Should I QT live rock?

[gsxunv04]

Hello,
I have about 50-60 lbs. of LR currently in my 75g reef but would like to add 20-30 more. How should I go about ensuring my newly acquired rock is safe to put in my tank? I was thinking hypersalinity treatment would be good, any thoughts?

 

[odyssey1]

I would QT it for a week to make sure any die off dosent get into the display. It could be enough to cause problems expecially in a 75g.

If this came right out of a tank that it has been in for a while I think it will be fine to put into your system. But if out of water for more than 1-2hrs. you will need to QT it!!!

 

[nikon187]

I would just cure the rock in a separate rubber maid container until all tests come back fine, it shouldn't take too long.

 

[sikpupy]

Unless there is some alea pods/seeds on there or hiding aptaisia, which you will find in about, oh, 3 weeks or so.

 

[gsxunv04]

im not concerned with an ammonia spike or mini-cycle, I would be getting fully cured rock from a lfs.
I am concerned with pests/hitchikers getting in to my established reef and harming my corals or clam. Thats why i was thinking hyper or hypo salinity treatment, maybe both back to back. This would make any creature run off the rock(in theory) or kill any that remained in the rock. Any thoughts on the described process?

 

[crvz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14702623#post14702623 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gsxunv04
im not concerned with an ammonia spike or mini-cycle, I would be getting fully cured rock from a lfs.
I am concerned with pests/hitchikers getting in to my established reef and harming my corals or clam. Thats why i was thinking hyper or hypo salinity treatment, maybe both back to back. This would make any creature run off the rock(in theory) or kill any that remained in the rock. Any thoughts on the described process?

"fully cured" or not, if it's new to you I'd still QT it and give it time to cure if needed. I wouldnt rely on what a LFS tells you, do some tests and make sure there is indeed no die-off that needs time to settle down. this will also give you time to get your eyes on the rock to look for hitchhikers, and a good rubbermaid container should work fine to do this. It may be as short as 2-3 weeks, and easy enough to justify.

 

[SDguy]

There's a thread in Reef Fishes about I guy that got parasitic isopods from some new rock. Yikes! I would QT.

 

[gsxunv04]

Sounds good. Will a heater and powerhead be all I need in the rubbermaid container?

 

[gauma369]

I believe that would be all you need in the rubbermaid but dont take my word for it let one of these other guys with more knowledge give insight.

 

[rsantangelo3@co]

parasitoc pods will die from being in a barrel for 2 weeks? That dosent sound right. QT your rock will just allow die off to happen outside th D.T Once it goes in whatever cam with it is going with it unless you "kill you rock"

 

[bradbmbj]

I would QT for 8 weeks at 82 degrees with a powerhead, heater, and a normal output flourescent, or whatever you may have. The reason I would do this is to make sure any ick doesnt have a fish host and will die off. Im am extremely paranoid about ick, nothing goes in my tank until I put it in a seperate tank for 8 weeks, others may disagree, but that rock can have ich on it

 

[gsxunv04]

i believe a hyposalinity treatment would kill any ich parasites. correct me if Im wrong.

 

[bradbmbj]

Yes it will, but like I said I'm am paranoid, I worry that I wont get the hypo effect deep inside all the holes and pourous areas of the rock where there could be eggs, this may be overkill but it has worked for me

 

[jayk198030]

i make my own rock. no bugs, no worries, and its my art for cheaper.

 

[bradbmbj]

but you still have to seed it with some live rock with possible parasites on it