I Need Bacteria!!!

[gmidd]

I'm growing impatient. My DT is ready to go but I can't get the 10 gal QT tank to cycle

It been sitting at .5 to .75 ammonia for 2 weeks and nothing

I added about 8oz dish of sand from my DT about 3 days ago to get some bacteria in there to convert the ammonia and still nothing. I haven't been consistant with keeping the light on (its in the basement), but I wouldn't think that would have anything to do will bacteria. Any thoughts?

 

[fedukeford]

If your waiting for the QT to cycle so you can QT your first fish, you dont really have to. If the new fish has a disease its not like theres any other fish in the tank that it can infect.
Feduke

 

[gmidd]

I was wonding that... guess I should have asked :notsure:

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by fedukeford
If your waiting for the QT to cycle so you can QT your first fish, you dont really have to. If the new fish has a disease its not like theres any other fish in the tank that it can infect.
Feduke
No, but if the DT gets infested with ich then the entire tank will have to be treated or remain fishless for 6 weeks. Wait for the qt to finish cycling.

 

[gmidd]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
No, but if he DT gets infested with ich then the entire tank will have to be treated or remain fishless for 6 weeks. Wait for the qt to finish cycling.
Any suggestion on how to get bacteria growth then? Can itch survive without a host? Like in sand or on rock?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Gmidd
Any suggestion on how to get bacteria growth then? Can itch survive without a host? Like in sand or on rock?
Ich will not survive without a host. Because of ich's life cycle they can go for several weeks without a host though. For bacteria for the qt you can place a sponge filter into your DT, let it gather bacteria for several days and then place it into your QT. Many people don't keep a qt running all of the time, but keep a sponge in their sump. If they need the qt they use tank water and add the sponge to the qt. It is like an instant cycle.

 

[thud]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
Ich will not survive without a host. Because of ich's life cycle they can go for several weeks without a host though. For bacteria for the qt you can place a sponge filter into your DT, let it gather bacteria for several days and then place it into your QT. Many people don't keep a qt running all of the time, but keep a sponge in their sump. If they need the qt they use tank water and add the sponge to the qt. It is like an instant cycle.
Why not buy some bacteria, the bottles usually say "contains 25 billion bacteria" or so.
or buy Seachems New tank stabilization system, it's a blue bottle "Rapid and safe estabilshment of bio filter"

 

[lazypinoy]

Originally Posted by thud
Why not buy some bacteria, the bottles usually say "contains 25 billion bacteria" or so.
or buy Seachems New tank stabilization system, it's a blue bottle "Rapid and safe estabilshment of bio filter"
those bottles are waste of money. ask ur lfs if u can have a small smount of their bacteria media in their filter systems to seed ur tank. or u can wait it out natually as stated b4 me.

 

[teresaq]

put a small piece of live rock from your dt or sump in the qt. as long as you arent using meds it will be ok. also the filter matierial.