Quarantine Upkeep

I just got a 5 gallon quarantine tank for my 36 gallon aquarium. I have gravel in it which I have heard mixed opinions on as well as two fake plants and a rock cave. It has a heater and a filter. I am going to fishless cycle it with ammonium chloride and Dr. Tim's One & Only Nitrifying Bacteria. I want to keep it running and cycled in case there is an emergency where I can't wait 3 or 4 weeks to cycle it with a sponge filter or filter media from my bigger tank. How would I go about keeping it cycled without having fish in it? Do I just add ammonia every few days and how much should I add and how often?

Thanks!

 

Bumping this up for you

 

Pure ammonia will keep the nitrogen cycle going. No idea how much or when tho

 

Thanks. I'll research it. Any opinion on the gravel, no gravel debate?

 

Quarantine tanks usually are bare. Easier to clean after a sick fish

 

I only work with a small as-needed QT but what GuppyKeeper007 said, bare flooring and minimal plants has worked best for it (and my betta seems to appreciate the smooth glass on his injured fins).