CYCLING the QT

[Dawn II]

I thought my qt was cycled, had put sponges in reef tank to seed, but 3 days after putting the Hippo in, the ammonia read at .25. Even with 50-60% water changes daily, it never went down. I want to get a small yellow tang in 2 weeks. I have heard to put fresh shrimp in the tank to rot and cause the cycle. What is your advice, how long will it take, and what amounts of whatever you suggest do I use. The tank is 20 gal with an Aquaclear trickle filter with (2) sponge. I also have a Maxijet 600 I can add if you think it is necassary. Thanks in advance, Dawn.

[leebca]

Hi Dawn,

There are some good pointers in this article:
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.htm

Providing the sponges you put into the QT had been in use in your reef tank for more than several weeks, they should have been 'seeded' with the needed bacteria. If they were in use for that time period, there may be another problem. If not, then. . .

Assuming the right bacteria ARE there, using food to decay and step up the biological filter is okay (so long as when the time comes, you can remove it in its entirety). Any such source of ammonia should do the trick. I advise not using anything live.

Quantity isn't of great import. Just put a few grams in. If you get a high ammonia reading, then you are set and waiting for it to cycle. But I would still suspect the process will require weeks.

[Dawn II]

Lee, I have this article- and that is what I did- put the filters in the sump- however- his article doesn't say for how long. He also mentioned feeding the tank- which I did put some frz. brine in - but it once again didn't say how much, or for how long. Therein must have been my prob- though, I have never had it before. The tank has been running with reef tank water for over a week: I'd like to get the yellow tang in a couple of weeks- can I cycle in that amt. of time, and how? Steven Pro mentioned some bottled products, can you enlighten me as to how they work, and how long it takes? Thank you, Dawn.

[leebca]

I have tried some of the bottled bacteria that you've heard about. I haven't found any of them to 'jump start' my quarantine aquarium cycle. Some of those products require that you keep adding the bacteria, which I suspect is in effect just going through a more-or-less normal cycle except adding the bacteria along the way.

Bacteria in a bottle are not necessarily active. They are most likely dormant. By the time the come out of their dormancy they then need to 'scale up' for their bio activity. These steps are time consuming.

There is a product that I have heard about which makes better sense. That is active bacteria that needs refrigeration. I'm sorry I don't know its name. Maybe someone reading this will jump in. If those bacteria are refrigerated they may have a better chance of 'jump starting' the bio filter.

I thought Steven Pro's article mentioned leaving the sponge filter in a reef tank system all the time, but I don't remember if he mentioned how long it would take to become ready. But that should be a few weeks.

I know of no other way to hurry Mother Nature. Some tricks you can do is make sure the water has plenty of gas in it (use aeration) and raise the temperature to 85F. The bacteria will find this temperature good for what they have to do, and with enough available food (ammonia and nitrites) and oxygen, they should do their best.

As long as you have definite readings of ammonia and nitrites, then you know you have enough available 'food' for the bacteria.

Is there no way you can get the supplier of the fish to hold it for you? or a friend, club member to hold it for you in one of their QTs?