buddhafish
New member
What dips do you use for various corals? What equipment does your QT run on, and what are your daily chores?
Any links or pics on the topic appreciated!
Any links or pics on the topic appreciated!
How do YOU quarantine your corals?
- Thread starter buddhafish
- Start date
Salty Cracker
New member
Coral RX, dip... And place in tank.
The first decision point is do the corals come from a system that contains fish. If they do, your quarantine protocol probably includes at least one week of isolation or if you are totally risk averse, as much as 10 weeks of isolation.
buddhafish
New member
I was going to go 8-10 weeks as they would be going into a system containing fish. The system would be bare bottom without crate to make spotting pests easier. Each piece would be dipped and acclimated appropriately prior to entering the QT tank. At least two months of observation. Treatment for red bugs, another set of dips, and then acclimation to DT.
Last tank had an AEFW problem, as well as an Aptaisa outbreak. Patience could have helped to increase chance of prevention of both.
Last tank had an AEFW problem, as well as an Aptaisa outbreak. Patience could have helped to increase chance of prevention of both.
gone fishin
New member
Coral RX here, Like Steve pointed out no fish about 1/1/2 to 2 weeks, fish in the system about 4 weeks or so.
My protocol is two weeks which includes an initial dip, one week dip and final dip all using Bayer. If the coral is showing damage or an infection I'll add Iodine to the protocol. Necrosis will include a week long ampicillin treatment. If nothing turns up or falls off the coral the likelihood of something being there is pretty much nil. Frag plugs get removed or cut back if possible. Zoas get same procedure except I use fresh water dips as I've found that nudibranchs can survive dip products. The fact that corals are an unlikely place to house fish parasites coupled with the fact that many usually slime profusely during and after a dip I'm not concerned with fish parasites and a long term qt on many corals increases the chances of the coral dying, especially with more sensative drama queens like acros.
KSU_WILDCAT
New member
I have a tough time justifying buying a 400 dollar light over a frag quarantine tank for 8 weeks.
buddhafish
New member
No need to dish 400$ on lights for a QT. There are many options far far cheaper then that.
buddhafish
New member
It's not like your going for growth or coloration in a QT.
Yes, but stress to a coral can lead to necrosis and other diseases. It's just not necessary, IMO. Not to mention buying a nice coral only to watch it brown out and retard growth seems rather silly and counterproductive. Qt corals for coral parasites, not fish parasites.
This topic keeps coming up and if you're going to follow the logic of a super strict qt protocol. Then you need to qt EVERYTHING wet for 10 weeks. Fish, corals, crabs, snails, live rock, live sand, pods, live foods, refugium algae, starfish, clams, etc. To me that is unnecessary, unlikely to be done and takes the fun out of the hobby as you will probably lose more in qt than you will add to your reef. That's my thoughts anyways, to each his own.
This topic keeps coming up and if you're going to follow the logic of a super strict qt protocol. Then you need to qt EVERYTHING wet for 10 weeks. Fish, corals, crabs, snails, live rock, live sand, pods, live foods, refugium algae, starfish, clams, etc. To me that is unnecessary, unlikely to be done and takes the fun out of the hobby as you will probably lose more in qt than you will add to your reef. That's my thoughts anyways, to each his own.
tkeracer619
New member
I got this tank off craigslist for $350 and put it in the entryway to my house. If you set up a tank properly you don't lose any coral or have anything brown out. You still have to dose, keep the water clean, and provide a good home to the coral. So far everything I have put in this tank has been there for extended stays and grown as well as colored up in here. It's a stock RSM130D. nothing special. Has two 65w PC lights and I took the skimmer out because it was useless. Nothing in it right now other than a few crabs so lights are off for the time being.
Everything wet is QT'd at my house now. I used to not QT corals but have run into things such as zoa spiders, aefw, nudies, ect.
Everything wet is QT'd at my house now. I used to not QT corals but have run into things such as zoa spiders, aefw, nudies, ect.
