SPS Dipping/Quarantine

[gguertin]

So I have a display tank going and did not want to get any of my current SPS infected with anything and tried setting up a 20 Gallon tank with a 2 bulb t5 light, Skimmer, and a sponge filter like you would use for a fish qt tank. I added 1 fish an anthias as well, no sand or rock.

I dipped all SPS before going into the QT/Frag tank and have slowly been losing them over the last few weeks. Typically it seems like the flesh is peeling up from the base and it seems to be the more expensive/delicate ones the green slimer looks fine LOL

I am curious what people are doing for their incoming frag tank to ensure they do not infect their display. I thought I had everything covered but the losses are making me second guess myself on not just dipping them and putting them in the display.

 

[Cheapreef]

What are your levels at? No biological filtration at all?

 

[gguertin]

same as display I do a 1 gallon water change every day.
alk 8
ca 440
mag 1470
salinity 35
0 ammonia
0 nitrate

I have the sponge filter that I have used for qt of fish in the past isn't that supposed to be the biological filtration? It sat in my sump for a few months. What else should I use for this on a small tank for a qt purpose? Is there a thread somewhere with information on this my google search really didn't result in much information on qt sps only dipping them. I keep going back to lighting with only 2 24w t5 but I have actually been lowering them without a par meter im just not sure where height wise in the 20g to put the frag racks.

 

[DDon]

I have a similar for coral QT. 20 long with skimmer, heater, a couple small live rocks for biological filtration, a couple power heads and an old AI Sol blue for lighting, no fish though. So far no issues with coral losses. Looking at equipment differences; you don't list a heater or power heads. Are you maintaining tank temperature and do you have anything for flow? I don't think lighting is an issue.

 

[gguertin]

Yea I have a maxi 400 pointing down at the corner and a whisper filter with no filter on it for flow. I have a heater and its on a controller.

If you run a quarantine would you dip as well first or just put them in the qt and observe? I am wondering if the losses I am seeing are from dipping first?

 

[DDon]

I'm sure everyone has their own way, but since I switched to QTing, I stopped dipping immediately. I let them settle in first then dip. If I need to, it's easy enough to restart the QT. Now if I was to add additional corals to the QT and already had corals in that had been dipped, I would dip first.

 

[gguertin]

That makes sense... with 2 t5 a actinic and a 10k do you think 2" of air and 8" of water is to deep, to shallow, or ok for the short term of a qt?

 

[awais98]

That makes sense... with 2 t5 a actinic and a 10k do you think 2" of air and 8" of water is to deep, to shallow, or ok for the short term of a qt?

I don't think light is an issue here

What do you dip with?


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[gguertin]

I used coral rx

The corals I lost were
blue tenuis
lavender and cream

Two that look pretty poor
Red Dragon
Pearlberry

The ones that look fine are the easy ones
Green Slimer
Pink Lemonade
2 other encrusting ones I picked up at the same time not sure the names

 

[awais98]

This is a QT tank....
Have you used this tank before for fish Qt?
You think you or before you anyone used this tank with copper for fish QT?


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[gguertin]

Brand new tank for just this so no copper.

I just wanted to make sure I didn't infect my display with anything.

 

[gguertin]

Is the foam filter not enough bacteria for sps? Do people run sand and live rock in their qt?

I guess in the end I am trying to learn so I dont do this all over again with my next order.