Cycling QT with shrimp

[tang_man_montreal]

I've got an uncoooked shrimp in my 29gal that is to be my QT.
There is no substrate, just an Emperor 400, Heater, and powerhead.
I just tested the ammonia, and it's off the chart.
I used 50% water from my main tank, and 50% newly mixed water.
Do I remove the shrimp? or keep it in there?

 

[kev]

Keep the shrimp in the tank till you have good nitrate lvls, then take it out when you add fish... this will keep your QT cycled.

 

[bang guy]

Did you add a source of marine bacteria to the tank? Live rock, handful of sand from another tank, rubble from the LFS rock tank, anything will do.

 

[beth]

Sounds like things are cooking, Tangman! Congrads. As we discussed a couple of weeks ago when you inspired the QT Thread, you can use the tank water from your established tank. Throwing in a bit of substrate from your main tank would be a good idea [about a cupful].

 

[tang_man_montreal]

I thought I was not supposed to put any LR or LS in the QT....
The only source of marine bacteria in the QT right now is the water that I took from the main tank... Is this not enough?
How bout I steal one of my wife's pantyhose (don't tell her), and use some of it to put some sand from the main tank in, then put it in one of the media containers of the Emperor 400?

 

[bang guy]

Hey TangMan, My mistake. Somehow I missed the QT part
The water from the display tank is just fine to introduce the right bacteria, good call!
Sorry if I panicked you. You are 100% correct about no sand or rock in the QT!
I just wanted to make sure you had introduced some type of marine bacteria.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Bangguy,
It's ok, no prob...
What do you think about putting LS from the main tank in the media containers of the Emperor 400?

 

[bang guy]

That will work for sure. I tend to only put disposable media in the QT. ie. sponges, foam, etc. After I use a QT I throw away all the filtration media. I use a sponge filter normally.

 

[tang_man_montreal]

Cool,
I guess I'll try that tonight...
Thanks!