Bio filter or no bio filter in qt

[imustbenuts]

So, I've been searching threads and haven't found a discussion on bio filter in QT. I've come across some YouTube videos only using water changes to reduce ammonia. Do I need a bio filter in the QT? Why or why not?

 

[melypr1985]

Great question. Actually there is this article by @Brew12 in the stickies right here in this part of the forum.
Ammonia Control in a Hospital Tank

The short answer is yes, you need a biofilter in a QT that will be up for longer than a few days. One isn't typically used in a TTM tank because the fish are only in it for 3 days. Any longer than that, or with a bigger bio load, a filter is a must.

 

[tyler1503]

If your adding life, you need a bio filter.
Grab a media bag and fill it with rock rubble, matrix, marine pure or something like that. Put it in your DT or sump for a few weeks to let all the good bacteria colonise the media, then use that in your QT. If you don't medicate the QT and you don't have disease/parasites you can reuse the media. If you did use medication or have other issues, it's best not to reuse it though. You never know what may be introduced to your DT! Also, testing daily or getting an ammonia alert badge is a good idea.

Relying purely on water changes to keep ammonia under control is wasteful and time consuming. I wouldn't recommend it

 

[Reefltx]

If your adding life, you need a bio filter.
Grab a media bag and fill it with rock rubble, matrix, marine pure or something like that. Put it in your DT or sump for a few weeks to let all the good bacteria colonise the media, then use that in your QT. If you don't medicate the QT and you don't have disease/parasites you can reuse the media. If you did use medication or have other issues, it's best not to reuse it though. You never know what may be introduced to your DT! Also, testing daily or getting an ammonia alert badge is a good idea.

Relying purely on water changes to keep ammonia under control is wasteful and time consuming. I wouldn't recommend it

This, I haven't done a water change in 2wks. Ammonia still showing 0 and I'm running copper.

 

[jeff williams]

This, I haven't done a water change in 2wks. Ammonia still showing 0 and I'm running copper.

Your lucky you must be QTing small fish or one fish? I tried using a small bag of matrix and it sucked my copper up like a sponge. I pulled it out of my hob and opened the media bag and my matrix was blue from copper absorption replaced it with a small seeded sponge and my copper levels equalized

 

[jeff williams]

So, I've been searching threads and haven't found a discussion on bio filter in QT. I've come across some YouTube videos only using water changes to reduce ammonia. Do I need a bio filter in the QT? Why or why not?

If your not using the ttm I would definitely use a bio filter and a Seachem ammonia alert just in case copper is needed.

 

[imustbenuts]

This is one reference for no bio filter.

I think Vivid Aquariums is a good source for info.

Great question. Actually there is this article by @Brew12 in the stickies right here in this part of the forum.
Ammonia Control in a Hospital Tank

The short answer is yes, you need a biofilter in a QT that will be up for longer than a few days. One isn't typically used in a TTM tank because the fish are only in it for 3 days. Any longer than that, or with a bigger bio load, a filter is a must.

The main reason for my quandary is during medication. Won't the medication have an affect on the bio filter?

 

[imustbenuts]

If your adding life, you need a bio filter.
Grab a media bag and fill it with rock rubble, matrix, marine pure or something like that. Put it in your DT or sump for a few weeks to let all the good bacteria colonise the media, then use that in your QT. If you don't medicate the QT and you don't have disease/parasites you can reuse the media. If you did use medication or have other issues, it's best not to reuse it though. You never know what may be introduced to your DT! Also, testing daily or getting an ammonia alert badge is a good idea.

Relying purely on water changes to keep ammonia under control is wasteful and time consuming. I wouldn't recommend it

If I use a sponge and add meds, will the sponge be forever contaminated? Will I need to replace the sponge after each QT session?

 

[tyler1503]

If I use a sponge and add meds, will the sponge be forever contaminated? Will I need to replace the sponge after each QT session?

I wouldn't say "forever contaminated" meaning it's 100% impossible to get rid of all the nasties. But it may take a very long time for the meds to leach out of the sponge to levels that are considered reef safe. Copper can linger in a tank for a very long time.

It's not worth risking 100's or 1000's of dollars worth of livestock for the sake of reusing a 50c sponge. I would without a doubt replace it after each use

 

[Reefltx]

Your lucky you must be QTing small fish or one fish? I tried using a small bag of matrix and it sucked my copper up like a sponge. I pulled it out of my hob and opened the media bag and my matrix was blue from copper absorption replaced it with a small seeded sponge and my copper levels equalized

3" purple tang and 4 lyretail in a 20g long.
I dosed it with seachem seed prior to and during copper.

 

[Humblefish]

Yes to using a QT bio-filter to help control ammonia. Otherwise you'll always be doing water changes; and it's only a matter of time before you are late with one and your fish get exposed to ammonia.

No to maintaining a long-term QT because eventually a biofilm will form and start breaking down medications: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-and-biofilm.292878/

Nitrifying bacteria in your bio-filter are not present in sufficient numbers to biodegrade medications. And you should always have biomedia (like a sponge) going down in your DT's sump, so you don't have to recycle your QT after breaking it down to sterilize: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/video-how-to-sterilize-a-quarantine-tank.201/

 

[tyler1503]

Yes to using a QT bio-filter to help control ammonia. Otherwise you'll always be doing water changes; and it's only a matter of time before you are late with one and your fish get exposed to ammonia.

No to maintaining a long-term QT because eventually a biofilm will form and start breaking down medications: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-and-biofilm.292878/

Nitrifying bacteria in your bio-filter are not present in sufficient numbers to biodegrade medications. And you should always have biomedia (like a sponge) going down in your DT's sump, so you don't have to recycle your QT after breaking it down to sterilize: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/video-how-to-sterilize-a-quarantine-tank.201/

I just clicked on the second thread to give it a quick look through and to save for later reference. It redirected to this page [emoji23]

 

[chomoney]

Yes to using a QT bio-filter to help control ammonia. Otherwise you'll always be doing water changes; and it's only a matter of time before you are late with one and your fish get exposed to ammonia.

No to maintaining a long-term QT because eventually a biofilm will form and start breaking down medications: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/qt-and-biofilm.292878/

Nitrifying bacteria in your bio-filter are not present in sufficient numbers to biodegrade medications. And you should always have biomedia (like a sponge) going down in your DT's sump, so you don't have to recycle your QT after breaking it down to sterilize: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/video-how-to-sterilize-a-quarantine-tank.201/

How long is "too long" regarding leaving you QT up and running?

 

[Humblefish]

@tyler1503 Are you sure?! I just double checked my links and they both appear to be going to the correct URLs.

How long is "too long" regarding leaving you QT up and running?

Roughly, no longer than 2-3 months.

 

[tyler1503]

@tyler1503 Are you sure?! I just double checked my links and they both appear to be going to the correct URLs.



Roughly, no longer than 2-3 months.

Perhaps it's a bug in the iPhone app?
It's still going to that zoa thread. The first link works properly.

 

[Maritimer]

I always run a bio-filter on QT ...

Roughly, no longer than 2-3 months.

So, any longer than say, a fallow period would be a good point to shut it down, clean it out and do a full ground-up reboot?

~Bruce

 

[Humblefish]

So, any longer than say, a fallow period would be a good point to shut it down, clean it out and do a full ground-up reboot?

Yes