QT is running, having a cycle question.

[ZaNe]

Hi,

I started my QT on the 21 september, running for a week now. It's my first tank and my QT has well. I will follow lee's method but I had a question concerning the cycle. I started my cycle with a full shrimp. My ammoniac rose to 2 in the first 2-3 day so I remove it.

Now my question is: When the cycle will be finish I will have enough bacteria for 2 of ammoniac but if my fish only create let say .25 of ammoniac, all these bateria will die in the period of 2 months of quarantine right ?

What happen if I want to had a bigger first afterward ? Will I have to put a small shrimp piece to raise these bateria ?

My QT is a 20G with a little Hang-On filter, skimmer, heater.

Thank you

 

[Varga]

what type of fish will you be putting in there?

 

[ZaNe]

I think I will begin with Clarkii or Marron x2 then after that I'm planning to add a dogface puffer, a picasso trigger and a whitecheek tang / Goldrim tang but I don't know the order yet.

 

[sambrinar]

I think I will begin with Clarkii or Marron x2 then after that I'm planning to add a dogface puffer, a picasso trigger and a whitecheek tang / Goldrim tang but I don't know the order yet.

What size will your DT be, how much LR? If I am understanding you correctly, your first post is only your QT, right?

 

[ZaNe]

Yes my first post is only my QT.

My DT is a 110G with a 66G sump. I will go around 50 lbs of Sulawasi Rock and 50 lbs of base rock. Shallow sand bed around 40 lbs to have around quarter to half an inch.

Since I'm quarantining each fish at least 2 month, my base rock will have time to "feed/seed" on live rock right ? I'm a little concern about the Dogface but I read that the Picasso only grows half inch a year so I will probably buy it at 2-3 inch will have plenty of time to upgrade right ??

Thank you

 

[sambrinar]

Yes my first post is only my QT.

My DT is a 110G with a 66G sump. I will go around 50 lbs of Sulawasi Rock and 50 lbs of base rock. Shallow sand bed around 40 lbs to have around quarter to half an inch.

Since I'm quarantining each fish at least 2 month, my base rock will have time to "feed/seed" on live rock right ?

Thank you

Are you talking about base rock in your QT or DT? If it is in the DT, I would think 2 months would be sufficient time to "seed" the rock. I am not sure that you really need LR in the QT. I don't have one, I only have 1 small fish and it was captive bred, so I never set up a QT...

Hopefully someone else will chime in soon. It might be tomorrow though, lots of members are on the east coast and it is after midnight there.

 

[ZaNe]

Thank you.

The rocks and sand are for the DT.

 

[sambrinar]

Sounds like it is going to be nice. You need to start a chronical as you get up and going.. fun to watch the progress... Looking forward to it

 

[leebca]

ZaNe,

Get some general information from this post regarding your system lifeforms: http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums...arting-your-first-fo-fowlr-marine-system.html Your live rock critters will need feeding. Also the basic clean up crew should be introduced and fed.

Since you mention the QT approach, I am assuming you have looked through that sticky post.

The nitrification bacteria are relatively prolific, 'eating' whatever ammonia and nitrites are available to establish their population. Seeding the QT biological filter should not be too much of a concern, with regards to population. A single seeding and providing enough organic and nitrogen wastes is sufficient to handle most fishes for the small QT. If you are aiming at very large fishes, then the QT size goes up and then there are/should be multiple sponge filters at work. Thus, the bacteria population will go up to accommodate: space available (the sponge volume), waste, and organics available.

Rather than using anything live to seed the sponge filters -- they can be seeded from an operating marine system your DT is connected to, although in this case your system is not currently supporting a large bacteria population. Still, putting the sponges, running, in your DT system will put bacteria on and in the sponge.

Then move the sponge into the QT and add a little frozen food to the water to create 'pollution.' Then, monitor the ammonia and nitrites until the polluted water shows zero ammonia and nitrites. Then, at that time, there are sufficient bacteria in the sponge filter to handle the fish being put into the QT.

At this stage, the QT is ready for the fish. If no fish is forthcoming, then the bacteria will enter into a 'hibernating' state. They will put themselves on hold. When a pollutant enters (a fish or frozen food) they will start up again, but usually there will be a time lapse until they gear up to 'eat' the wastes. Thus, the fish would be exposed to ammonia and/or nitrites. So if the QT biological filter is to be kept alive and running, the filter should be 'fed' or returned to the main system to receive some food. But -- going back to your situation, your main system has few nitrogen polluters in it, so feeding the bio filter in the QT would be the best approach.

If I have misunderstood or failed to answer your question, just straighten me out. If you need more information, don't hesitate to post.

 

[ZaNe]

Thank you Lee, I think you answer my question very well but I just want to be sure.

If I introduce a larger fish to my QT after a small fish had been in the QT. I should put a small piece of raw shrimp to raise or awaken the bacterie that were hibernating so I don't have an Ammonia Spike ?

I'm not sure if it's clear since english is my 3rd language ....

Thank you

 

[leebca]

No problem. This kind of communication (posting messages) is a bit difficult when it comes to clarity. I'm not the best writer. :fingerx:

If you quarantine a small fish which fits the QT (for instance a 2" fish can be put into a 10g QT) and then want to quarantine a 4" fish, you would set up a larger QT. The new QT would be conditioned with a larger or multiple biological filters.

If you're talking about wanting to quarantine a small fish, like 1.5" in a 10g QT, and then want to quarantine a 2" fish later in the same 10g QT, then you will have all the bacteria you will need in the biological filter that was running for the 1.5" fish in the 10g.

Don't forget, all this talk about using the same biological filter assumes the first fish wasn't ill during quarantine and that certain meds weren't used in the QT. That is to say, that the use of the same biological filter for the next fish in quarantine is the right thing to do.

 

[ZaNe]

Thank you Lee,

I will start a thread for each of my quarantine fish which I think will make it easier and clearer.

Hopefully, my QT will be ready soon