Invertebrate only quarantine setup.

[Reef Devils]

I currently don’t have any snails for my tank and I am starting to get algae. I need to get some snails but want to quarantine them. I am planning on getting a 10 gallon tank for corals and invertebrates only at tank.

I don’t want to cycle this tank so I was going to take 10 gallons of water from my tank and put it in the qt tank. I was also going to take some biometric like ceramic balls and put it in a hong on the back filter of the qt tank.

My question is should I add some sand a dry rock to this tank? I want some algae to grow because this is for an invertebrate tank. How often should I be doing water changes on a tank like this.

I think I will leave the snails in this qt tank for 45-60 day and than I will buy them in my dt.

 

[Saltyreef]

I currently don’t have any snails for my tank and I am starting to get algae. I need to get some snails but want to quarantine them. I am planning on getting a 10 gallon tank for corals and invertebrates only at tank.

I don’t want to cycle this tank so I was going to take 10 gallons of water from my tank and put it in the qt tank. I was also going to take some biometric like ceramic balls and put it in a hong on the back filter of the qt tank.

My question is should I add some sand a dry rock to this tank? I want some algae to grow because this is for an invertebrate tank. How often should I be doing water changes on a tank like this.

I think I will leave the snails in this qt tank for 45-60 day and than I will buy them in my dt.

You will be just fine to add sand and rock to an invert quarantine but just understand you would have to follow the full fallow period for each addition to naturally rid any parasites.

Monitor the free ammonia in the tank with a seachem badge and change the water periodically.
With fish and a quick seeded 10g hospital tank, i had to do a 50% water change every other day. But just snails will need much less frequent changes depending on your feeding routine.
And lastly, make sure they dont starve.

 

[mosreef]

I have a cuc only qt tank and have not been successful at getting turbo snails through a 60 day quarantine. They starve because there is not enough algae in there. They eat a lot. I wrapped nori around shells and dropped it in, tried it clipped to the side, but they wouldn’t touch it.

It’s an innovative marine fusion 15 AIO setup since around February I think. 1 big rock. Ninja star snails, dwarf Cerinth, zig zag periwinkles - all from reef cleaners did fine. Crabs, shrimp, brittle stars, serpent stars make it through just fine because they will eat sinking pellets, shrimp and nori. Nassarius made it through about 50/50 - maybe not enough detritus in there yet.

Somehow at the end of 60 days I missed hydroids on something. Now they are in my main display. Ugh. Need to get a magnifying glass.

 

[Spare time]

I have an invert QT. The tank runs at 81F and I keep them in there for 45 days.



PS tank water doesn't have the cycling bacteria in it. I just dumped a tiny bottle of cycling bacteria in when I set it up. You can add sand if you are QT-ing inverts that need it. I have one branch rock in mine since any hitchhiker like a flatworm or something can't hide on it as well as on a normal rock.

 

[LouieP]

I have a WB 10 gal as my Coral/Invert QT. I have live rock, sand and I keep it in a different location from my DT. It's recommended to keep 10 or more feet away from your DT & Fish QT. Keeping it @ around 81° does shortens the QT period.

Since it's your invert QT you can add pieces of live rock from your DT and the bacteria from the rock should be enough.

If worried about not enough algae for snails run your lights longer.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I am about to set up an invert QT as well, and I was considering if dumping cycle bacteria directly onto wet rock or sand and letting it sit for like a half hour so that they populate the surface, instead of dumping them into the water column. Anyone think that might speed up their ability to deal with ammonia?

 

[Reef Devils]

You will be just fine to add sand and rock to an invert quarantine but just understand you would have to follow the full fallow period for each addition to naturally rid any parasites.

Monitor the free ammonia in the tank with a seachem badge and change the water periodically.
With fish and a quick seeded 10g hospital tank, i had to do a 50% water change every other day. But just snails will need much less frequent changes depending on your feeding routine.
And lastly, make sure they dont starve.

Yes I will monitor ammonia.
I will blast the light to get more algae.

 

[Reef Devils]

I have a cuc only qt tank and have not been successful at getting turbo snails through a 60 day quarantine. They starve because there is not enough algae in there. They eat a lot. I wrapped nori around shells and dropped it in, tried it clipped to the side, but they wouldn’t touch it.

It’s an innovative marine fusion 15 AIO setup since around February I think. 1 big rock. Ninja star snails, dwarf Cerinth, zig zag periwinkles - all from reef cleaners did fine. Crabs, shrimp, brittle stars, serpent stars make it through just fine because they will eat sinking pellets, shrimp and nori. Nassarius made it through about 50/50 - maybe not enough detritus in there yet.

Somehow at the end of 60 days I missed hydroids on something. Now they are in my main display. Ugh. Need to get a magnifying glass.

Are those the snails you recommended?

 

[Reef Devils]

I have an invert QT. The tank runs at 81F and I keep them in there for 45 days.



PS tank water doesn't have the cycling bacteria in it. I just dumped a tiny bottle of cycling bacteria in when I set it up. You can add sand if you are QT-ing inverts that need it. I have one branch rock in mine since any hitchhiker like a flatworm or something can't hide on it as well as on a normal rock.

