Keeping A Qt Cycled

[Squidward]

Hi All,

How do you keep your qt cycled?

I have a 25L tank with a small internal filter which I keep going for emergencies, sick fish, etc. I keep the heater and filter running constantly. But I don't want to keep a few fish in there because I have had to put sick fish in there in the past. So I have just been putting a pinch of flake once or twice a week to keep providing the ammonia etc for the bacteria in the filter. And then doing a wc every 2 weeks or so. Seems a lot of effort to keep a tank that is empty 99% of the time!

What methods do you use?

Thanks
Suidward

 

[Ben M]

personally, i'd not have the tank running all of the time. i'd only set it up when i wanted to use it. if you either put the filter media from the QT tank in the filter of your main tank, or run the QT filter in the main tank, then you can just transfer the filter to the QT tank when you need it, and fill it with water from your main tank.

cheers

 

[drobbyb]

I usually just run a small HOB filter in my main tank for use in a QT tank. When I want to use the QT tank, I just pop the filter over. After the QT period I will use bleach to sterilize the filter, media and the tank. After they have dried completely, I assemble the filter again and run it in the main tank until I need it again. You would have to wait at least 6 weeks before buying fish again in order for the filter to be cycled and ready for another batch (honestly, I would wait 6 weeks anyway just to be sure that my new additions have settled in well and the main tank is nice and stable again, but that's me).

There are other ways, but this way there is almost no risk of infecting the main tank with something nasty.

 

[Ashley1991]

i run a small internal at the bottom of my main tank which is good for the extra flow and also means i can use it for a qt tank/grow out tank if need be but if its been used in a qt tank with a ill fish i wash all sponges and let it mature again in my main tank

ash

 

[chishnfips]

Yip same as above, I have just recently set up a quarantine tank (just got new fish) I just have two filters running on the main tank and pop one out for the quarantine tank.

Like ashley said remember to clean out your filter media from the quarantine tank when you are finished so you dont pass on any nasties.


chish

 

[star4]

Ditto, I keep a spare filter running in one of the main tanks. I always close down a tank thats had a sick fish in, completely was out the filter and sponges and leave it to dry out before I put it back in the main tank.

 

[Squidward]

Thanks for the suggestions.
It's prob a good idea to disinfect a qt tank that has had a sick fish in it anyway.