Cycling QT filter on DT?

[saramachen]

I am setting up a QT tank and I was hoping to seed it with biomedia from my AIO DT. I took the HOB filter, put in a piece of new sponge and some bioballs that were in the sump of my DT. Now the QT filter is running on my DT while I wait for the paint to dry on the QT tank, and I make fresh saltwater. If I leave the HOB running for a week, will that be enough to have a decent seed for the QT? I was hoping to buy a fish on the 12th of February.

 

[lapin]

Depends on the size of the QT tank and how many fish and their size you plan on placing in QT. Keep some Prime on hand just in case. Also any meds will prob kill off your filter bacteria.

 

[saramachen]

It’s a 10gallon. I’m planning on one Bengaii Cardinal.

Does copper power kill off bacteria? I’m in Canada so I can’t get anything other meds (easily).
I have Prime on hand.

 

[damsels are not mean]

It’s a 10gallon. I’m planning on one Bengaii Cardinal.

Does copper power kill off bacteria? I’m in Canada so I can’t get anything other meds (easily).
I have Prime on hand.

hopefully you don't need it anyways!

 

[lapin]

Your fish will be fine. A few water changes and a few weeks later the fish will be in its new home. 1 small fish in 10 gallons with water changes = no prob. No need for copper unless the fish is sick then it depends on what it has as to how to treat it. Yes copper will kill bacteria, fish and people in the right dose.

 

[damsels are not mean]

Copper should not kill any bacteria AFAIK which is why it doesn't work against bacterial infections. I am no biologist or doctor but I have never heard of any special cycle methods when running copper.

 

[saramachen]

Thank you both!

 

[lapin]

Copper’s Antimicrobial Properties Might Treat Bacterial Diseases

Doctors might one day use copper’s antimicrobial properties to treat bacterial diseases, said Dr. Michael D. L. Johnson at a recent NIGMS Director’s Early-Career Investigator Lecture. His lab is studying how Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, or pneumococcus, responds to copper. They are trying...

nihrecord.nih.gov

 

[jassermd]

Back to your original question:
How long did you keep the bioballs and sponge in your DT? That's where most of your biofilter will come from.
Most folks will say you should keep them in there for a month or so to seed them.
Running your HOB on the DT will help, but likely not enough on its own.
FWIW, I keep several sponges and extra media on hand in my sump for this exact reason.

 

[saramachen]

It’s a new tank. Set up beginning of January with those bioballs, so not very long. The bioload on my DT is 2 clowns and small CUC. I do feed sorta heavy. The clowns I bought from a trusted source who had QTd them for 6 weeks, they were added directly to the DT. But the plan is to QT all new purchases.