cycling a Quarantine Tank??

[DanS180]

Never did a QT before so bare with me.

I set up a 10G QT for my 180G and have been wondering, does the tank have be cycled?? And how long does it usually take? I put a HOB filter on it with used media from my 180 and just let it run, it's been running for a few days and I'm showing a little bit of ammonia, little bit of nitrites and no nitrates.

I actually plan on getting a bigger tank for a QT just haven't figured out where I'm putting it yet lol

 

[jetajockey]

No, it doesn't have to be cycled. You can just put some seeded media into it when needed. If you wanted to keep it cycled though I guess you could keep a couple small fish in it.

 

[DanS180]

like i said I'm new to the QT so i have no idea lol do i need to have it up n running at all times? Or just when i need it to actually Quarantine fish?

 

[jetajockey]

It's up to you. It won't hurt to run it all the time with a couple of small fish in it, but if you don't move them out when you put your QT fish in they might be exposed to anything the new fish have.

Leaving it empty till you need to QT and then adding seeded media works fine just keep an eye on parameters.

 

[DanS180]

It's up to you. It won't hurt to run it all the time with a couple of small fish in it, but if you don't move them out when you put your QT fish in they might be exposed to anything the new fish have.

Leaving it empty till you need to QT and then adding seeded media works fine just keep an eye on parameters.

Oh okay, lol i thought it had to always be running. So say I buy my new fish, I could pour water into the tank with the seeded media and then just put the fish in there?? No prime or anything??

 

[jetajockey]

Well, yeah, you'd want to put a water conditioner in there.

Just treat it like a fish-in cycle, if you use well seeded media it will likely start processing nitrogenous waste in short order. That said, even if you do leave it running all the time, be aware that adding several and/or large fish into a small tank like that is asking for an ammonia/nitrite issue, so if you are planning on getting large amounts of fish at a time I suggest getting a larger volume of water to QT them in.

 

[DanS180]

Well, yeah, you'd want to put a water conditioner in there.

Just treat it like a fish-in cycle, if you use well seeded media it will likely start processing nitrogenous waste in short order. That said, even if you do leave it running all the time, be aware that adding several and/or large fish into a small tank like that is asking for an ammonia/nitrite issue, so if you are planning on getting large amounts of fish at a time I suggest getting a larger volume of water to QT them in.

Yeah that's what i was thinking of doing, getting a bigger tank I just have no idea where I could set it up at lol

 

[Zevyn]

I keep a Hydro-II sponge filter in my display tank for my QT tank. I'll just move it over when needed. The problem I have with this is that I could potentially be introducing whatever was in my QT tank to the display by putting it back in after I'm done. Is that a real risk that's dealt with somehow? The only way I can see would be to keep a small fish or two in the QT tank and leaving the sponge filter in there and running it full-time.

 

[tamtam]

The main thing you need is a fully cycled filter/media. If you want to take your current filter for the QT and put it on your big tank you can let it be while it builds up all of its BB, then when ever you need a QT you can pull out your tank, fill it with water and dechlor, strap the filter on and your good to go.
You don't need plants and gravel unless you want to and all you really need to do is keep your big tank running and it "piggy backs" and is good to go when you need it.

Some people find it easier then maintaining a whole tank by feeding your BB somehow(adding ammonia or keeping fish.

 

[RussellC]

I keep a Hydro-II sponge filter in my display tank for my QT tank. I'll just move it over when needed. The problem I have with this is that I could potentially be introducing whatever was in my QT tank to the display by putting it back in after I'm done. Is that a real risk that's dealt with somehow? The only way I can see would be to keep a small fish or two in the QT tank and leaving the sponge filter in there and running it full-time.

Not that I've done this, but one option is a one-way transfer of the QT filter.

In other words, when needed, move it from the display to the QT tank.

When the quarrantine period is over and the QT tank inhabitant moves to the display tank, disinfect the QT filter with chlorinated tap water, or by some other means... yes, you've destroyed the colony in it, but so what? The filter has already done it's job.

Put the now 'clean' filter back on the display tank and let it reseed slowly over time.

So long as you don't need to use the QT tank again while the QT filter is reseeding, I'd think this should work well, and it will lessen the risk of transferring anything from the QT tank to the display tank -- while also not making it necessary to keep the QT tank constantly stocked.

Just an idea.

Best!

 

[tamtam]

Not that I've done this, but one option is a one-way transfer of the QT filter.

In other words, when needed, move it from the display to the QT tank.

When the quarrantine period is over and the QT tank inhabitant moves to the display tank, disinfect the QT filter with chlorinated tap water, or by some other means... yes, you've destroyed the colony in it, but so what? The filter has already done it's job.

Put the now 'clean' filter back on the display tank and let it reseed slowly over time.

So long as you don't need to use the QT tank again while the QT filter is reseeding, I'd think this should work well, and it will lessen the risk of transferring anything from the QT tank to the display tank -- while also not making it necessary to keep the QT tank constantly stocked.

