keeping the QT up - one question

[fourmyclowns]

Since it's not bothering anything we decided to keep our QT up after we acclimated our latest fish to the main tank. Does anyone know if it's safe for us to turn off the heater until we need to use it again. We'd like to keep it running but with high electricity costs here it would be nice to shut off the heater until it's needed - will this harm the good bacteria?

In the the basement temps are currently about 65 but dip to 40 in the winter.

 

[steve-s]

In the the basement temps are currently about 65 but dip to 40 in the winter.

These temps would greatly retard the bacteria and most likely kill off a majority. Once the heater is turned on again, you'll get a nasty bacterial bloom and need to recycle the tank.

Cheers
Steve

 

[fourmyclowns]

Thanks! I had a feeling that might be the case. Guess we'll let it stay on.

 

[quarryshark]

Are you going to be using it soon? Its easy to set one up again fast if you keep a seeded sponge in your sump.

 

[fourmyclowns]

Kurt - I do have an extra sponge in the sump ready for the qt. I did set up the qt that way in the beginning too, borrowed a prefilter off the pump in the sump. It was hindering our aeration anyway. It just seemed like a lot of effort getting all the equipment and water downstairs for us to take it down after a few weeks. Maybe this winter when the heater would be working harder we might take it down. Being new at all this I do worry about the water quality in the qt with the quick set up. Should I relax and trust that it will function as well as the main with the well seeded sponge if I should need it in the future?

 

[quarryshark]

Should I relax and trust that it will function as well as the main with the well seeded sponge if I should need it in the future?

Yes it works fine.
Keeping a qt up full time is a matter of preference, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it.
Just be sure to "feed" the bacteria a time or 2 a week to keep it cycled.

 

[fourmyclowns]

Will do - thanks for the advice on the qt set up and about feeding it.I was wondering about that!