Just a few QT questions :)

[BlueDolphin]

Today I put a sponge in my main tank's sump in order to put in my QT. I have a 10 gallon QT with a heater, some pvc elbows, and a Penguin Mini Bio-Wheel Filter. So, here are my questions:

Can I go ahead and fill my QT with water from my main tank and start running the filter even though I am not going to be purchasing a fish for about a week? If this is ok, should I add fish food a couple times a week for bacteria?

How far in advance should the sponge from my sump be placed in the QT before I put a fish in there?

When I break down my QT after the quarantine period, do I need to rinse it out with anything special if there were no meds in the tank?

Am I missing anything??

TIA

 

[quarryshark]

Yes you can use water from your main and start running. It wouldn't hurt to feed the bacteria a little, but I wouldn't worry too much about a cycle, you will use water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite in check. Besides, if you need to use meds, it will kill the bacteria anyway.

You can place the sponge a day or 2 before the fish arrive. Just be sure to acclimate them properly to the qt.
When I break down I clean everthing with water and bleach and give it a few good rinsings.
Sounds like you have a nice plan here.

 

[BlueDolphin]

Thanks for your input, quarryshark!