qt tank ?

bungles

Member
this seemed like the right place for this.

i started a QT tank a week ago. let it run with an old filter from my dt. took some readings on fri the 5th.
temp 81
salinity 1.022
ph8.3
nitrite 0
ammonia 0
alk 1.6
nitrate 0
took new readings today added a little piece of live rock. and did a water change adding 3 gallons of water from my dt tank.
2/11
alk 2.8
pH 8.3
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
ammonia 0
temp 80
salinity 1.023/31
my tang is waiting how much longer should i go.
 

deejeff442

Active Member
gotta ask did the tank cycle meaning did it have an ammonia spike and go through the nitrite then nitrate?in only one week i doubt it.
everything at zero ?
if the tank didnt cycle when you add the tang there will be an ammonia spike and might kill the tang.
is there something wrong with the tang?
i wouldnt put lr in a qt.if you need to hypo or copper it will kill the rock.
then have an ammonia spike with the fish in there.
just need to know these things before i can help with adding the fish.
 

bungles

Member
no ammonia spike yet or nitrate or nitrite. ya he has a bacterial infection. i put up a pic under fish diseases sick tang. if you want to look at him. hes seems to be getting better but still has that redness to him. ok so im gonna wait longer mabye next week my tank will cycle.
 

deejeff442

Active Member
you need a well cycled tank to treat a baceria infection because the maracyn two needed also kills some good bacteria in the tank.did you seed the tank with some frozen fish food or a raw shrimp?
start to ghost feed the tank a little everyday to get it moving.
 

bulldog123

Member
With nothing but the sponge from the dt were is more bacteria going to grow? Did you use water from the DT? Is there anything else in the tank? Should you ghost feed. I think there is more questions to be asked. I need the info as well!
 

srfisher17

Active Member
The following drivel assumes you have been ghost feeding (or using a piece of dead shrimp to keep the bacteria fed & alive.If not, after a week, I really don't know what the bacteria status is; if there is a fair amount of gunk from the DT in the sponge--that should provide food for the bacteria. Next time, just put the well-used sponge from your DT into the HOB QT filter & add the new fish right away. As always, test for ammonia regularly.
There is very little good bacteria in water. A filter pad from a DT is an excellent way to cycle a QT and will culture plenty of aerobic bacteria. A HOB filter and sponge will easily take care of the bacteria needs in a QT. I've done this for years, just keep an extra filter sponge for a HOB filter in your DT system and it will instantly cycle a QT. Toss the sponge when done, they're cheap. Also, I'd replace the LR with pieces of PVC; if you have to medicate in QT (or choose to, like I do;copper and a de-wormer, the LR will be worthless. Don't use any substrate in QT, or anything that can't be sterilized. IMO, assuming the sponge was in your DT a while; you are fully cycled. You will have a nitrate increase, there is no anaerobic bacteria to speak of, but this isn't a problem for fish in QT.
 
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