filter issue for my 29G QT

[DanS180]

So I went out and bought a Quietflow 30 for my QT and my plan was to try n seed it on my DT until I needed it, the only problem is, the filter won't fit on my DT bc of the rim on the tank :/ how should I proceed in making the QT safe for fish??

 

[Nimo]

Is there room in your main tank filter to just put the media for the new filter in it? If so just place it in your existing filter and let it run that way to seed the media for about a week or 2. Also when you fill the QT tank if you can use at least 30-50% water from your main tank to fill up the QT tank. If you can totally fill the QT tank from the main tank it will work better. And for the first few water changes on the QT use water from the main tank.
I have successfully started 3 tanks off of my main tank this way and never dealt with the cycle process in those tanks because they were started with seeded media and cycled water.

 

[DanS180]

Is there room in your main tank filter to just put the media for the new filter in it? If so just place it in your existing filter and let it run that way to seed the media for about a week or 2. Also when you fill the QT tank if you can use at least 30-50% water from your main tank to fill up the QT tank. If you can totally fill the QT tank from the main tank it will work better. And for the first few water changes on the QT use water from the main tank.
I have successfully started 3 tanks off of my main tank this way and never dealt with the cycle process in those tanks because they were started with seeded media and cycled water.

Wow! I never ever thought of doing that!! Haha that would be so easy for me bc they r right next to each other. Guess I'll throw my media in my canister and let it do its business, then take it out and put it on my QT. great advice!

 

[Nimo]

Glad I could help.

 

[DanS180]

Glad I could help.

Say I needed to the QT set up sooner, instead of throwing the media in the DT filter, could I just use cycled media from my canister and put it in the smaller filter??

 

[Nimo]

Yes you sure can. If you use the older media from your canister and water from your main tank the QT can be up and running today. Of course you still have to watch you water parameters but should have no problems. My 20 gal was started with media from my main tank and fully filled with water from the main tank, I did pwc from the main for 3 days ( even tho the 20 never showed signs of even a mini cycle) just to be safe because I stocked the 20 the same day it was filled up.
The water has been perfect from day one never went thru a cycle.

 

[DanS180]

Yes you sure can. If you use the older media from your canister and water from your main tank the QT can be up and running today. Of course you still have to watch you water parameters but should have no problems. My 20 gal was started with media from my main tank and fully filled with water from the main tank, I did pwc from the main for 3 days ( even tho the 20 never showed signs of even a mini cycle) just to be safe because I stocked the 20 the same day it was filled up.
The water has been perfect from day one never went thru a cycle.

Awesome, I guess I'll do that then, I plan on getting discus tomorrow

 

[Nimo]

Cool pictures are a must! I would love to have discus but my ph is way to high for them and I can't afford to get an RO filter at the moment.

 

[DanS180]

Cool pictures are a must! I would love to have discus but my ph is way to high for them and I can't afford to get an RO filter at the moment.

RO filter??

 

[Nimo]

Reverse osmosis filter. I have very hard water so the natural PH is high, I tried using PH down chemicals in a small cycled tank with no fish in it to see if I could get the PH to drop and stay down. It don't work with my water, the stuff only drops the ph to around 7.9 for a few hours then it goes right back up to 8.5
An RO filter would take all the lime and calcium out of the water and drop the Ph.

 

[DanS180]

Reverse osmosis filter. I have very hard water so the natural PH is high, I tried using PH down chemicals in a small cycled tank with no fish in it to see if I could get the PH to drop and stay down. It don't work with my water, the stuff only drops the ph to around 7.9 for a few hours then it goes right back up to 8.5
An RO filter would take all the lime and calcium out of the water and drop the Ph.

Oh wow, my pH is 7.6 out of the tap so mines not too bad I suppose

 

[Nimo]

Oh wow, my pH is 7.6 out of the tap so mines not too bad I suppose

My pH from the tap is around 7.9 coming in from being treated at the water treatment plant down the road from me but after the water has been in the aquarium or even sitting in a bucket after about 24 hrs it goes up to 8.5.
It does the same thing when I try to chemically drop the pH. The water has so much calcium and lime in it, it just buffers its self back to pre treatment levels.

 

[DanS180]

My pH from the tap is around 7.9 coming in from being treated at the water treatment plant down the road from me but after the water has been in the aquarium or even sitting in a bucket after about 24 hrs it goes up to 8.5.
It does the same thing when I try to chemically drop the pH. The water has so much calcium and lime in it, it just buffers its self back to pre treatment levels.

Oh wow that stinks :/ well hopefully I'll be okay at 7.6