Coral Quarantine Setup with canister filter?

[Reefiez]

Hi everyone,

What are you thoughts on using a canister filter for a coral only QT?

Before you guys shout "NITRATE FACTORY!", here's a quick summary of the set-up.

Tank:
8-9 gallon water volume, 34"x8"x9" (super shallow and long)

Powerhead:
Undecided, probably a nano Sicce with 3-600 gph flow depending on which model I get.

Canister Filter:
Eden 511, with 3 smallish compartments. 75-150 gph adjustable flow.

Heater:
Eheim 50w

Light:
Kessil A80


This tank used to be a planted freshwater tank, which I am tearing down to turn into a coral only QT.

I didn't really want to waste the Canister Filter, so is it possible to use it without being a nitrate trap?

The 3 compartments in the filter will be used for:
Sponge
Red Sea carbon
Ceramic media (probably marinepure balls)


If I do not feed my corals food, would this set-up be fine? I do not need them to thrive, just survive until they are cleared to enter the main display. Will a 20% water change weekly be OK?

I am a total reefing noob, I am in the process of setting up my first tank, and want to do things right. The DP won't be near ready for at least another 2 months, but I like to plan ahead and get my QTs set up as part of my long term stocking plan. Any constructive advice is appreciated!

 

[OldReefGuy]

Yes, you will be fine.
Just make sure that teh tank wasnt treated with copper or anything like that.
You can use just a HOB aswell if you wanted.

 

[windlasher]

Hi everyone,

What are you thoughts on using a canister filter for a coral only QT?

Before you guys shout "NITRATE FACTORY!", here's a quick summary of the set-up.

Tank:
8-9 gallon water volume, 34"x8"x9" (super shallow and long)

Powerhead:
Undecided, probably a nano Sicce with 3-600 gph flow depending on which model I get.

Canister Filter:
Eden 511, with 3 smallish compartments. 75-150 gph adjustable flow.

Heater:
Eheim 50w

Light:
Kessil A80


This tank used to be a planted freshwater tank, which I am tearing down to turn into a coral only QT.

I didn't really want to waste the Canister Filter, so is it possible to use it without being a nitrate trap?

The 3 compartments in the filter will be used for:
Sponge
Red Sea carbon
Ceramic media (probably marinepure balls)


If I do not feed my corals food, would this set-up be fine? I do not need them to thrive, just survive until they are cleared to enter the main display. Will a 20% water change weekly be OK?

I am a total reefing noob, I am in the process of setting up my first tank, and want to do things right. The DP won't be near ready for at least another 2 months, but I like to plan ahead and get my QTs set up as part of my long term stocking plan. Any constructive advice is appreciated!

NITRATE FACTORY - :lolspin: Just kidding - You will be fine. Those things only become nitrate factories when people forget about them for weeks and weeks and months which they do because they are a PITA to clean. As long as you are doing corals only, I say go for it.

 

[WatDatThing]

I thought you don't need to QT corals. You just need to dip them.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

 

[Reefiez]

Thanks for the advice!

The tank has never been treated for copper, it kept crystal red shrimps back when it was planted.

Probably not going with HOB, since I feel that the canister filter can double-up as a crappy reactor for my Carbon.

I haven't seen much nano coral QT builds on youtube, most coral QT tanks doubles as a frag tank and are huge.

 

[ReefsandGeeks]

I'd say go for it. BTW, I have 2 canister filters on my 65g mixed reef and can maintain undetectable nitrates if I wanted (I keep them around 1-2ppm on purpose). I have no sump on my tank, so the canisters hold all of my mechanical filtration as well as bags of GFO and carbon and some matrix and coral rubble. My tank is heavily stocked too. I clean one of the canisters every other week or so, sometimes skipping a week if I'm too busy. I understand how they could become nitrate factories, but I've never had an issue with them. They are a PITA though and I wish I had a sump for maintenance. Takes me 30-40 minutes to clean them and replace GAC and GFO.

Sorry for the canister rant.

I'd say you can use the canister just fine if you don't over feed. Of course coral don't need much food anyways. That being said, I've never QTed coral. Just a dip and rinse, then into the display they go. Just need to acclimate them to your lighting by starting them low and slowly working them up to where you want them. Or and alternative that I sometimes do since I have adjustable brightness LEDs is I'll put the new coral where I want them to start, but I'll dial down my lighting and bring it back up to where I like it over a few weeks.

 

[OldReefGuy]

^+1 on the canister rant....love them

 

[davocean]

I'd just run the canister w/out any media.

To the question of QT for coral, yes this is a good idea, especially if you've built up a nice reef and want to avoid harming years of work and growth

 

[Yonp11]

I thought you don't need to QT corals. You just need to dip them.

Sent from my Z958 using Tapatalk

You don't NEED to, but alot of people (me included) will tell you that you should. Dip also doesn't catch everything. QT gives u time to see anything unsavory (damn hydroids)

 

[scooter31707]

I use a Fluval 306 on mines. Had it laying around from my freshwater days.