QT Question

[sandy]

Hey all! All is well in my tank.
Now all I have to do is be patient, SAVE money (for lighting ... so's I can get corals!)... etc.
Anywho... I am converting my 20 gal from just a water station to a QT/Water change tank. So it is cycling and the ammonia is at 1.0
It is an empty tank with saltwater, a small powerhead, a heater and a whisper filter with the old biobag from my 50 gal.
THE QUESTION: Where does the "good bacteria" grow and stay in an empty tank? Just in the bio bag? (Which then could never be changed?). Or does the bacteria float around in the water? Once it is "cycled"... it will stay that way, even with water changes?...
Finally, In the QT tank... does the temp need to remain constant? The tank is outside with an electrical cord from the house... I can't shut and lock the door at night without unplugging... so sometimes I just rig the door and keep the electricity running. Thanks.

 

[sandy]

p.s. I live in Tucson... so the temp does not drop too bad at night here.... Just in case you were wondering.

 

[fshhub]

temp should be constant, and dth bacteria will live on the parts fo the filter, the heatrer, the glass and the shelter and suhc that is in ther tank as well

 

[sandy]

So, should I put a fresh carbon bio bag in the whisper and then never change it? Right now I have the old one (rinsed) from the 50 gal...
I'm wondering that if the good guy bacteria lives in the filter... then it would be counter-productive to ever change it.
Or will the bacteria on the glass, etc. be enough to keep the tank "cycled" ?

 

[sandy]

Nevermind. I tossed in some fluval stones and a fake decoration. Should I ever have to QT, I can toss them both after treatment. Guess I'll have to bring the tank inside in the summer... gets mighty hot here. Thanks fshhub for responding to my posts. Much appreciated!
Oh, Ammonia & Nitrites are ZERO in my 50 gal. Whoo Hoo! I'm not adding anyone new. I'm going to let the tank age. I'll add more of a clean-up crew when I need to (no real algae growh yet) and maybe some more LR. What I really need to do is save up for a good Protein Skimmer and lighting. I want corals!
Sandy
50 gal long. Fluval 304. Skilter. 55lbs LR, 65lbs Sand. 3 Powerheads.
1 Purple Tang (Francis)
1 Yellow-Head Sleeper Goby (Sam)
1 Scooter Blenny (Rocky)
2 Percula Clowns (Harry & Ron)
2 Yellow-Tail Damsels (Tippy & Ripley)
1 Cleaner Shrimp (Simon da Shrimp)
3 Pepperment Shrimp (Christopher, Lady & Champ)
1 Serpent Star (Star)
2 Bumble Bee Snails (Thelma & Louise)
3 Turbo Snails (Charlie, Tony & John-John)
7 Hermits (Monster, Buster, Blue, Jose, Carlos, Little Guy & Tiny Tim) <img src="graemlins//silly.gif" border="0" alt="[silly]" />

 

[fshhub]

i admit it, i am guilty, i did not until recently have a qt tank, but now i do, and i did the same thing, basically, i put in a little dead coral and a fine layer of cc on the bottom of our q tank, jsut for hte same reason, may not be the best thing ot do, but it will house the bacteria, and i just had it laying around, so instead of tossing it, i use it for our q tank, adn with no fish in there, the filters will not clog very fast, like if you had alot of waste going in, and our q' tank is ready to be used for new additions and or sick fish