increasing biological filtration of QT?

How can one increase the biological filtration of a quarantine tank? I don't want to put live rock in there (as the copper would later render it useless for the main tank). Can one use a macroalgae along with copper treatment? Will copper affect the bacteria in the filter?

 

That really is a great question about the microalgae.... The only type of algae I know that consumes heavy metals as well as nitrates, phosphates, etc. Is turf algae. But you need an ATS in order to grow it but with a simple power head attached to a setup it can sit above your QT and drain right back in.

 

Well, just to be clear, I am not so much interested in a macroalgae that picks up copper as much as I am interested in whether I could put, say, some chaeto from my fuge into my QT and have it survive the copper treatment. The hope would be that if the biological filtration capacity was improved, I could do fewer water changes and thus the copper levels would fluctuate less.

 

Sorry, my point was that turf algae is the only algae I know of that you can use during a copper treatment. Maybe someone will get you a more definitive answer.

 

I'm not positive about copper destroying the biological filter or not but algae is not a biological filter in the sense of converting ammonia/ammonium/nitrite into safer compounds. You need something with a lot of surface area for the nitrifying bacteria to colonize.

I use something like this, cheap, easy to setup, can keep the sponge/filter etc in my display tank sump so it's got the bacteria already colonized on the media and ready to go into the QT whenever (of course if you use copper in the QT you would need to throw the filter out rather than put it back in the sump).
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~action~view~idProduct~AS3331~idCategory~FIFRHBTU~category~Under_30_Gallons-HOB_Power_Filters-Filters-Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies~vendor~.html

Also, here's a bunch of info about quarantining, lots of links at the bottom as well.
An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

 

Thanks for the info. Regarding the macro - I know it won't get rid of ammonia/nitrite. That's what bacteria are for. But it might help get rid of pesky nitrates that the bacteria leave behind...

 

You would need a relatively large amount of macro to make a significant impact on nutrient levels. At least 25% of the total volume of the tank is what I've heard to make any reasonable impact. It would also mean you'd have to get a light on the QT which a lot of people don't do for fish.

Seems more work than its worth, but maybe that's just me being lazy.

 

I have always had a different view on QT setups.
They are typically built fresh when needed and torn down after treatment, with maybe some water changes in between to keep things normal.

That said, a new system no bio filtraion but clean water anyway.
Since the setup is volatile and on demand, maybe the search for bio filtration is futile.

I have used Nova Aqua to lowere amonia and nitites if the tank was up for longer than expected and levels rose and have had luck with that.

Now if you plan on having a QT set up all the time, that would not be the case, but not sure I would recommend that,. As QT have been exposed to disease and treatments, I pesonally would want to clean and start fresh in between treatments.

My .00002

Cheers

 

The temporary/fresh start QT is possible with what I described. Just keep the filter in your sump and then when you setup your QT it's already colonized with bacteria and is ready for bio filtering with your power filter. When you take it down, throw out the filter (they're like $2-3 to replace) and get a new one and throw the new one back in your sump of your display for the next time you need it.

 

I keep the filter pads from a bio wheel filter on top of LR in bio chamber of sump to my DT I use and replace as needed