[LisaMarie]

I have a 40 gallon quarentine tank (salt water) with two hang-on filters with foam and activated carbon. I cycled the tank (half new water, half from my display) without fish or live rock. I thought everything was fine, but when I added fish my ammonia spiked and wouldn't go down. After a week I added the remaining fish to my display tank. Now the quarentine is empty again. What can I do to keep it ready for the future? Thanks so much

[Rin]

With any system, any additions will cause the tank to 'cycle'. How much cycling occurs depends on the available mass of benificial bacteria. A system with no fish is going to cycle significantly when you add just one or two fish.

Try placing a couple of pounds live rock from the display tank in the Q-tank. This will buffer the cycling a bit. Of course, the rocks should never to go back to the display. They'll hold enough bacteria to keep your system seeded. You may also have to throw them out every few months (depending on the conditions of the Q-tank) and add 'fresh' rock from the display system.

HTH,
Good Luck

[JerryReef]

Throw them out every few months? Isn't there other options?

Jerry

===

Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.

[RobG]

I run a bio-wheel filter on my quarantine. When I'm going to need it, I run the filter on the main tank for a week or so to let the bacteria build up on the wheel.

[Bughead]

Do you break down your qt tank when it's not in use? If you leave it up and running empty, you can add used water from your main tank when you do a water change. That way you'll be keeping it going with cycled water, and when you're ready to use it for qt or hospital, do a 20% water change adding fresh saltwater. Your filters should harbor enough bacteria that you shouldn't get much of a spike when you put in a fish.

This worked well for me using a 20 gal (I no longer do it that way), but that way you're not wasting live rock. I also use a bare bottom and only a ceramic mug or tumbler for the fish to hide in. I don't use carbon, especially if medication is needed. For a qt tank, use the KISS method--Keep It Simple, Stupid.

[golfish]

I would keep one or two of the bio pads\filter media in the sump of your main tank for a month or two before you plan to use the Q-tank. Don't put any pads in the sump if they have been used in the Q-tank along with medications. It would be a waste to keep it running 24\7.

Mark

[Bughead]

You're right, Mark, about it being a waste running an empty qt 24/7. That's why I don't do it that way any more. When I do set up, I use used filter media and tank water from the main tank, a little Whisper filter and heater. I haven't had any problems with ammonia the last several times I've had to hospitalize a sick fish. I did have a big problem a long time ago when I put a great big PB tang into a little tiny 10 gal tank, but that's a whole nuther story.