quarintine tank question

barngeatbayman · 10/04/2007, 06:57 PM

I am setting up a 10 gallon q-tank with a sponge filter. I have the sponge filter in my sump now how long should I wait until it is seeded so I dont have a cycle in my q-tank?

bertoni · 10/04/2007, 07:14 PM

I'd add a bit of fish food, and keep adding a bit each day until some ammonia showed up on the test kit. Once that reaches zero, the QT should be ready to go.

wooden_reefer · 10/04/2007, 09:25 PM

You cannot efficently boost the nitrification capacity of the sponge while in it still in the show tank (if it has livestock).

You should take it out and boost it with a source of ammonia. If the sponge is not entirely submerged it will be the most effective and quickest.

Be sure to very thoroughly rinse the sponge with SW of the same sg afterward. In case of urgent need, even just one week helps. The nitrosonomas and nitrobacter population do not have to match, as nitrite is very much less toxic to fish in SW. Boosting nitrosonomas population alone is of value.

bertoni · 10/04/2007, 09:29 PM

Yes, I should have said to do that procedure in the quarantine tank. Sigh.

10/04/2007, 06:57 PM	#1
barngeatbayman Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: freehold, nj Posts: 380	quarintine tank question I am setting up a 10 gallon q-tank with a sponge filter. I have the sponge filter in my sump now how long should I wait until it is seeded so I dont have a cycle in my q-tank?

10/04/2007, 07:14 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'd add a bit of fish food, and keep adding a bit each day until some ammonia showed up on the test kit. Once that reaches zero, the QT should be ready to go. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/04/2007, 09:25 PM	#3
wooden_reefer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 4,670	You cannot efficently boost the nitrification capacity of the sponge while in it still in the show tank (if it has livestock). You should take it out and boost it with a source of ammonia. If the sponge is not entirely submerged it will be the most effective and quickest. Be sure to very thoroughly rinse the sponge with SW of the same sg afterward. In case of urgent need, even just one week helps. The nitrosonomas and nitrobacter population do not have to match, as nitrite is very much less toxic to fish in SW. Boosting nitrosonomas population alone is of value. Last edited by wooden_reefer; 10/04/2007 at 09:37 PM.

10/04/2007, 09:29 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Yes, I should have said to do that procedure in the quarantine tank. Sigh. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni