Keeping QT Up and Running

BIG_KAHUNA · 09/30/2011, 08:19 AM

Pretty simple one here guys and gals,
But how do you do it? I 'm thinking it's easiest to just keep the QT up and running (cycled) so that I don't have to deal with the excessive water changes and high doses of "prime". I lost a flame angel to a faulty ammonia badge and vowed never to let it happen again. So once the tank is up and cycled, how do you keep the biological filter up and running?

Ive tried using filter media from the DT but it doesn't seem to help much. I've heard of running a HOB on the DT sump and just pull it out when needed. But should the ammonia build slightly in the QT before adding a seeded filter to keep the bacteria from starving? How long does it take for the bacteria to starve?

Thanks for any input!

Ron Reefman · 09/30/2011, 08:42 AM

Scott,

Is this going to be JUST a QT or a QT AND hospital/treatment tank?

If it's just for quarantine, will it have a sump? I'm getting hardware ready for a full time QT with a sump, LR and some basic critters (should keep the bacteria alive). I'll also have a 20g to use as a hospital tank if I ever need it. I do some wild collecting so I do quite a bit of quarantining and I've never needed to treat anything.

If you plan on doing treatments in this tank too, that's a whole different ball of wax.

thegrun · 09/30/2011, 08:53 AM

I kept a 15 gallon QT up for a couple of years, complete with live rock, sand...and a Royal Gramma. It morphed over time into a nano reef tank, but I still used it as a QT. I had another empty tank ready for use as a hospital tank if treatment was necessary.

sponger0 · 09/30/2011, 09:27 AM

Once I got my QT up, I would quarantine fish but when I wasnt using it, I would leaving it running in case I wanted a fish. When nothing is in it, I just keep the lights off completely.

09/30/2011, 08:19 AM	#1
BIG_KAHUNA Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: 4.815 S 162.342 E Posts: 478	Keeping QT Up and Running Pretty simple one here guys and gals, But how do you do it? I 'm thinking it's easiest to just keep the QT up and running (cycled) so that I don't have to deal with the excessive water changes and high doses of "prime". I lost a flame angel to a faulty ammonia badge and vowed never to let it happen again. So once the tank is up and cycled, how do you keep the biological filter up and running? Ive tried using filter media from the DT but it doesn't seem to help much. I've heard of running a HOB on the DT sump and just pull it out when needed. But should the ammonia build slightly in the QT before adding a seeded filter to keep the bacteria from starving? How long does it take for the bacteria to starve? Thanks for any input! __________________ Scott

09/30/2011, 08:42 AM	#2
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	Scott, Is this going to be JUST a QT or a QT AND hospital/treatment tank? If it's just for quarantine, will it have a sump? I'm getting hardware ready for a full time QT with a sump, LR and some basic critters (should keep the bacteria alive). I'll also have a 20g to use as a hospital tank if I ever need it. I do some wild collecting so I do quite a bit of quarantining and I've never needed to treat anything. If you plan on doing treatments in this tank too, that's a whole different ball of wax. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

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09/30/2011, 08:53 AM	#3
thegrun Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Garden Grove, Ca Posts: 17,023	I kept a 15 gallon QT up for a couple of years, complete with live rock, sand...and a Royal Gramma. It morphed over time into a nano reef tank, but I still used it as a QT. I had another empty tank ready for use as a hospital tank if treatment was necessary.

09/30/2011, 09:27 AM	#4
sponger0 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 6,659	Once I got my QT up, I would quarantine fish but when I wasnt using it, I would leaving it running in case I wanted a fish. When nothing is in it, I just keep the lights off completely.