Just an idea.

Best!

Another thought, couldn't you just "clean" the QT filter if something goes wrong with the fish. If you are transferring fish to a tank that are healthy are you at a real risk to add on a filter too? Can a filter transfer anything that the fish themselves couldn't? This way you only need to restart the cycle process only when there is an issue/sickness.
hmmm

 

[RussellC]

Another thought, couldn't you just "clean" the QT filter if something goes wrong with the fish. If you are transferring fish to a tank that are healthy are you at a real risk to add on a filter too? Can a filter transfer anything that the fish themselves couldn't? This way you only need to restart the cycle process only when there is an issue/sickness.
hmmm

I sure think you could.

Doing so only when there's an issue in the QT tank would limit the reseeding.

Limiting reseeding might be a good idea if, say, you wanted to use the QT tank again soon, or needed to set it up as a hospital tank instead.

 

[DanS180]

Not that I've done this, but one option is a one-way transfer of the QT filter.

In other words, when needed, move it from the display to the QT tank.

When the quarrantine period is over and the QT tank inhabitant moves to the display tank, disinfect the QT filter with chlorinated tap water, or by some other means... yes, you've destroyed the colony in it, but so what? The filter has already done it's job.

Put the now 'clean' filter back on the display tank and let it reseed slowly over time.

So long as you don't need to use the QT tank again while the QT filter is reseeding, I'd think this should work well, and it will lessen the risk of transferring anything from the QT tank to the display tank -- while also not making it necessary to keep the QT tank constantly stocked.

Just an idea.

Best!

Hmm that doesn't seem like a bad idea to be honest, I guess ill figure something out, bc i wouldn't wanna put small fish in it, I'd just leave it empty and use it for when I'm introducing new fish. No sense on keeping it up n running if I'm going long periods of time without new fish

 

[DanS180]

I think I'm just going to keep it empty til i need it, hook up the filter with seeded media, add water and a dechlorinator and just watch the parameters til I'm ready to move then over to the DT

 

[RussellC]

Hmm that doesn't seem like a bad idea to be honest, I guess ill figure something out, bc i wouldn't wanna put small fish in it, I'd just leave it empty and use it for when I'm introducing new fish. No sense on coming it up n running if I'm going long periods of time without new fish

Now that I'm thinking of it....

I think this idea would work especially well for a hospital tank.

You can set up a cycled hospital tank at a moment's notice, and lessen the risk of transferring anything lingering in the hospital tank back into the main tank.

 

[DanS180]

Now that I'm thinking of it....

I think this idea would work especially well for a hospital tank.

You can set up a cycled hospital tank at a moment's notice, and lessen the risk of transferring anything lingering in the hospital tank back into the main tank.

It does seem like a good idea but by "cleaning" the QT filter and hooking it back up to the DT, wouldn't that maybe fluctuate the numbers in the DT?

 

[RussellC]

Now that I'm thinking of it....

I think this idea would work especially well for a hospital tank.

You can set up a cycled hospital tank at a moment's notice, and lessen the risk of transferring anything lingering in the hospital tank back into the main tank.

Can I quote myself? Guess I just did.

Nice thing about this is, the hospital / QT tank filter doesn't have to accept media from the display tank's main filter.

This is perfect in my case because my standby hospital tank is a 10 gallon with an inexpensive HOB filter that doesn't accept media from my canister.

Stick the 10 gallon filter on the main tank, let it seed, and voila!

No need to transfer media, and cycled filter at the ready when I need it.

The other half is gonna think I'm nuts this weekend though.

"Honey? Why are you putting that old, tiny, cheap little filter on the big tank after spending all that money on the canister filter?"

 

[RussellC]

It does seem like a good idea but by "cleaning" the QT filter and hooking it back up to the DT, wouldn't that maybe fluctuate the numbers in the DT?

I don't see why it would.

The added biofiltration provided by the QT/hospital filter has already left the display tank when the QT/hospital filter was moved.

Adding a clean filter from the QT/hospital tank back to the main tank shouldn't make the parameters change any more than adding a new second filter straight out of the box would -- which I think would be not at all.

 

[DanS180]

I don't see why it would.

The added biofiltration provided by the QT/hospital filter has already left the display tank when the QT/hospital filter was moved.

Adding a clean filter from the QT/hospital tank back to the main tank shouldn't make the parameters change any more than adding a new second filter straight out of the box would -- which I think would be not at all.

Lol well i have 2 canister filters on my DT right now and the only media I have on there is ceramic biomax so i just put some of that in the cheap HOB filter

 

[RussellC]

Lol well i have 2 canister filters on my DT right now and the only media I have on there is ceramic biomax so i just put some of that in the cheap HOB filter

Clearly a better solution!

That said, for those of us whose secondary filters don't accept media (mine has it kinda built-in), moving the QT / hospital filter may be worth at least considering.