Getting a QT tank cycling

[Sharkbait19]

Hello,
I plan on getting a shrimp goby soon, and would like to quarantine and medicate it before it enters my main display. However, my only quarantine tank was, for a while, transferred into freshwater for a group of pufferfish. I would like to cleanse it and transfer it back into saltwater for the goby, but am wondering how I should go about bringing in a bacteria population. Should I fill a third of it with some of my tankwater from the DT, and put some of the tank's bioballs into the system for a few days, or should I start from scratch, and fill it all with brand new saltwater, given the low waste production of a single goby? Thanks!

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Starting some bio balls in your other tank is an option though it should remain in there for weeks if not a month or more to get an effective population of bacteria. Adding tank water isn't effective as those bacteria live in films on surfaces and don't readily exist free floating in the water column. There are several starter cultures on the market that are very effective. I've had very good success using biospira and fritz turbo start. Biospira, it's cheap but it's a dormant bacteria so it takes longer than the fritz which is a live culture. Fritz is more expensive but it works considerably faster.

 

[BostonReefer300]

How big is your QT? I have a 10 gallon that I use to QT new or sick fish. It has a small HOB pinwheel filter, a sponge with an air pump, a heater, a grounding probe, and some PVC pieces---and topped off with a lid and a cheap LED. I keep it clean and dry until I need to use it. Then I add water from my DT, a bag of ceramic biospheres from my sump, a fresh seachem ammonia badge, and a small bottle of biospira (or the like).

 

[Sharkbait19]

It's only a 10 gallon tank, so not that large. Adding the tank water would be more of a way to introduce some "dirt" for the bacteria, although maybe I'll just start completely fresh, and put in bioballs and buy a bottle of Dr. Tims or fritz.

 

[BostonReefer300]

I just use DT water because I use the opportunity for a water change