Question

[Greg129]

I'm currently setting up a QT tank. What's the best way to establish beneficial bacteria in the QT? Would putting a piece of liverock from the main tank into the QT do the trick?

[TippyToeX]

You don't want LR in a QT tank, you need it to be bare bones so that when/if you medicate you are not killing anything like live rock, causing ammonia spikes and such.

A sponge filter would be nice. You can seed it in your main tank for a goof 3 weeks or so. Use a little water from the main tank too and you would be all set. Here is more about how to set one up.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure:
A Quarantine Tank for Everything (http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.php)

[Greg129]

Thanks for the info. Also, I heard you should QT hermits and snails because fish parasites may be on their shells. However, my main tank has algae growing that I do not want to get out of control. Would it be alright if I added the cleanup crew directly to the tank as long as I don't add fish for say 3 weeks?

[TippyToeX]

It's not so much the fish parasites that they might carry that should be the main concern. They could have their own kind of predators on them, or flatworms, hydroids, etc.

[Greg129]

So I would need 3 weeks for beneficial bacteria to establish on a sponge block for the QT and another 3 weeks to QT the cleanup crew. In 6 weeks my tank will be algae overloaded! What would you do? Risk the crew carrying predators or having the tank algae covered? I don't know what to do!

[TippyToeX]

There are other ways beside inverts to get rid of algae. Strict control over nutrients along with manual removal too.

In the end the risk is up to you. :)

[Greg129]

Would it be alright to scrub off the algae from the rocks with a new toothbrush and let the skimmer suck it up and the powerheads break it up? Or would that just spread the algae?

[TippyToeX]

It would spread the algae. What you can do is have a slow syphon going and have it aimed at the areas you are scrubbing. That way all of the algae is sucked away.

[Greg129]

Thanks for all your help TippyToeX. I'll try that.

[TippyToeX]

Best of luck. :) Honestly, you are making the best move by having a QT setup. Kudos for you for being such smart reefer.

[Greg129]

Thanks!