Whitespot help...

[steve-s]

If I add enough food for one fish a day, until cycled, do you think enough bacteria will have built up for one fish in my QT so that I'll only have to do waterchanges once a week?

If the tank cycles properly and only one fish added, the possibility of needing water changes would be less likely but that would also mean you have added anough inert materials for the needed amount of bacteria to colonize.

Bacteria grows to match the food source that feeds it but if there is insufficient room for the bacteria, it won't matter how well cycled it is. Be sure you don't skimp on PVC or other biomedia.

Just remember, if the fish needs treating you will most likely end up doing the regular (if not daily) water changes

Cheers
Steve

 

[srgetz]

Sure, and if you really want it to cycle faster put a chunk of cured lr in there. This will provide the good bacteria and media, then keep adding the food daily untill your readings are 0. Many people avoid lr in qt like the plague but I find it beneficial for speed of cycling and keeping ammonia down. Hey, if you need to add meds, just remove it, that simple. Just don't put it back in the display unless the fish is surely clean of parasites for 4 weeks in qt; if a parasite is suspected leave the rock in another container fallow (no fish) for 6 weeks. This will eliminate the parasite and the rock can go back in the display. The other thing you can do is use some sponge from an established filter, it may or may not work as well as lr.