I will run it for 45-60 days at 81f

 

[Kasrift]

You will be just fine to add sand and rock to an invert quarantine but just understand you would have to follow the full fallow period for each addition to naturally rid any parasites.

Monitor the free ammonia in the tank with a seachem badge and change the water periodically.
With fish and a quick seeded 10g hospital tank, i had to do a 50% water change every other day. But just snails will need much less frequent changes depending on your feeding routine.
And lastly, make sure they dont starve.

I had a 10g I used as a quarantine tank when I set up my tank, my last fish went in over a year and a half ago. I then changed my 10g to a quarantine as mentioned and put sand and rock in. Any snails go in there first for several weeks before they go in the display. It’s also my overflow for coral softy frags, but agree with you that sand is good. With some rock and a more natural biome, it works fine for snails and the such.

 

[Reef Devils]

I had a 10g I used as a quarantine tank when I set up my tank, my last fish went in over a year and a half ago. I then changed my 10g to a quarantine as mentioned and put sand and rock in. Any snails go in there first for several weeks before they go in the display. It’s also my overflow for coral softy frags, but agree with you that sand is good. With some rock and a more natural biome, it works fine for snails and the such.

Ok I will add rock and sand. Is it ok to qt snails and corals together?

 

[Reef Devils]

I have a WB 10 gal as my Coral/Invert QT. I have live rock, sand and I keep it in a different location from my DT. It's recommended to keep 10 or more feet away from your DT & Fish QT. Keeping it @ around 81° does shortens the QT period.

Since it's your invert QT you can add pieces of live rock from your DT and the bacteria from the rock should be enough.

If worried about not enough algae for snails run your lights longer.

I landing to have it in a different room, I will keep it at 81. Thanks for the help

 

[Spare time]

I had a 10g I used as a quarantine tank when I set up my tank, my last fish went in over a year and a half ago. I then changed my 10g to a quarantine as mentioned and put sand and rock in. Any snails go in there first for several weeks before they go in the display. It’s also my overflow for coral softy frags, but agree with you that sand is good. With some rock and a more natural biome, it works fine for snails and the such.

I also use mine as an overflow for things from my display (mainly macro algae and anemones lol)

 

[mosreef]

Are those the snails you recommended?

For me, Ninja star snails, dwarf Cerinth, zig zag periwinkles and nassarius lived, but I had no turbo make it.

Or if you're referring to hydroids, no they are a pest. Not the worst pest, my hermit crabs ate most of them. But some are still living on the underside of an arch where the crabs don't go.

I read that you can scrub the shells with a toothbrush and tank water in a separate bowl before putting them in the qt. Wish I would have done that.

 

[Reef Devils]

I also use mine as an overflow for things from my display (mainly macro algae and anemones lol)

I might do that for anemones. Good idea

 

[Reef Devils]

For me, Ninja star snails, dwarf Cerinth, zig zag periwinkles and nassarius lived, but I had no turbo make it.

Or if you're referring to hydroids, no they are a pest. Not the worst pest, my hermit crabs ate most of them. But some are still living on the underside of an arch where the crabs don't go.

I read that you can scrub the shells with a toothbrush and tank water in a separate bowl before putting them in the qt. Wish I would have done that.

Why don’t the turbo snails make it?

What do you think about starfish. What are the best?

 

[mosreef]

Why don’t the turbo snails make it?

What do you think about starfish. What are the best?

I think the turbos didn't make it for me because I couldn't get them to eat nori, and don't have any green algae in my quarantine tank. I blasted my lights but only grew some brown slimy stuff and they wouldn't eat it.

I have 2 Serpent stars - they are really cool and they take pieces of shrimp, fish and sinking algae pellets.

Brittle stars also take shrimp & pellets. Both brittle stars I bought from 2 different vendors were mostly dead when I got them. I think they don't ship well.

One of them only had one leg left, it had completely disintegrated in the bag. But after a week I got it to eat. All the legs grew back eventually and it's doing great now.

I wouldn't try any other kind of starfish, supposedly they all just starve to death.

 

[Reef Devils]

I think the turbos didn't make it for me because I couldn't get them to eat nori, and don't have any green algae in my quarantine tank. I blasted my lights but only grew some brown slimy stuff and they wouldn't eat it.

I have 2 Serpent stars - they are really cool and they take pieces of shrimp, fish and sinking algae pellets.

Brittle stars also take shrimp & pellets. Both brittle stars I bought from 2 different vendors were mostly dead when I got them. I think they don't ship well.

One of them only had one leg left, it had completely disintegrated in the bag. But after a week I got it to eat. All the legs grew back eventually and it's doing great now.

I wouldn't try any other kind of starfish, supposedly they all just starve to death.

Ok I will look into a brittle star. If they are reef safe they should work.

Thanks

 

[RedoubtReef]

You could just order from Reefcleaners and then skip the whole QT. They don't have any fish in their invert systems.

 

[Reef Devils]

You could just order from Reefcleaners and then skip the whole QT. They don't have any fish in their invert systems.

I could but I want to learn more about the qt.

If I need to order some form there is the future I will keep them in mind