Setting up QT tank

[roka64]

Did you test your water? If so, what are the results?

 

[fishman]

No I just put the water into the QT tank and the biowheels and LS in there 2 days ago. No need to test is there?

 

[roka64]

I believe, if you have nitrItes or nitrAtes, you should have a partially cycled tank, in the event of the presence od trItes, if trAtes, you should be pretty much complete, and not have to worry about the shrimp. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.

 

[fishman]

I will test then for both trates and trites. However being that my water in the QT tank came from my main, the LS came from the main, and the 2 biowheels came from the main, why would I have anything other than 0 of everything? I have nothing in my main - not even trates.

 

[roka64]

I will test then for both trates and trites. However being that my water in the QT tank came from my main, the LS came from the main, and the 2 biowheels came from the main, why would I have anything other than 0 of everything? I have nothing in my main - not even trates.

I agree, but you never know. It could be possible that you didn't move enough LR/LR to "speed up" the cycle, or you could have done just enough to get it part way there. I like to be on the safe side. You might want to test for ammonia, just in case.

 

[fishman]

Ok I will test for everything. However I still think Im going to get a shrimp tomorrow and throw it in there for a few days. I TOO want to make sure. This tang is very healthy and I dont want to mess it up for sure when I put it in there.
Also another topic....if I have to treat, I do cupramine. I have had a bottle of this stuff for 2 years now. I assume its still good as well as the test kit??

 

[roka64]

I'm sorry, I can't help you there, other than, is there an expiration date? If not, is there a number you can call and ask? I'm not good with meds, I tend to prefer the natural method...kind of like the ocean does it. Hopefully someone with better experience will come along and share.

 

[fishman]

Ok so since I have not done this before, I went and bought a jumbo gulf shrimp from Albertsons this morning. It was in the fresh seefood section - sort of like the deli where all of the fish/shrimp are laid out for you to look at. I didnt want to buy anything frozen as it has preservatives added to it. This shrimp I bought is minus the head and still has the shell on it. Do I peel it, rinse it, boil it?? Anything?

 

[austinsdad]

Yep. Boil that bad boy and add some Old Bay seasoning, get you a beer and some cocktail sauce..... OOPS, sorry. We're talking about for the fish tank. Got lost there for a minute.

Rinse it and just drop it in the tank.

 

[fishman]

Another quick question. I notice that since I dropped the shrimp in there yesterday that the water has gotten cloudy. Is this normal?
Also I took an ammonia reading and so far its 0 and also no nitrite... Should I test for anything else yet?

 

[austinsdad]

All is OK. No other tests needed. You'll see the ammonina first.

 

[fishman]

I will see the ammonia IF the cycle needs to happen. Again I wonder if I have enough bacteria base that it will not cycle.
Also as I asked previously, does the water turn cloudy for any reason once you put the shrimp in there? I know its not the shrimp particles floating around as I put it inside of a baggie and slit a bunch of holes in it. I didnt want to have to pick out peices of shrimp for the next week once it started rotting!!

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Can't say I remember cloudiness with my cycle. Good idea with the baggie! I remember when I went to fish out that shrimp at the end of my cycle. It looked so solid before I touched it with a spoon!

If you do already have a bacterial base, then you're right - you won't see any ammonia. But that's easy enough to check for if you check for nitrates along with everything else. If you see an increase in nitrates with ammonia/nitrites staying at zero then you definitely have a good supply of beneficial bacterial.

 

[fishman]

Well I figure I will test my water for everything on say Tues as this will be 3 days with the shrimp in there.
Yes I have a baggie with the shrimp in there as well as a baggie with some LS in it. Course I have the top of the baggie unzipped and is open but I dont want the sand to be clouding up the tank. I think this may be SOME of my cloudiness but doenst look to bad just yet. Will keep you posted.

 

[austinsdad]

Sorry, I think in my last post I wuz too lazy to go back and read again about the bio-media already in the tank. You got rock, bio media in the filter, and did you say sand earlier? (too lazy to go back again :?)

I'm starting to think that if there's no ammonia this evening, I'd remove the shrimp and consider the tank cycled.

 

[fishman]

I have LS, 2 biowheels that were in my sump for 3+ months as a bacteria base. The LS is in a sandwich baggie with the top opened so it lets water in and around the sand, but the sand doesnt get everywhere.

 

[austinsdad]

Cool 'cause you should remove it if you ever treat with meds. particularly copper i believe.

Didja remove the shrimp? I think it'd be OK.

 

[fishman]

Yeah thats why I went with sand instead of LR as its easy and cheap to replace. Also the biowheels are no biggie either. Save them for next time.
No I left the shrimp in there just to make sure. I took an ammonia reading again tonight and still at 0. I figure I will leave it in there through Wed afternoon and then pull it. Shouldnt hurt. Call me crazy but I want to make SURE its cycled!! I figure the cup of LS and biowheels have done the job...

 

[austinsdad]

I figure the cup of LS and biowheels have done the job...

yep. I'd say that if a 2" piece of shrimp is decaying in your tank for 3 days so far with no trace of ammonia, you're well cycled. Now I think I'd start watching the nitrates to make sure they don't go up too high.

 

[fishman]

Well its more like 3" on the shrimp size!!
I will take it out tomorrow for sure. Also if my nitrates ARE high should I do a partial water change?