Frag QT Tank

[pixelpixi]

I made a little quarantine tank for frags. I took an all-glass 10 gallon and cut it half with a diamond bladed wet saw. The I pulled the remaining glass out of the top rim and siliconed the rim back onto the bottom half. Now it looks more fragtanky, I have less water to deal with, and the frags will be closer to the lights.

This is on a bookshelf with a pair of light hoods over it that I got at the big box pet store. They're intended for reptile cages. I stuck the biggest CFL bulbs I could find in them. They're no substitute for proper lighting, but they should be enough for a QT period.

There's also a little korilla nano powerhead, a GIANT heater (I'm going to get a little one, but I had this on hand), and a dirty old (cycled) sponge filter. :-D

Bring on the frags!

 

[pixelpixi]

PS For those of you who quarantine corals, for how long do you do so?

 

[ReeferGirl]

wheres the pictures???

 

[pixelpixi]

Haha. Forgot to attach it!

 

[ReeferGirl]

very nice!!!

 

[Mr. Ugly]

Heheh... I like it

I have a similar one that's a rectangular rubbermaid storage box with an aquaclear filter hanging off one end. I have an old pc light fixture sitting across the top.

 

[MontanaBay]

I don't QT corals long, I get it home and blast it with iodine water, let it sit 5mins, blast it again, rinse and put in the QT over night. I repeat the iodine the next day, look for any bugs that have come off or died, if everything is okay, right in the main tank!

I think QT for corals should be thought of as an acute observation/treatment, I think keeping them long term is pointless, since most bugs, diseases will always exist, just in small or latent forms.

Cheers,

Josh

 

[prodman]

[quote author=pixelpixi link=topic=4271.msg51446#msg51446 date=1218168289]
PS For those of you who quarantine corals, for how long do you do so?

[/quote]
I think for time I would be thinking lifecycle of aefw. So I think its A week or so if no eggs are present. But in you tank I would be very concerned about stability. I know it looks neat but I would have left it the full 10 gallans.

[quote author=MontanaBay link=topic=4271.msg51470#msg51470 date=1218182495]
I don't QT corals long, I get it home and blast it with iodine water, let it sit 5mins, blast it again, rinse and put in the QT over night. I repeat the iodine the next day, look for any bugs that have come off or died, if everything is okay, right in the main tank!

I think QT for corals should be thought of as an acute observation/treatment, I think keeping them long term is pointless, since most bugs, diseases will always exist, just in small or latent forms.

Cheers,

Josh
[/quote]

Thats a good dip regimen but not a QT. The reason the QT idea is more popular is people who had rigorous dip procedures were still getting the dreaded AEFW. I am not the saying the dip is ineffective just not guaranteed. I agree with the second part of your statement in regards to fish I find Qt for them to at times do more harm than good.

 

[sfsuphysics]

My rule of thumb is dip everything, then pour dip water into larger container and dilute it (turn from dark to clear) and look at what came off (although I'll admit distinguishing between pests and detritus can be a bit difficult). Then into the QT for a week at least (dependent upon what I got). Usually frags that are just branches with no "base" I'm a little more happy with, less likely to worry, if it has a plug with encrusting base I pay a little more scrutiny. Other stuff, simply observe what's on it

 

[Roc]

Man I feel like an ass, I have never dripped or QT a coral frag.

I have this stuff Kent's D, could I use that to dip my corals? or should we be using something else?

 

[Gomer]

I only started dipping after 1yr into the hobby. Still don't QT.

 

[tuberider]

[quote author=Roc link=topic=4271.msg51484#msg51484 date=1218211560]
Man I feel like an ass, I have never dripped or QT a coral frag.

I have this stuff Kent's D, could I use that to dip my corals? or should we be using something else?
[/quote]You can get some dip when you drop off your DBTC items, BAR almost always has it.

I dip and hold, if anything looks suspect I throw it out. If I were swapping, I'd TMPCC, Fluke tab, then Interceptor, or something like that to all incoming Acros, and Coral Revive Montis.

 

[MontanaBay]

You can get some dip when you drop off your DBTC items, BAR almost always has it.

I dip and hold, if anything looks suspect I throw it out. If I were swapping, I'd TMPCC, Fluke tab, then Interceptor, or something like that to all incoming Acros, and Coral Revive Montis.

whoa, just don't create any super bugs that will turn into some radioactive Godzilla and level the bay area!

this was brought up on another thread, but I don't remember your response, but will those treatments kill the eggs?

Cheers,

Josh

 

[MontanaBay]

I think for time I would be thinking lifecycle of aefw. So I think its A week or so if no eggs are present.

this is true, if I had a heavy infestation of anything it would turn into a real QT, but say its just 1 or 2 eggs, would you notice couple bugs a week or two later?

I guess the only way you'd know for sure if an approach like Tuberider suggested, but that is heavy warfare.

Cheers,

Josh

 

[ReeferGirl]

ok if anyone gets these at the swap, could they post pictures so i can see what these eggs and bugs, AEFW and other parasites and pests look like?

 

[tuberider]

Kelly, there's tons of threads out there, I'll try and dig some up later if I can.


AFA my approach, it's been honed by me finding every pest possible on my corals. The AEFW was the last straw, the coral was QTd for 6 weeks. Theoretically it is nearly impossible to break the cycle without killing the coral in the process, all you can do is be careful not to introduce the pest, Monti nudi, and AEFW eggs can be difficult to spot, and are not affected by dips.

 

[ReeferGirl]

man. that sucks. is this a parasite that is rampant in this hobby?

 

[Gomer]

so we have SPS stick pests, monti pests, zoa pests...what about LPS (my love) pests? Are they currently not plagued by any pest?

 

[pixelpixi]

I think I will just put condoms on all my frags before putting them in the display tank.

 

[pixelpixi]

[quote author=tuberider link=topic=4271.msg51492#msg51492 date=1218213560]
I dip and hold, if anything looks suspect I throw it out. If I were swapping, I'd TMPCC, Fluke tab, then Interceptor, or something like that to all incoming Acros, and Coral Revive Montis.
[/quote]

How long do you "hold"? What do you do for zoas, mushrooms, clams, etc?