Biological filtration for a coral QT

[Hoosier]

I'm setting up a coral quarantine tank, mostly with stuff I've scavenged from a marine bio lab. I've got a 10 gal tank, lighting, heater, powerhead, & a HOB filter. I'm wondering what I should do about biological filtration. I've got (at least) 2 options for surface area:

1. Used rock from someone else's tank that was soaked in muriatic acid for several days, rinsed thoroughly, and dried. This is free, so I'm wondering if there are any pests (bubble algae, bryopsis, aiptaisia, etc.) that have a dormant stage that would survive this.

2. Buying some new ceramic filter structure, like those from Brightwell or Marine pure. Not free, but definitely wouldn't have any pests.

3. Something else?

I'm assuming I'll have to seed it with some sort of bacterial starter & a source of inorganic/organic nutrients & cycle it before using as a QT tank.


--Hoosier

 

[Dom]

I'm setting up a coral quarantine tank, mostly with stuff I've scavenged from a marine bio lab. I've got a 10 gal tank, lighting, heater, powerhead, & a HOB filter. I'm wondering what I should do about biological filtration. I've got (at least) 2 options for surface area:

1. Used rock from someone else's tank that was soaked in muriatic acid for several days, rinsed thoroughly, and dried. This is free, so I'm wondering if there are any pests (bubble algae, bryopsis, aiptaisia, etc.) that have a dormant stage that would survive this.

2. Buying some new ceramic filter structure, like those from Brightwell or Marine pure. Not free, but definitely wouldn't have any pests.

3. Something else?

I'm assuming I'll have to seed it with some sort of bacterial starter & a source of inorganic/organic nutrients & cycle it before using as a QT tank.


--Hoosier

I'm sorry in advance as I see this doesn't answer your question. But if you don't mind, I have a question...

Why is QT necessary in this case?

They all come from the same lab and are under some kind of documented care while there.

I would think that you are as familiar with their history in the lab as I am with what I have in my tanks.

 

[Hoosier]

The QT is for future acquisitions of corals, not for critters coming out of the Marine Bio lab (it's the equipment I scavenged, not any corals). Even if I were getting critters from the Marine Bio lab, I would definitely want to QT them anyway, because the facility is used by lots of research groups and there are no central records of what's been done. I know there are current projects with mussels, barnacles, chitons, chocolate-chip sea stars, yellow nudibranchs, several shrimps, scallops, and other stuff -- and most of the projects apparently don't require that tanks be kept clean. They actually have a 150g reef show tank, but it hasn't been well maintained since the person who knew & loved it retired a couple of years ago.

The used rock option comes from someone in my local reefing club who was upgrading his tank.

 

[Dom]

I'm setting up a coral quarantine tank, mostly with stuff I've scavenged from a marine bio lab. I've got a 10 gal tank, lighting, heater, powerhead, & a HOB filter. I'm wondering what I should do about biological filtration. I've got (at least) 2 options for surface area:

1. Used rock from someone else's tank that was soaked in muriatic acid for several days, rinsed thoroughly, and dried. This is free, so I'm wondering if there are any pests (bubble algae, bryopsis, aiptaisia, etc.) that have a dormant stage that would survive this.

2. Buying some new ceramic filter structure, like those from Brightwell or Marine pure. Not free, but definitely wouldn't have any pests.

3. Something else?

I'm assuming I'll have to seed it with some sort of bacterial starter & a source of inorganic/organic nutrients & cycle it before using as a QT tank.


--Hoosier

The only threat with dry rock (the kind you might buy from Bulk Reef Supply) would be organics causing a terrible green hair algae bloom in the tank. I can't imaging anything survived a several day soaking in muriatic acid, which is the case with your rock. So I don't believe pests and such will be an issue.

So I would save the money and go with the rock you have.

 

[Spare time]

I have spare biomedia and rock that I keep around im a 5 gallon bucket for qt. Usually though I just grab some dried biomedia, a tiny bottle of microbacter 7 or dr tims, and just throw them in a hob filter. I have dosed prime too just in case

 

[Hoosier]

I have spare biomedia and rock that I keep around im a 5 gallon bucket for qt. Usually though I just grab some dried biomedia, a tiny bottle of microbacter 7 or dr tims, and just throw them in a hob filter. I have dosed prime too just in case

By "prime," do you mean Seachem's dechlor, or something else?

 

[Spare time]

By "prime," do you mean Seachem's dechlor, or something else?

Yes since it makes ammonia non toxic for 48 hours.