bacteria going strong... (feeding the tank).... but I've never done it..

I do it like this.... I first started with a sponge filter in my sump for 4 weeks.... when I'm ready to QT... I take it out and put it in the QT tank to run... then I place a new sponge filter in the sump and by the time my fish is ready for the DT tank a new sponge filter is ready if needed.... So I always have filter with bacteria on it and never use the same one twice....so If you are using a HOB as your filtration I'd just place the filter floss somewhere in the sump that gets a good water flow and in about 4 weeks it will be ready.... You can disassemble the QT tank when done... and leave the filter floss in the sump until you are ready to use it again.....