How to start/maintain a cycled qt?

[Zero_Cool]

I am confused. The recommended QT protocol for 2022 says need to set up a fully cycled tank with biological filtration.

When done with the qt do people usually keep these running? I don't have a lot of extra space to keep an empty tank running. If I break down the tank between fish do I just throw away the bioballs or bioblocks that had been used for filtration as they had been in copper?

 

[rwreef]

I buy cheap sponge filters and keep them in my main sump. When QT is needed I use the bacteria filled sponge filter for an instant cycled QT. I toss the sponge filters after QT is complete. I've also use microbacter7 in a pinch for a quick setup.

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

What I like to do is use double sponge filters. You can wash them in saltwater and then put them back in your DT sump and then dismantle the QT until the next time you need it.
If you are planning on needing a QT in a few months down the road it is usual at easier to keep the QT running and just ghost feed the biofilter.
Jay

 

[Zero_Cool]

Thank you. I am getting back in and starting the tank fresh. It is a larger tank so plenty of room for activities. Stocking plan has a big list and will be running for a while.

I will research the sponge filters and how to reuse them.

 

[mike550]

Similar approach. I have a HOB filter on my QT and I keep a sponge filter (mechanical) and some biomedia in a bag

 

[Zero_Cool]

What I like to do is use double sponge filters. You can wash them in saltwater ....

How do you wash the medications, specifically copper, out of them?

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

How do you wash the medications, specifically copper, out of them?

Just rinse them in clean seawater, so the copper gets rinsed out, but the beneficial bacteria isn’t harmed.
Jay

 

[Zero_Cool]

Sponge filters like these:

 

[vetteguy53081]

The big thing to determine cycle which should last 14-21 days is adding your bacteria and then ammonia chloride or a piece of shrimp (shrimp for 48 hours). Then you want to monitor ammonia , When your ammonia is steady for 5 days at zero and Nitrate is steady at 20 or below- You are cycled. Ignore nitrIte Unless sky high
The tank will go through two phases in which ammonia will rise then fall and nitrate will rise and fall which is normal. When fish are added, the bacteria population will increase with the new bio load, converting waste to nitrate.
Overloading tank with too many fish up front will exceed what the bacteria can handle which is why its best to stock fish slowly over the next few months so that the bacterial levels can adapt to the new loads

 

[exnisstech]

I run aquaclear 110 hobs on all of my QT tanks. Sponges are 9x4x4 inches and I run double sponges seeded in my sump so there is a lot of area for bio filter and I don't fill qt to the top so there is also a lot of surface agitation from the water fall. I currently have 6 disbar anthias and a small tang that have been in for almost 30 days and I haven't had to change water and disbars are fed 4-5 times a day. I run 2 ammonia badges to keep an eye on the levels. Get copper power to therapeutic levels and sit back and relax for a month.

 

[Zero_Cool]

I run aquaclear 110 hobs on all of my QT tanks. Sponges are 9x4x4 inches and I run double sponges seeded in my sump so there is a lot of area for bio filter and I don't fill qt to the top so there is also a lot of surface agitation from the water fall. I currently have 6 disbar anthias and a small tang that have been in for almost 30 days and I haven't had to change water and disbars are fed 4-5 times a day. I run 2 ammonia badges to keep an eye on the levels. Get copper power to therapeutic levels and sit back and relax for a month.

What size is the QT tank?

 

[Zero_Cool]

The big thing to determine cycle which should last 14-21 days is adding your bacteria and then ammonia chloride or a piece of shrimp (shrimp for 48 hours). Then you want to monitor ammonia , When your ammonia is steady for 5 days at zero and Nitrate is steady at 20 or below- You are cycled. Ignore nitrIte Unless sky high
The tank will go through two phases in which ammonia will rise then fall and nitrate will rise and fall which is normal. When fish are added, the bacteria population will increase with the new bio load, converting waste to nitrate.
Overloading tank with too many fish up front will exceed what the bacteria can handle which is why its best to stock fish slowly over the next few months so that the bacterial levels can adapt to the new loads

Is this for the QT tank or the main DT?

I am about 2 months away from setting up the new tank and have marco rock currently being seeded in tubs with a few pieces of live rock, a heater and a pump. I feed those tubs weekly with a cube of frozen mysis. Thought since I had to wait anyway might as well get a head start.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is this for the QT tank or the main DT?

I am about 2 months away from setting up the new tank and have marco rock currently being seeded in tubs with a few pieces of live rock, a heater and a pump. I feed those tubs weekly with a cube of frozen mysis. Thought since I had to wait anyway might as well get a head start.

Main display- qt is a basic setup with seeded sponge as previously mentioned
I think previous post was for a different thread Oops

 

[Zero_Cool]

Still good info. Thanks

 

[exnisstech]

What size is the QT tank?

29 gallon.

 

[Weeb]

I will use controlled doses of ammonium chloride to keep my QT bio filter going. I never liked moving things from the DT back to the QT, just in came something got through, and because it was messy.

 

[Ben.QLD2]

I just took my QT tank down as I'm not getting any more fish in the foreseeable future, but I kept it cycled with Molly's that had been acclimatised to saltwater. They are the cleanest Molly's ever after going through about 6 QT cycles and now they live in my refugium. I found they helped the shy fish feed whilst in QT too.

 

[Zero_Cool]

I may just buy several of the sponge filters and dispose of them following a quarantine regiment.