Setting Up QT

bg3489 · 05/16/2007, 08:35 PM

I recently got a awful plague of ich in my 25 gallon hopsital tank. I tore it down today and am thinking of trying to run it in a compeltly different way. I took out all the crushed coral previously in it along with my two pieces of live rock. I put new freshwater in and am allowing my skimmer to run overnight before adding salt tomorrow. With this new bare bones stystem ( Emperor 280 filter, heater, and airstone) will I be able to have a cycle without any biological filtration? How exactly should I run this tank and can someone explain the differenc of not having any biological fiiltration in the tank? Info on how I should cycle it tomorrow and keep it maintained would be really helpful! Thanks

jeffbrig · 05/16/2007, 09:16 PM

If you're hoping to qurantine against ich, you should use a bare tank - no substrate, no rock. A few large diameter pieces of PVC can provide sufficient cover for your fish.

You seem to be misunderstanding the cycle just a bit. The only thing you're doing in a "cycle" is waiting for your biological filter to grow to where it can support the waste generated by your bioload. Nothing more, nothing less. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, etc. are simply indicators to watch this progress.

Established biological filtration isn't absolutely necessary when starting up a QT, but it sure makes things a lot easier. Without an effective bio filter, it's up to you to remove waste through siphoning, and control ammona and/or nitrite through massive water changes while the filter catches up. This is a little easier to do if you are doing water changes to lower sg for hyposalinity.

I recently had to put 11 fish (including 4 small/med tangs) in a 55g QT to treat for ich. I threw an old filter pad from the LFS in the back of a HOB filer, and I was able to keep up with water quality by syphoning visible waste and doing 40-50% water changes daily for the first week or so until the biowheels started to become established.

bg3489 · 05/17/2007, 04:20 PM

Alright I think I more understand now the concept of biological filtration thanks! I'm still confused as to if my QT can stay maintained for long periods of time without these large often water changes. Will bacteria in the saltwater itself be able to grow in order to set up enough of this biological filter that can be sustained? I'm going to run the tank at a very low SG. My filter also contains a biowheel which has been active for around 4 months. Will this help my biological filter any? Thanks for the help and sorry my knowledge is lacking in this part of the hobby!

jeffbrig · 05/17/2007, 08:22 PM

Biowheels are actually a great media for growing the nitrifying bacteria that convert ammonia->nitrite->nitrate. I actually run them on all of my QTs for this reason. The biological filter will only remain active as long as it has a source of ammonia. Any time that the QT is empty or fishless, the bacteria will die off somewhat and need to repopulate once ammonia is available again.

05/16/2007, 08:35 PM	#1
bg3489 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 81	Setting Up QT I recently got a awful plague of ich in my 25 gallon hopsital tank. I tore it down today and am thinking of trying to run it in a compeltly different way. I took out all the crushed coral previously in it along with my two pieces of live rock. I put new freshwater in and am allowing my skimmer to run overnight before adding salt tomorrow. With this new bare bones stystem ( Emperor 280 filter, heater, and airstone) will I be able to have a cycle without any biological filtration? How exactly should I run this tank and can someone explain the differenc of not having any biological fiiltration in the tank? Info on how I should cycle it tomorrow and keep it maintained would be really helpful! Thanks

05/16/2007, 09:16 PM	#2
jeffbrig Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Posts: 5,548	If you're hoping to qurantine against ich, you should use a bare tank - no substrate, no rock. A few large diameter pieces of PVC can provide sufficient cover for your fish. You seem to be misunderstanding the cycle just a bit. The only thing you're doing in a "cycle" is waiting for your biological filter to grow to where it can support the waste generated by your bioload. Nothing more, nothing less. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, etc. are simply indicators to watch this progress. Established biological filtration isn't absolutely necessary when starting up a QT, but it sure makes things a lot easier. Without an effective bio filter, it's up to you to remove waste through siphoning, and control ammona and/or nitrite through massive water changes while the filter catches up. This is a little easier to do if you are doing water changes to lower sg for hyposalinity. I recently had to put 11 fish (including 4 small/med tangs) in a 55g QT to treat for ich. I threw an old filter pad from the LFS in the back of a HOB filer, and I was able to keep up with water quality by syphoning visible waste and doing 40-50% water changes daily for the first week or so until the biowheels started to become established. __________________ Beware the power of stupid people in large groups..... Current Tank Info: formerly 250g room divider

05/17/2007, 08:22 PM	#4
jeffbrig Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale, FL Posts: 5,548	Biowheels are actually a great media for growing the nitrifying bacteria that convert ammonia->nitrite->nitrate. I actually run them on all of my QTs for this reason. The biological filter will only remain active as long as it has a source of ammonia. Any time that the QT is empty or fishless, the bacteria will die off somewhat and need to repopulate once ammonia is available again. __________________ Beware the power of stupid people in large groups..... Current Tank Info: formerly 250g room divider

05/17/2007, 04:20 PM	#3
bg3489 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 81	Alright I think I more understand now the concept of biological filtration thanks! I'm still confused as to if my QT can stay maintained for long periods of time without these large often water changes. Will bacteria in the saltwater itself be able to grow in order to set up enough of this biological filter that can be sustained? I'm going to run the tank at a very low SG. My filter also contains a biowheel which has been active for around 4 months. Will this help my biological filter any? Thanks for the help and sorry my knowledge is lacking in this part of the hobby!