Biological filtration for the QT when new to hobby.

[amygetsalife]

Wanting to run QT from the beginning. Have read Jay's info on quarantine, a lot of the nasty back and forth on QT/nonQT, quite off putting BTW, and still have one core question...

To get biological filtration up in my QT, do I cycle it as well as my DT? Fish less, bottle bacteria. Or do I do the DT with some extra media in it to move to the QT? Either way, likely will provide less than robust colonization for filtration, but importing someone else's rock/media seems counter to the purpose of QT. Maybe a mix of different cultures?

Vigilance with ammonia testing and water changes will help either way, but feels a little like the old which came first? Chicken or egg....



Whoops! While I did search on this topic, nothing came up until after I posted.

Ignore or chime in as you feel moved.

 

[amygetsalife]

Whoops! While I did search on this topic, nothing came up until after I posted.

Ignore or chime in as you feel moved.

 

[HuduVudu]

Most people have a clean source for bacteria and then push it one way into their quarantine, usually from their DT. This can be as simple as a filter sock or a bag of gravel in the sump.

Medicated QT pretty much guarantees severe impairment of the biological filter depending on the medication. You will be doing a lot of water changes. This is why TTM is popular. You get the water change with the break in the parasite cycle.

 

[piranhaman00]

I always keep a lot of seachem matrix in dt for this purpose, through some in HOB filter and you are instantly cycled

 

[threebuoys]

You can cycle the DT and QT independently and at the same time if you want, or you can cycle the DT and then move media from the DT to the QT.

In either case, The media in the QT should not be calcium based since that will absorb copper if you choose to use it. Nor should you use calcium based rock / sand in the QT for the same reason.

If the media in the QT has been adequately populated with nitrifying bacteria while in whichever place it was cycled, it should withstand copper at theraputic levels during the full quarantine period.

Until you are comfortable nitrification is working in the QT, you will need to regularly test for ammonia and be prepared to make water changes to remedy since many of the ammonia neutralizers on the market should not be used in the presence of copper.

Once I have copper power at the 2.50 ppm level, I am often able to run the entire 30 day copper treatment window without adding additional copper.

I use an external canister filter running on my QT full time. It is packed with 30 ppi foam which works well as media for the bacteria. I keep the QT running full time, and I keep a couple of damsels that I relocated from my DT when they became bullies and beat up on other fish. They provide a constant source of ammonia to the QT. This process keeps the QT ready for new fish whenever I get the urge to buy.

 

[Raph]

You can cycle the DT and QT independently and at the same time if you want, or you can cycle the DT and then move media from the DT to the QT.

In either case, The media in the QT should not be calcium based since that will absorb copper if you choose to use it. Nor should you use calcium based rock / sand in the QT for the same reason.

If the media in the QT has been adequately populated with nitrifying bacteria while in whichever place it was cycled, it should withstand copper at theraputic levels during the full quarantine period.

Until you are comfortable nitrification is working in the QT, you will need to regularly test for ammonia and be prepared to make water changes to remedy since many of the ammonia neutralizers on the market should not be used in the presence of copper.

Once I have copper power at the 2.50 ppm level, I am often able to run the entire 30 day copper treatment window without adding additional copper.

I use an external canister filter running on my QT full time. It is packed with 30 ppi foam which works well as media for the bacteria. I keep the QT running full time, and I keep a couple of damsels that I relocated from my DT when they became bullies and beat up on other fish. They provide a constant source of ammonia to the QT. This process keeps the QT ready for new fish whenever I get the urge to buy.

hey! I know i’m a month later but, what are you doing with the mean damsels when you buy new fish?

 

[threebuoys]

hey! I know i’m a month later but, what are you doing with the mean damsels when you buy new fish?

I blocked off a corner of my QT and moved the two domino's there. The majority of the QT is available for new fish. The domino's are big and beautiful but too aggressive . I want to donate them to a LFS or another hobbyist, but I'm 120 miles away from the nearest LFS and I haven't found any hobbyists where I'm located.

 

[mfinn]

I use air powered sponge filters in my quarantine tank. I usually keep one running in the sump of my 240 so I have one ready for use.
If I had to start a new quarantine tank up, I would add the sponge filter and a bacteria product.

 

[Raph]

I blocked off a corner of my QT and moved the two domino's there. The majority of the QT is available for new fish. The domino's are big and beautiful but too aggressive . I want to donate them to a LFS or another hobbyist, but I'm 120 miles away from the nearest LFS and I haven't found any hobbyists where I'm located.

awesome thank you!