Is My QT Ready for Fish?

[Kinghugo5]

Hi All,

I’ve had this 29g set up for a little over a week. It has a HOB Marineland biowheel, small powerhead and heater with blue and white LED. I dumped some instant ocean bio spira on the first day but haven’t really checked levels because I’m confused if I will even have a cycle with this set up? Should I add fish food to see or is it safe to add some fish to this?

Thanks,

Nate

 

[HotRocks]

I would recommend adding a seachem ammonia badge when you add fish to monitor the ammonia level.

As long as the load isn't too heavy you should be good to go. I use biospira in all QTs. It's like liquid gold.

 

[Kinghugo5]

I would recommend adding a seachem ammonia badge when you add fish to monitor the ammonia level.

As long as the load isn't too heavy you should be good to go. I use biospira in all QTs. It's like liquid gold.

Thank you! Was going to do a diamond watchman goby and sm yellow tang. My LFS has the ammonia monitor so I will get it before adding anything.

 

[Idoc]

Yep...a Seachem ammonia badge and you are ready to go!

 

[Randy the reef guy]

I reccomend a sachem badge as well. I also recommend adding liquid amonia or the some form of decaying matter to the qt and let it cycle. I have had my qt cycling for over a month now using doc Tim's one and only and liquid amonia and I am still not comfortable adding fish yet. I would also use a ceramic material in the hob filter for surface area for the bacteria to multiply efficiently. Test every few days, when you just have nitrate left in the system you are ready for fish. Just my opinion and others have had success doing it other ways. I find when you rush this hobby is when mistakes are made that cost livestock loss.

 

[HotRocks]

Thank you! Was going to do a diamond watchman goby and sm yellow tang. My LFS has the ammonia monitor so I will get it before adding anything.

That bioload should not be an issue. The ammonia alert badge is very cheap insurance to monitor ammonia levels. It works well when medicating as well, whereas most ammonia test kits can portray false readings with meds present.

 

[HotRocks]

I reccomend a sachem badge as well. I also recommend adding liquid amonia or the some form of decaying matter to the qt and let it cycle. I have had my qt cycling for over a month now using doc Tim's one and only and liquid amonia and I am still not comfortable adding fish yet. I would also use a ceramic material in the hob filter for surface area for the bacteria to multiply efficiently. Test every few days, when you just have nitrate left in the system you are ready for fish. Just my opinion and others have had success doing it other ways. I find when you rush this hobby is when mistakes are made that cost livestock loss.

I used to use Dr tims religiously. Recently I have found it will not process ammonia. That's what caused me to switch to using biospira. Just FYI. It will process ammonia within 2-7 days of being added to the QT typically. IME.

 

[Kinghugo5]

I’m also assuming the biowheel keeps colonies of the bacteria since you never replace it?

 

[HotRocks]

I’m also assuming the biowheel keeps colonies of the bacteria since you never replace it?

I add filter floss type sponge media to the HOB as well for additional area for the bacteria to colonize upon.

 

[Big G]

Consider adding a foam bubble type filter. Soak the foam in a bowl of BioSpira, etc. for 24-48 hours. Pour the excess and or left over liquid (BioSpira) into the tank. It's a win-win. You get both more bio filtration + greater O2 which comes in handy during dosing with things like Prazipro or other meds/treatments that usurp some of the available O2. I leave the foam part soaking in my sump along with a bag of Fluval Biomax, 24/7 just in case I need to setup a QT rapidly.

 

[Kinghugo5]

Consider adding a foam bubble type filter. Soak the foam in a bowl of BioSpira, etc. for 24-48 hours. Pour the excess and or left over liquid (BioSpira) into the tank. It's a win-win. You get both more bio filtration + greater O2 which comes in handy during dosing with things like Prazipro or other meds/treatments that usurp some of the available O2. I leave the foam part soaking in my sump along with a bag of Fluval Biomax, 24/7 just in case I need to setup a QT rapidly.

I’ll google this tonight! The petco near my office didn’t have anything like it when I checked on lunch.

 

[Big G]

I’ll google this tonight! The petco near my office didn’t have anything like it when I checked on lunch.

BRS has lots of them in different sizes. ;)