Quick QT Question...

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MarkW19

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I'm not going to use any substrate in my 15gallon QT, but just put some Eheim filter balls (from my main tank) in my internal fluval (that I use for my QT) instead of the foam that it comes with.

1. Will the filter balls in my Eheim definitely have enough bacteria in them (my display tank has fully cycled) so as to not cause any problems in the QT with ammonia/nitrite spikes etc.?

2. Will my display tank suffer because I've taken some filter media (balls) out of the filter?

3. Is there anything else I need to do with the QT after filling it with main tank water and transfering the filter balls, and running it for a day before I put a new fish in it? I've also got a powerhead, heater, and some PVC pipe (for hiding places) for the QT.


Thanks!

PS. Should I feed my fish while he's in quarantine? Just very sparingly perhaps, and make sure to remove any food that's uneaten?

I take it I can't put the Eheim balls BACK into the main tank filter when QT is complete?
 
How many filter balls did you add? I suspect you just took a small % of them out of the main filter. If thats the case then no you wont see any loss of filtration capacityin your main system.

Yes you should feed the fish while in qt. After all its going to be in there for a few weeks. Feed once a day and since its just one or at the very max two fish at a time make sure you dont overfeed.

you can put the balls back in the main tank only if you dont dose with any chemicals during the QT period.
 
Since there are 2 filter media baskets in the Eheim, I'll be taking out a handful of balls from each basket. Will that be ok? How many of the balls would I have to take out (half?) before it had any effect on the filtration of the main tank?

Are there definitely enough bacteria in the filter balls (as opposed to the live sand) so that I can just put them straight in the QT filter, run it for a day (to make sure all's ok), then put the fish in it?

Cheers.
 
When I'm transferring the balls across, is there anything to do to ensure I keep the bacteria on them alive?
 
MarkW19 said:
Since there are 2 filter media baskets in the Eheim, I'll be taking out a handful of balls from each basket. Will that be ok? How many of the balls would I have to take out (half?) before it had any effect on the filtration of the main tank?
As long as you don't remove more than ½, you should be fine. You can easily replace them with new ones which will be colonized rather quickly.

Are there definitely enough bacteria in the filter balls (as opposed to the live sand) so that I can just put them straight in the QT filter, run it for a day (to make sure all's ok), then put the fish in it?
The filter media from the main will just seed the QT. Even if you transfer ½, the rest of the surface area's in the QT will still need to be colonized which will take a little time. If this is for new fish, I would let the QT run for a week first and just add a very small amount of food every few days as an ammonia source to allow the bacteria to spread.

When I'm transferring the balls across, is there anything to do to ensure I keep the bacteria on them alive
You should not lose any bacteria from the transfer. As long as the media stay wet and moist, the bacteria will be fine.

If you do ever decide to place the media back in the main (even if there are no meds) be sure they are air dried for a few days first. You do not want to transfer any possible infections/parasites with them.

Cheers
Steve
 
The filter media from the main will just seed the QT. Even if you transfer ½, the rest of the surface area's in the QT will still need to be colonized which will take a little time. If this is for new fish, I would let the QT run for a week first and just add a very small amount of food every few days as an ammonia source to allow the bacteria to spread.

ALL of the filter media I'll be putting in the QT will be from my main tank, so I can start using it straight away can't I?

So I can just get a handful of filter media, lift it out, and put it straight in the QT filter? Providing it's not out of the basket for long?
 
MarkW19 said:
The filter media from the main will just seed the QT. Even if you transfer ½, the rest of the surface area's in the QT will still need to be colonized which will take a little time. If this is for new fish, I would let the QT run for a week first and just add a very small amount of food every few days as an ammonia source to allow the bacteria to spread.

ALL of the filter media I'll be putting in the QT will be from my main tank, so I can start using it straight away can't I?
Yes you could but unless it's an emergency, why not give the QT a little extra time to stabalize. It will mean the fish will remain much healthier.

So I can just get a handful of filter media, lift it out, and put it straight in the QT filter? Providing it's not out of the basket for long?
The bacteria will not be affected by a short trip in the open air from one tank to another. It will be fine.

Cheers
Steve
 
My Banggai Cardinal is now in Quarantine :)

My Fluval internal filter seems to create quite a bit of water movement - but should I also put my Maxijet 1200 powerhead on? If I do, it'll create a LOT of water movement in my 15gal QT!!

Should I put it on or not?
 
I would leave it for now and see how well the pH holds up. If you don't have any issues there then you may not need it. Just be sure the outport on the Fluval return is rippling the surface water.

Cheers
Steve
 
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