qt tank

[pacheco]

I just set up a qt tank 10g from walmart. has hang on back filter. I put in a lr about 7lbs. and used water from main tank. which has good peramaters. just checked qt and amonima was at .50 and nitrites .25 is this normal should I just let it cycle get a different filter ???????????

 

[Phyl]

You shouldn't use LR from your main in QT. The LR from your main has a lot of organisms on it that won't survive if you have to treat your tank. At that point you probably won't be able to put the LR back into your main (since it could be infested with something) and you won't be able to keep it in QT. Not sure why the LR from your main would be showing ammo & trite right now unless you've put a fish in there. If there's no fish then just let it cycle. If there are fish in there (how many?) then you should do water changes to keep the ammo as low as you can.

What I did was purchase base rock for use in the QT. The only thing it has on it is the bio filter that's been created by being in the tank. I get the benefit of the additional bio filter without the risk of die off. If I were to treat the tank with any meds like copper the rock would come out since most meds like that would kill off the beneficial bacteria anyway. My gramma's made the rock her home.

 

[pacheco]

I didn't put lr from main tank in the qt tank the rock was new. don't have any problems wit main tank just qt tank maybe I just have to wait for it to cycle the only thing I used from amin tank was the water.

 

[Phyl]

Ahhh... new live rock! If you have new live rock in your QT then it might not have been cured or there might have been a little die off from transport. A mini-cycle would be expected in those settings. If the rock is the only thing in there then you can let it cycle. What are you planning for when the cycle's passed?

Just make sure to take the rock out if you have to treat the QT with any meds as you wouldn't want to add to the ammonia with die off from the rock.

 

[AR15 guy]

With new water, filter, and rock should I expect a large spike? I just lost two damsels in my little 10 gallon. Tank is new so I suspect ammonia is the cause.

 

[quarryshark]

Tank is new so I suspect ammonia is the cause.

I would agree. That is why most of us do not advocate using damsels for cycling.
What I would do....get a small aquarium safe sponge and place it in your trickle filter. It will colonize with bacteria and you can then remove the LR to your main before you add fish to the qt.
No sense wasting the rock if you need to treat your fish for anything.