water in, final qt question

[mrukus]

Almost ready!!! finishing up the aquascaping tomorrow, rinsing sand and adding water. I was also going to set up the qt as I'll probably be adding a fish or two every couple of weekS for the next month or two. I have a sponge filter and a heater. Once my dt is up and running I will keep a sponge in the sump for the qt but to start out I was wondering if I could put a couple pounds of live rock in from a lfs? If there isn't any disease I would just put the rock in my dt or sump afterwards and if there is something like ick and I have to treat I would probably just throw it out afterwards.

The rock is already cured and will go right into my bucket for the transport home. Do I have to worry about a full cycle in the qt or will 10 lbs or so of live rock be enough for a single clown? it's barrel cured in the shop so no need to worry about hitchhikers or anything.

Figure after 6 weeks of qt if everybody is happy the dt will have finished cycling and I can keep rotating a fish or 2 through the qt.

 

[Squishie89]

Here is a quote directly from Mr. Saltwater Tank’s Guide to Quarantining and Disease. “Quarantine tanks are very often bare bottom tanks (no sand) with only a couple of PVC pieces for fish to hide. The reason for the sparse surroundings is that medications can react with rock and sand, reducing the concentration of the medication and their effectiveness. Furthermore, certain diseases live at least part of their lives in the sand and rock. While your fish might enjoy the rock and sand, and these things will likely make them feel comfortable, we don’t recommend them for quarantine tanks that are being uses to treat fish.”

If your reason for the rock is for the bacteria, that is what your sponge filter is for. You just need to add bottled bacteria to help get the bacteria colonizing.

 

[mrukus]

Yup. Understood. and I really like Mr saltwater tank. The problem is I don't have an established tank yet to seed everything off of. The plan is to keep the sponge and live rock together for the first couple weeks and if I have to treat for something I'll take the rock out. By the the sponge should have plenty of bacteria on it. That's how I understand it based off of advice and reading I've done. If I'm being grossly lead astray please let me know!