So what is the scoop on a QT?

[Saltair]

I am cycling my new tank with fish, what can I say I didn't know there was another option. I had to seperate one fish pretty quickly, finrot, put her in an eclipse 6 with no filter, they all have carbon, and treated with Melafix. She is doing better.

The question is do you keep a cycled QT ready to go 24/7? If so what do you use as your source of ammonia? are there "expendable" fish in there to keep it going? DO you add carbon to the filtration along with water changes after treatments to remove the medicines from the water? With my Eclipse can I put a household sponge in the filter compartment to grow bacteria? With no filter, just the biowheel, it will take forever to cycle. How do most folks do this?

 

[jsoong]

The easiest way to maintain a QT is just to maintain the filter. You keep a spare filter pad (QT's filter) in your main display tank. If you have a big HOB or canister (or a sump), you can generally stuff an extra filter pad or 2 in there for use by the QT. When you need the QT, you pull the filter pad out & use that, and have a cycled tank. If there is no disease in the QT, you can return the pad to the main tank after use. If there is a disease, or you have to use meds, you can either bleach the filter pad to remove and meds/bugs, or just get a new pad.

Others have also run the QT's filter in the main for extra filtration. Another option is to have some fish in the QT, which you move to the main when the QT is needed. You must have fish that is compatible in the main, and also have room in the main tank for the QT's fish. All in all, it is just simplest to move filter pads.

 

[jsoong]

As for a filter pad for the Eclipse, the simplest is to get some coarse filter foam & cut to fit. (Eg - filter for the big A/C's, my lfs also have bulk filter foam.)

Household sponge may not work well:
1. It may have soaps/anti-bacterial or anti-mildew treatment
2. It may be made of cellulose & disintegrate if soaked for too long
3. The pores are not big enough for water flow

Bulk filter foam also is cheaper than the sponge (at least at my lfs ...)