QT question

mpjmeyer · Jan 27, 2017

I'm almost ready to start cycling my tank and QT. I'm going to be using carbon and Biomax pellets in the QT filter. Will this be ideal?

Also, once I QT the first group of fish, can I drain the QT and wait to fill it once we are ready for the next group of fish or if I need to put a fish in time out? I'm not sure if I should keep the tank running for months without occupants or if I can break it down until I need it again. Once it's cycled the first time, it will be good....right?

Thank you

azbigjohn · Jan 27, 2017

If you are going to treat with anything, you won't want carbon... it will remove medication. If you are just observing, that should be okay.

mpjmeyer · Jan 27, 2017

So when I introduce fish for 1st time, carbon is ok? Then once fish are in the display tank, I can empty the QT until I need it for either introducing more new fish or treating a disease in which I won't use carbon...correct? Once I cycle it this first time, I won't have to cycle it again, will I? Sorry for all the questions

mcarroll · Jan 27, 2017

A little carbon might not hurt, but I'm not sure what benefit one expects from it in a QT environment.

As long as you're there with a nice biofilter and adequate water changes, it really shouldn't be generally necessary.

As was already mentioned, if you wind up in a treatment scenario – which is best done in a separate hospital tank if you can swing it – you might use carbon to remove medication from the water. So it may be handy to have around.

Having a QT running perpetually isn't as crucial as having a portable bio-filter that can be moved to the QT as-needed. Like a sponge filter you keep in the display tank's sump, for example. Then your QT is as ready as taking water and that bio-filter from your display. I think some folks try to rely on bottled bacteria for the same effect....they should work, but you'd have to research the effectiveness on those things in this role. Sometimes a solution like that might be the only route available.

A Seachem Ammonia Alert is never a bad idea on a QT or hospital tank, but if there's any question about the bio-filter (like when starting from a bottle) – it's a must.