How Long to Seed Filter Media

[FullSend]

How long will it take to seed filter media for a cycled qt tank?

How long can the media be run on a tank with no inhabitants after seeding?

The qt will be a 20L with a 10g sump, tunze nano skimmer, and an aquaclear 30. The media will go into the aquaclear.

The fish will be 2 clownfish and 4 1" endlers.

 

[Spare time]

Are you planning on any of these: dosing bacteria, live rock, or live sand?

How long it takes depends on what you use for bacteria, what bacteria you get, and what ammonia source you use.

(PS remoe the carbon, filter sock / filter sponge and any other media besides biomedia from you tank when cycling).

 

[FullSend]

I'm only planning on running the foam sponge and the ceramic media the filter came with, no carbon. I have them sitting in bottom of the DT sump. I don't see a reason not to run the skimmer in the QT sump, if I'm not using medication.

The DT has been fully cycled for 6 months. I don't dose anything in the DT. It's just live rock, a skimmer, and cheato.

The reason I'm asking is the fish will complete TTM next Thursday. The media will have been in the DT for ~11 days. I'm not sure if that is enough time.

 

[Reef.]

As above, what ammonia are you using, and if you don’t add any bacteria you are looking at at least 30 days or more and that is if you have enough media with no rock or sand.

 

[Spare time]

I'm only planning on running the foam sponge and the ceramic media the filter came with, no carbon. I have them sitting in bottom of the DT sump. I don't see a reason not to run the skimmer in the QT sump, if I'm not using medication.

The DT has been fully cycled for 6 months. I don't dose anything in the DT. It's just live rock, a skimmer, and cheato.

The reason I'm asking is the fish will complete TTM next Thursday. The media will have been in the DT for ~11 days. I'm not sure if that is enough time.

How do you have chaeto with no input of ammonia into the system (unless there is)?

 

[FullSend]

The DT has a colony of snails, micro stars, amphipods, a few happy frags, and the usual strange life. It had fish in it for a brief stint.

I agree the ammonia input is low, I suppose it's related to how fast the light grows algea the snails eat.

 

[Spare time]

The DT has a colony of snails, micro stars, amphipods, a few happy frags, and the usual strange life. It had fish in it for a brief stint.

I agree the ammonia input is low, I suppose it's related to how fast the light grows algea the snails eat.

You could try something like dr tims, turbo 900, or microbacter xlm when you recieve the fish. Otherwise, you can dose bacteria now and then test with small amounts of ammonium chloride if there is nothing that would be put at risk from an ammonia spike.