[RHINO13]

Hello again Lee, I have a few questions concerning the filtration in my QT

Ok I have a canister filter(rena filstar xp3) running on my main tank that has been running for about 6 weeks. In this canister I have the original 20 and 30 ppi foam pads in there.

2 weeks ago im pretty sure I screwed up and rinsed the pads out in distilled water. I was supposed to rinse with tank water right?

I purchased a 10 gal. tank for my QT and a Aquaclear power filter 20. It has 3 inserts 1 mechanical 2 chemical and 3 biological. Can I cut out the same size piece of foam out of my main tanks filter and use it for the Aquaclear?
I bought an extra pad to have in the main tank at all times. If I can not do this,do I have to just use the foam it came with by itself(no chemical or biological)? And do I have to have it running for 4 weeks before adding a fish? If so what am I waiting for, i mean will there be a cycle or something that I can monitor?

My last question is can I use a different water source for my QT than I used for my main.The reason I ask is because I used distilled water and IO salt mix for my main.But I would like to buy Pacific real ocean water for my QT? Or should I take 10 gal. of my main tank water and put that in QT? Then just replace with the ocean water? If this is just plain wrong, I will just do it the same way as the main. Sorry for so many questions in one long winded post.

[leebca]

Rinsing the pads in distilled water is not a total loss. Yes. It is preferred you rinse these in saltwater. First, these bacteria don't easily let go from where they are attached, so they are most likely still there. When the distilled water hit them, they may have gone into a metabolic-freeze. . .alive but not 'eating.'

You should use the pads in your QT canister. But the best biological filter for the 10 QT is still the simple corner sponge, which can be running in your display tank when not in use in the QT.

Monitor QT water with the same test kits used to monitor cycling in the display -- the ammonia, and nitrite. You'll need to monitor pH, temperature and salinity and control all.

Obtain some pure ammonia (no additives; no scent; no soap). Add 1/4 teaspoon and, 5 hours later check for ammonia and nitrite. If the biological filter is working, you might see some ammonia and nitrite that goes away fairly soon. If ammonia is present but no nitrite; bio filter is not up to working at all or only partially working. If 0 ammonia AND 0 nitrite, the bio filter is healthy and working full throttle.

If I missed a question or you have more, just ask.

[RHINO13]

Thanks Lee, What do you think about me useing a different water source? I s that a bad idea?
And where would I go to buy pure ammonia, the grocery store?
As far as the simple corner sponge,I got a gift card from Petco for Christmas, and since they don't have much there I tried to use it for my QT set up.Needless to say I couldn't find one(everybody sells the HOB filters). Do you know a place to purchase one?

[leebca]

Sorry I missed the water question! :slap:

I'm very conservative. Saying that I wouldn't risk the mix in the QT. Whatever you start with in the QT you should continue to use. From the QT to the display (after the process and when it comes time), the fish going from one salt to another salt isn't that important.

Petco doesn't have a corner sponge filter? Shame on them. Corner sponge filters are available online from several of the Reefland sponsors, I know.

If there are aquarium stores near where you live, call before you go to visit them. You might even find corner sponge filters in the pet department of Wal-Mart, K-Mart, etc., and a mall pet store.

HOB filters are okay. It's just that their intake can confuse or sometimes harm the wild-caught, never-saw-a-filter-intake marine fish. Their surface area for bacteria is reduced unless the proper media is used.

[RHINO13]

Thank you for all the great info Lee, I will look into a corrner sponge.

I thought of yet another question though. If my bio filter isn't working at full throttle, I just have to wait it out like a cycle right? I mean it will get better the longer I run it right? And by running it I mean in the QT without adding anything like food or anything?

Also what about where to look for pure ammonia?

[leebca]

Ryan,

I moved this last string of posts from the main thread of Quarantine: A Fish Quarantine Process mostly because of how bad I'm doing at thoroughly answering your questions! So sorry! :slap: I'm glad you keep asking. Don't let me get away without addressing every concern or question you have, no matter how small or how big.

The bio filter in an empty QT isn't going to start doing its job without help from you. The basic recommendnation is that the corner/sponge filter is kept in the display system so it remains active until it is needed in the QT. In the display system it gets food (rotting organics and ammonia). If you begin a filter (any bio filter) in the QT without active bacteria, they will not become active until they have food available and the conditions stabilize. In the case at hand, even if the filter pads were rinsed in distilled water, the bacteria are there but not necessarily active up to their full potential.

So just running the QT filter, even with the filter pad from the old filter, isn't enough. You have to feed them to get them 'working' again. That is where the ammonia comes in. Ammonia is what fish and other nitrogen waste producers produce (amongst other things). That starts the bacteria growing and spreading. That process is the cycle.

You can feed the bacteria by adding ammonia AND a little fish food (letting it rot). The ammonia can be gotten from the grocery store, although I find the least expensive and the ammonia with the least additives in those 99 cent stores.

For that size QT, I'd add a pinch of frozen marine fish food once a week; and 1/4 teaspoon of ammonia water every other day until you test 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. When you get those 0's (zeros) for more than four consecutive days while still adding the ammonia water, the QT is ready for fish (right after you siphon off any rotting foods ).

It doesn't sound like you have access to chemicals. If you did, ammonium chloride salt would do the job for ammonia.

[RHINO13]

Thanks a lot Lee, that is very helpful!

The only other thing I can think to ask is probably the dumbest of all.

Are corner filters any internal filter? I looked at marinedepot.com (sponser site) and I didnt see what im thinking a corner filter is.

[leebca]

Some examples.

This one is a bit sophisticated:
Biofoam Double Sponge Filter - Marine Depot - Marine and Reef Aquarium Super Store

One of the 'traditional' corner filters:
Lee's Sponge Filter-Triangle at Big Al's Online

They are air-driven internal filters.