Im in the process of cycling my 180 gal, im doing research on setting up a QT tank. One question I had, I know you are supposed to take a sponge or some type of media from your main tank to seed biological filtration into the QT. Am I able to do this while my main tank is cycling or do I have to wait for my cycle to finish? The reason im asking, Im wondering if I can start QTing a fish while the main tank cycles?
Qt Tank Question
- Thread starter Froster92
- Start date
I’m no expert, but the sponge/media’s purpose seems to be to bring established beneficial bacteria into the QT. If your display hasn’t fully cycled, the media that you take out might not be full of life enough to seed your QT. Again, I’m no expert though 
^^ I’ve used bio spira in the past and had good results
So if I use that I don’t need to seed from my main display?
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Seeding from a display is for people with existing systems, not for those starting completely from scratch.
This is what I used to start my display and Frag system.
MicroBacter Start XLM
Professional 15x strength live tank starter nitrifying bioculture for rapidly cycling new marine fish and reef aquaria and brackish aquariums, and for recovering from overcrowding or disasters where the bacteria bed has been damaged or when adding new fish. Useful for rapidly re-establishing...
www.marinedepot.com
But most all the QT's I used Biospira or this.
API® Quick Start Aquarium Cycling Water Conditioner
Buy API® Quick Start Aquarium Cycling Water Conditioner at Petsmart
There are many product out there to jump start a system. The days of 4-8 week cycling are pretty much over. Fritz has a good one too.
Amazon.com : Fritz Aquatics 80205 FritzZyme 9 Nitrifying Bacteria for Salt Water Aquariums, 32-Ounce : Aquarium Treatments : Pet Supplies
Amazon.com : Fritz Aquatics 80205 FritzZyme 9 Nitrifying Bacteria for Salt Water Aquariums, 32-Ounce : Aquarium Treatments : Pet Supplies
www.amazon.com
Awesome, so i could pick this up, get the QT set up and get a fish and monitor while the display cycles?Seeding from a display is for people with existing systems, not for those starting completely from scratch.
This is what I used to start my display and Frag system.
MicroBacter Start XLM
Professional 15x strength live tank starter nitrifying bioculture for rapidly cycling new marine fish and reef aquaria and brackish aquariums, and for recovering from overcrowding or disasters where the bacteria bed has been damaged or when adding new fish. Useful for rapidly re-establishing...
But most all the QT's I used Biospira or this.
API® Quick Start Aquarium Cycling Water Conditioner
Buy API® Quick Start Aquarium Cycling Water Conditioner at Petsmartwww.petsmart.com
There are many product out there to jump start a system. The days of 4-8 week cycling are pretty much over. Fritz has a good one too.
Amazon.com : Fritz Aquatics 80205 FritzZyme 9 Nitrifying Bacteria for Salt Water Aquariums, 32-Ounce : Aquarium Treatments : Pet Supplies
Amazon.com : Fritz Aquatics 80205 FritzZyme 9 Nitrifying Bacteria for Salt Water Aquariums, 32-Ounce : Aquarium Treatments : Pet Supplieswww.amazon.com
Absolutely. But the same products will cycle the display too. I'm not saying don't QT, you still want to do that.
But you can have the display ready to go in a week with Microbacter Start XLM and a bottle of QuikCycl.
Microbacter QuickCycl
Professional nutrients for fishless cycling and establishing strong nitrifying bacteria beds in freshwater and marine aquariums. Not your average ammonia source for starting the nitrogen cycle. Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter QuickCycl contains the right strength of ammonium chloride along with...
www.marinedepot.com
Awesome, I think ill use that for my QT. My display is about halfway through the cycle now so im just going to wait it out.Absolutely. But the same products will cycle the display too. I'm not saying don't QT, you still want to do that.
But you can have the display ready to go in a week with Microbacter Start XLM and a bottle of QuikCycl.
Microbacter QuickCycl
Professional nutrients for fishless cycling and establishing strong nitrifying bacteria beds in freshwater and marine aquariums. Not your average ammonia source for starting the nitrogen cycle. Brightwell Aquatics MicroBacter QuickCycl contains the right strength of ammonium chloride along with...
Adding more bacteria when you add fish to the display will not hurt either.
Awesome I appreciate the answers, I had 90 gal some years back but being brand new I never Qt'd fish. Im trying to do things the right way this time around. I just figured if I could get a fish in QT now itd be less time looking at an empty display tank. I have a 5 year old and every day I get the "when are we going to put fishies in there?" question. I personally dont mind waiting but its hard to explain the nitrogen cycle to a 5 year old.
