Coral QT (and possible propagation) Set-up

[dg3147]

Setting up 20g L QT for corals to treat red bug AND aefw. Corals to be in it for 6 weeks with "Bayer Advanced" dips (40 mL/liter for 10 minutes) every 6 days. Just looking for an evaluation of my set-up as I go. Will post some pics i a few so that others can benefit as well.

1) question on lighting: picked up some cheap'o Zoo Med T5 HO lights and a 2 bulb Aquasun fixture. The color options are 10k, Actinic 420, and a "super daylight" (6500k). Of these, what's the best 2 bulb combo for growth and recovery?

2) Filtration: no fish so just using a bit of live rock from my sump. Will toss it in the QT tank next to the sps. Is the LR even needed? 50% water changes weekly. Water to be derived from my current tank. Water will go trough dense filter sock first to remove pests.

3) pumps:1 pump for circulation aimed toward the surface of the water.vI? this enough aeration?

4) Top Off and additives: I think water changes should handle alk/ca demands. And top off with fresh ro/di water by hand every other day or so.

5) Temperature control: Water heater. Fan as needed. I don't have any sort of controller though. Digital thermometer in tank.

6) Am I missing anything?

And a random question: for these corals they are clearly going to get dipped. But for future coral QT, does it really make sense to dip when first arriving? shouldn't I give it a week to really observe for pests --and then dip? Followed by another couple weeks of obs? Seems like u don't want to take any chances. If there are AEFW etc on it...I prefer to just toss it I think.

 

[UTCReefer]

#2, Just worry about them surviving, they can heal and grow once they are back in your DT. Its better to try and match what ever light your DT has now to reduce the amount of stress on the corals.

To answer your random question, once your QT tank is clear it makes sense to dip first before adding new corals. The reason being that you will kill any unseen hitchhikers right off the bat instead of giving them a chance to hop off and infest your QT tank.

Good luck. Its great satisfaction once your corals are back in the display and they start to get their color and PE back. Even better is a few months down the road when you "know" the little bastards are really gone.

 

[dg3147]

Set up my QT. On Second day post Bayer Dip --120mL in 3 Liters of tank water. The corals did not like it at all. Polyps all retracted etc. Could be the QT...could be the dip. Have not lost anything to RTN yet though. Tested QT water. NO3 0, NH3 0.

Here are some pics of the set-up:






This is the Bayer I used for those interested (there are several formulations with different concentrations of ingredients).

 

[dowtish]

6ml per cup of saltwater is all you need to get the AEFW off the coral. And at that dose it wont stress the coral.

 

[UTCReefer]

You're lucky to have smaller frags and mini colonies. Some of mine were 3-5 years old and huge. Not that thats really a bad thing but finding a container to dip them in was a challenge. Good luck.

 

[Patrick Cox]

How is this QT working out for you? I am considering something similar only a 15G tank. 24" 2-bulb T5 fixture, powerhead, heater, no filtration. I need to get my SPS out of my DT because I have AEFW as well. Thanks!

 

[dg3147]

How is this QT working out for you? I am considering something similar only a 15G tank. 24" 2-bulb T5 fixture, powerhead, heater, no filtration. I need to get my SPS out of my DT because I have AEFW as well. Thanks!

So far, no disasters. Of the corals originally placed in QT, I have not lost a single one yet. They don't seem to be enjoying QT, but no STN/RTN.

With that said, at the same time i put all my corals into QT I also bought a few large stags from a local reefer, one colony from LFS, and a couple from Live Aquaria's DD. I figured as long as I am QT'ing all these, I might as well QT some new corals and see how they fair. These did not do nearly as well. The one from the LFS has mild STN around the base, lost one from Live aquaria to RTN, and one bleached and is slowly coming back to life.

I do have a lot of frags and colonies in there so I am also dropping Alk very quickly and, most concerning, erratically. The QT may be to small for this number of corals. Alk may drop 2 dkh in a day and then none the next. Also water changes seem to swing the alk around too.

Algae/diatoms are starting to grow as well. I have not tested NO3 or Pho4 yet...will do that when i get time over the weekend.

On a side note, regarding QT from Live Aquaria Divers Den: one of the colonies from there that I placed in QT I noted to have significant tiny little XENIA on the base rock. Glad I put it into QT too! Anyone ever get AEFW or Red Bugs from DD?

Pics...to follow

 

[markalot]

Any update on this? I will be starting my own 20 long QT this weekend due to AEFW in the display tank. Going to pretty much follow what you did except I may use some water from another tank that does not have any acros in order to add some nutrients to the water.

 

[dg3147]

It went on with no problem; I had a hard time maintaining alkalinity so ended up adding a 1/4 tsp of dissolved baking powder every day and doing 5g water changes with fresh salt water every other day. But I added some pretty large corals (new ones) at the start of the QT process. I figured I might as well put these right on the same QT schedule.

I also had to top off with about 1/2 gallon of fresh water daily.

All the corals pretty much browned out during the process (I think the light fixture I have stinks) but they actually grew faster than before. Watch the temp of the QT tank --with only two lights and a circ pump, my tank got a little cool and I needed to add an old controller with a heater hooked up.

I plan on treating corals for for one more week (a dip today and a last one around nov 6th); though, I am moving all the corals to my DT today. I am moving them over early due to vacation for 5 days and I want the corals to have auto top off and the stable parameters of my DT. Total treatment time will come out to 8 weeks.

<a href="http://s774.photobucket.com/user/david_gutkin/media/null_zps7a24846e.jpg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i774.photobucket.com/albums/yy22/david_gutkin/null_zps7a24846e.jpg" border="0" alt=" photo null_zps7a24846e.jpg"/></a>

 

[markalot]

Excellent, thanks for the update.

My 20 long will be circulation pumps and a small HOB only with glass lids and a single 2 bulb T5 fixture. My corals are a lot smaller so hopefully 2 part can keep up without making things too unstable.

 

[UTCReefer]

Giver us an update in a month or two to confirm if 8 weeks was enough time to fully correct the problem.

 

[markalot]

FYI, not sure it means anything, but I used the concentrate instead of the bottle that comes with the hose adapter. Not sure there's a difference in concentration or not. I used 6ml per cup, very milky mix, all corals survived the dip.