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Perth_reefer
Member
+1 (without the dice). I never quarantine corals but I only buy from trusted sources. I think we're definitely guilty of over analysing in this hobby. I buy a new snail....do I quarantine it for 72 days just in case it has a single ich parasite on it?
I just can't justify having 4 separate tanks to run this hobby, where does it end? I also agree that you do need to have at least half decent lighting over a coral QT, why brown out your beautiful new corals after putting them under inadequate lighting for 10 weeks, we have a duty of care to coral just as much as fish. Plus how long would it take to build a reef if you put every coral through quarantine for 10 weeks?
If you have a QT set up for coral then fantastic and good on you, if you want to do it then it's definitely nice to have, but not need to have IMO.
I've battled ich twice in 7 months of starting my new system. What have I learnt in that time, unless you absolutely 100% do everything right every single time then there is always a chance that ich will find a way, there is also a chance that you have ich in your tank right now without even knowing it.
As for coral parasites, well I agree that you need to be very careful of this, I only buy from trusted sources but if I was going to just take coral from just anyones tank I'd definitely be performing dips etc.
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ReefDreamz
New member
What do you use for lights and filtration on your coral QT tank?
Deinonych
New member
I quarantine everything. For corals, I do a 10-minute dip in CoralRx, then place them on a frag rack in my dedicated invert QT for 72 days. My invert QT is pretty simple - just a 20gal tank with a couple pieces of LR, sand, a powerhead, ATO and T-5 lighting. I used to have a skimmer, but I found it to be unnecessary.
I used to just dip and place in the DT. But, I got crypto from a coral frag a couple of years ago and changed my thinking.
I used to just dip and place in the DT. But, I got crypto from a coral frag a couple of years ago and changed my thinking.
CORAL QT: 10 gallon tank, Jebao RW4, Biowheel filter and Chinese Black Box LED.
FISH QT: 10 gallon tank, Jebao RW4, Biowheel filter and Nano skimmer (used only during observation period), Shares the Chinese light from the coral qt.
I'll add a heater to both tanks in the winter.
Ron Reefman
Active member
I guess many of you will say I'm crazy, but I've been in the hobby for over 15 years and I don't quarantine any more. I used to quarantine things I brought home from the wild (I do some collecting in the Keys and the Gulf of Mexico) and I used to quarantine those critters for 2 to 4 weeks. But after doing that dozens and dozens of times and never having any issues, I quit. I have 2 systems, one with 2 display tanks and one with a shallow reef tank and a frag tank. Most things go in the frag tank or shallow reef first, but not always. I brought a beautiful serpent star home from the Keys last month and I didn't want to have to tear apart the shallow reef tank to find it in 4 weeks. So it went straight into the 180g mixed reef DT (after some acclimation).
I've had some small bouts with aiptasia and flat worms (and those came from hobbyists, not the ocean). But that's it. Maybe I've just been lucky. I'm pretty much in line with kenpau's post a few posts back.
I've had some small bouts with aiptasia and flat worms (and those came from hobbyists, not the ocean). But that's it. Maybe I've just been lucky. I'm pretty much in line with kenpau's post a few posts back.
SecretiveFish
Member
I got marine velvet that way and lost half my fish...
Haven't bought a coral since that happened many months ago and still trying to figure out what we are going to do if we decide to buy more corals... I am leaning towards putting the coral in quarantine for 12 weeks.
Tigé21v
Active member
Fish diseases can come in on corals?? I wasn't aware of that.
I haven't added any fish for a few years now. Never QT'ed, and never had an issue. But I figured I had just been lucky, and sooner or later my luck would run out, so I stopped getting fish.
But I've put many a coral in the tank with nothing more than a dip.
I haven't added any fish for a few years now. Never QT'ed, and never had an issue. But I figured I had just been lucky, and sooner or later my luck would run out, so I stopped getting fish.
But I've put many a coral in the tank with nothing more than a dip.
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