Quarantine

[Scottiemac]

Setting up a QT tank today. Just getting a 29g kit from Petsmart. Thoughts are to drop some live rock rubble from my DT in there with a small powerhead along with the HOB filter and heater. Will keep it at around 1.015 salinity. Maybe drop some Dr. Tims in there to speed up the cycle as my live rock isn't too mature yet.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

If you're planning to use copper in the QT, then you can use the live rock to help kickstart the cycle, but you'll need to pull it out before using the copper.

Generally, to avoid issues with copper, people use a non-calcium carbonate based filter medium (like used filter pads) to kickstart QT cycles. That said, if you want to instant cycle it, using plenty of Dr. Tim's, Biospira, or Fritz Turbostart 900 should do the trick.

 

[Scottiemac]

If you're planning to use copper in the QT, then you can use the live rock to help kickstart the cycle, but you'll need to pull it out before using the copper.

Generally, to avoid issues with copper, people use a non-calcium carbonate based filter medium (like used filter pads) to kickstart QT cycles. That said, if you want to instant cycle it, using plenty of Dr. Tim's, Biospira, or Fritz Turbostart 900 should do the trick.

I've heard some people putting a kitchen sponge (new, of course) in the QT to use as a filter pad. What are your thoughts on that?

Are you worried about the live rock in case I want to put it back in the DT?

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

I've heard some people putting a kitchen sponge (new, of course) in the QT to use as a filter pad. What are your thoughts on that?

I imagine that'd work for the bacteria to settle on.

Are you worried about the live rock in case I want to put it back in the DT?

No, it's more that it absorbs copper and can make maintaining a proper therapeutic level of copper in the tank difficult.