setting up my first Qt

Daddyrawg · 06/15/2018, 10:31 PM

its a 20 gallon...so i put my filter sponge in my DT sump..question is how long do i keep sponge in sump to collect all the benefial bacteria to get my QT up and running?

ive heard 2 days and ive heard a couple wks

lowtek · 06/16/2018, 01:15 AM

I would wait until media starts to discolor. Longer the better. And use dt water to fill qt on water change.

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Uncle99 · 06/16/2018, 06:18 PM

I do not do this in my QT at all, I just make small daily water changed and vacuum up uneaten food, this makes sure there's no ammonia in the tank for the short duration (max 30 days) of QT.

I doubt you will get enough to cycle the tank, so this is why I no longer do.

Daddyrawg · 06/16/2018, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

I do not do this in my QT at all, I just make small daily water changed and vacuum up uneaten food, this makes sure there's no ammonia in the tank for the short duration (max 30 days) of QT.

I doubt you will get enough to cycle the tank, so this is why I no longer do.

what do you use to vacuum?

Uncle99 · 06/17/2018, 06:25 AM

I use a piece of ridged airline tubing which is about as deep as my QT is attached to a syringe.

This way, I can do two things:
1-If necessary because it/they are sick and in the QT because of this, I can feed the fish one piece of food at a time, Incan slowly bring the tip to the mouth and just release one piece.

2.-To answer your question, this tool allows me to also "suck up" little pieces of "stuff" to keep the tank clean and keep ammonia out when added to daily, small water changes.

Some like to cycle their QT and use A piece of live rock and this is fine if you want to spend the time, but it's not mandatory if you do regular small water changes and test for ammonia.

Keep in mind, that if you were setting up a QT for sick fish, you would not have the time to cycle.

Hope that helps, great little tool, used it all the time for different things.

top shelf · 06/17/2018, 07:59 AM

When I purchased my SCA tank it came with a bag of ceramic rings. Tossed a handful in the sump for 2 months then added to filter in qt a week before arrival of new fish.

Daddyrawg · 06/17/2018, 11:58 AM

my filter comes with a filter pad with carbon attached to it and a bio wheel that states its an ammonia remover..i dont wanna use those right?
just a sponge for full DT bacteria and stuff it in the media slot of my small filter

top shelf · 06/17/2018, 05:38 PM

You can probably toss the filter pad if you want. May want to keep the bio wheel though. Maybe it's just coincidence but the filter I'm using in qt is supposed to have one but chucked it long ago and it seems like the water coming out is more turbulent so to speak and splashes water all over the edge of my qt tank. I have to wipe daily because of this. I even have the water line pretty far up the filter. Like I said may be coincidence, could try with our without but won't hurt anything short term.

Daddyrawg · 06/17/2018, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by top shelf

You can probably toss the filter pad if you want. May want to keep the bio wheel though. Maybe it's just coincidence but the filter I'm using in qt is supposed to have one but chucked it long ago and it seems like the water coming out is more turbulent so to speak and splashes water all over the edge of my qt tank. I have to wipe daily because of this. I even have the water line pretty far up the filter. Like I said may be coincidence, could try with our without but won't hurt anything short term.

so the bio wheel is ok to use? i read it was a ammonia remover then i heard you dont want to use ammonia removers in a qt?

Uncle99 · 06/18/2018, 09:08 AM

I see nothing wrong with using an ammonia absorption material in your QT provided it's not exhausted (old)

If you go with a cycled QT, ammonia should not be a worry.

If you don't cycle, you want to be checking that ammonia is not building, that's where ammonia absorption material and water changes help.

Go ahead and use the bio wheel...

top shelf · 06/18/2018, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

so the bio wheel is ok to use? i read it was a ammonia remover then i heard you dont want to use ammonia removers in a qt?

Think of it in these terms, live rock is essentially an ammonia remover in the form of the nitrogen cycle. If the bio wheel is an ammonia remover that would be like saying don't use lr in your quarantine.

Daddyrawg · 06/20/2018, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by top shelf

Think of it in these terms, live rock is essentially an ammonia remover in the form of the nitrogen cycle. If the bio wheel is an ammonia remover that would be like saying don't use lr in your quarantine.

What about if I am treating with copper? for cupramine it says to remove ammonia removers

top shelf · 06/21/2018, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

What about if I am treating with copper? for cupramine it says to remove ammonia removers

Then that is a different story and you would follow the directions for whatever medication you are using.

Daddyrawg · 06/21/2018, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by top shelf

Then that is a different story and you would follow the directions for whatever medication you are using.

I removed it, better safe than sorry, I have 2 filter pads anyway enough for bacteria to seed on

06/15/2018, 10:31 PM	#1
Daddyrawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 814	setting up my first Qt its a 20 gallon...so i put my filter sponge in my DT sump..question is how long do i keep sponge in sump to collect all the benefial bacteria to get my QT up and running? ive heard 2 days and ive heard a couple wks

06/17/2018, 07:59 AM	#6
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	When I purchased my SCA tank it came with a bag of ceramic rings. Tossed a handful in the sump for 2 months then added to filter in qt a week before arrival of new fish. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

06/17/2018, 05:38 PM	#8
top shelf Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,022	You can probably toss the filter pad if you want. May want to keep the bio wheel though. Maybe it's just coincidence but the filter I'm using in qt is supposed to have one but chucked it long ago and it seems like the water coming out is more turbulent so to speak and splashes water all over the edge of my qt tank. I have to wipe daily because of this. I even have the water line pretty far up the filter. Like I said may be coincidence, could try with our without but won't hurt anything short term. __________________ Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it into a fruit salad. Philosophy is wondering if that means ketchup is a smoothie. Current tank info: 45g SCA Cube

06/16/2018, 01:15 AM	#2
lowtek Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 111	I would wait until media starts to discolor. Longer the better. And use dt water to fill qt on water change. Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

06/16/2018, 06:18 PM	#3
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I do not do this in my QT at all, I just make small daily water changed and vacuum up uneaten food, this makes sure there's no ammonia in the tank for the short duration (max 30 days) of QT. I doubt you will get enough to cycle the tank, so this is why I no longer do.

06/17/2018, 06:25 AM	#5
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I use a piece of ridged airline tubing which is about as deep as my QT is attached to a syringe. This way, I can do two things: 1-If necessary because it/they are sick and in the QT because of this, I can feed the fish one piece of food at a time, Incan slowly bring the tip to the mouth and just release one piece. 2.-To answer your question, this tool allows me to also "suck up" little pieces of "stuff" to keep the tank clean and keep ammonia out when added to daily, small water changes. Some like to cycle their QT and use A piece of live rock and this is fine if you want to spend the time, but it's not mandatory if you do regular small water changes and test for ammonia. Keep in mind, that if you were setting up a QT for sick fish, you would not have the time to cycle. Hope that helps, great little tool, used it all the time for different things.

06/17/2018, 11:58 AM	#7
Daddyrawg Registered Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 814	my filter comes with a filter pad with carbon attached to it and a bio wheel that states its an ammonia remover..i dont wanna use those right? just a sponge for full DT bacteria and stuff it in the media slot of my small filter

06/18/2018, 09:08 AM	#10
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	I see nothing wrong with using an ammonia absorption material in your QT provided it's not exhausted (old) If you go with a cycled QT, ammonia should not be a worry. If you don't cycle, you want to be checking that ammonia is not building, that's where ammonia absorption material and water changes help. Go ahead and use the bio wheel...