Setting up QT for first time.... instant cycling?

[kcthefishman]

Hi...i need to setup a QT for a discus thats not eating. I have never maintained a qt before and was advised to do this in a previous thread. I'm relatively new to discus and never did QT... I had read of people suggesting to set up QT as needed and instant cycling by taking media from the tank... so i did that. I had a 5.5 gal...filled it with 50/50 tank water and fresh water with dechlor...prime...like a wc. Took some if the bio rings from the tank and filled the filter. Put in a "test fish"...a hardy but messy pictus cat....and detected ammonia the in the morning...at least .25ppm.

I didnt use bottle bacteria like stability as i normally would if cycling a new tank. Please advise the best and fastest way to do this...if there is one....i obviously am doing something wrong. All advice greatly appreciated!
Thanks!!!

[kcthefishman]

Bump?

[MKD]

Usually people QT new Fish or fish has not been in display tank than you want to move in. From what I read you want to treat NO eating discus, this can people put in Hospital tank.
For hospital tank you have to cycle it because most med kill beneficial bacteria and you are doing water change daily.
For QT, you have to cycle it. If you want to speed up your take media from good healthy tank put into QT tank. First you'll see ammonia spike, then you need to do wc often until cycle.

[brewmaster15]

Hi...i need to setup a QT for a discus thats not eating. I have never maintained a qt before and was advised to do this in a previous thread. I'm relatively new to discus and never did QT... I had read of people suggesting to set up QT as needed and instant cycling by taking media from the tank... so i did that. I had a 5.5 gal...filled it with 50/50 tank water and fresh water with dechlor...prime...like a wc. Took some if the bio rings from the tank and filled the filter. Put in a "test fish"...a hardy but messy pictus cat....and detected ammonia the in the morning...at least .25ppm.

I didnt use bottle bacteria like stability as i normally would if cycling a new tank. Please advise the best and fastest way to do this...if there is one....i obviously am doing something wrong. All advice greatly appreciated!
Thanks!!!
The best QT tank is one thats been set up clean and makes use of ammonia cycled Biofilters..which means planning ahead more than most people can do., Alternatives are

1... clean QT tank.. no bio filter... huge water changes daily -2x a day. Its labor intensive but works and you can use things like Prime to help.

2. Clean QT Tank...no biofilter . Maintain as option one for a few days, then use established Biological media from the tank you are planning on adding the fish to.


Please read this link on some QT info. http://discustoday.info/

hth,
al

[mee]

Yes, to what Al said.

[kcthefishman]

The best QT tank is one thats been set up clean and makes use of ammonia cycled Biofilters..which means planning ahead more than most people can do., Alternatives are

1... clean QT tank.. no bio filter... huge water changes daily -2x a day. Its labor intensive but works and you can use things like Prime to help.

2. Clean QT Tank...no biofilter . Maintain as option one for a few days, then use established Biological media from the tank you are planning on adding the fish to.


Please read this link on some QT info. http://discustoday.info/
hth,
al

Thanks!!!

Well in my case the fish died just within about 12 hrs of putting him in there, and if that was too long between doing a water change for the ammonia to cause a problem, then I'd never be able to maintain the alternatives you mentioned for a discus (I wouldnt be able to do enough changes). I'd love to rather than keep a tank going all the time "just in case". But I think I am just going to have to maintain a tank 24/7, and to make it worthwhile, just let a few simple fish to relocate live there until its needed.

[DJW]

From your first post it looks like you were advised to isolate this fish in a separate tank for clean water, observation, and medication if needed.

If that's the case I think of this as more a hospital tank than a quarantine. QT is for new fish.

What I do is fill a 20 gallon tank with a sponge filter going. 5 gallons is way too small. Then put the fish in and nothing else. I don't worry about the bio filtration, I just change 80% of the water every day. I don't know the size of the fish but if you have enough water the ammonia won't get too high in one day unless your pH is real high.

With a hospital tank you only run it when you need it. Mostly you want it to be collecting dust in the closet.

With large water changes like this the water should be aged if there is a swing in the pH.