Running Coral QT full time or only part time?

[Idoc]

Interested in hearing what others are doing!

Do others maintain a full time coral QT or do you just set one up for the 76day period when you receive new batches of coral?​

I have been maintaining a full time 29g coral/invert QT for the past year. It has been headaches to say the least... It is so difficult maintaining nutrients in a coral only QT. I've been attempting to dose nitrates (N) and phosphates (P), but still ended up with a huge Amphidium dino infestation recently! Due to time constraints, I am having difficulties with regular N&P testing and manual dosing to keep the levels consistent!

I think it would be easier to break this system down rather than fight dinos for the next many months! So, what are others doing with coral quarantine tanks? If so, are you battling low nutrients as dinos as well?

 

[Skep18]

It's been my experience many just QT corals for pests like worms and nudis. They'll also keep fish in there.

I have a coral QT but I just use it to monitor for a few days before cutting them off the plug. My past experience is SPS are hard to keep colorful and healthy in a small tank so long with less than ideal hardware.

I've since been keeping my invert QT up full time, just dosing ammonia here and there. If you want nutrients, do a WC with DT water.

Just my $0.02, I'm sure others will disagree. I'd only suggest you take advice with some kinda proof as it seems easy to get commonly thrown around advice but less easy to see a solid supporting evidence via a build thread.

 

[count krunk]

coral or invert qt is nothing i have done nor will do. For corals, i give em a dip then a rinse in tank water then off to the tank

 

[ca1ore]

I do keep a 29 up and running 24/7 as a coral, invert and sensitive fish QT. Live rock, reef lighting and flow, and a small skimmer. Ironically, I haven’t actually used it to QT coral in a long time. I mostly don’t worry about coral pests like I do fish deseases. I recently had to treat it with CP to eradicate a major majano infestation. It’s re-seeded now and growing algae again. Since I use it for finicky fish, nutrients are not a problem. I find it useful enough to keep running.

I do also have other QT tanks, but those only get setup as required.

 

[Skep18]

I do keep a 29 up and running 24/7 as a coral, invert and sensitive fish QT. Live rock, reef lighting and flow, and a small skimmer. Ironically, I haven’t actually used it to QT coral in a long time. I mostly don’t worry about coral pests like I do fish deseases. I recently had to treat it with CP to eradicate a major majano infestation. It’s re-seeded now and growing algae again. Since I use it for finicky fish, nutrients are not a problem. I find it useful enough to keep running.

I do also have other QT tanks, but those only get setup as required.

I will be guilty of my own accusation here but I believe he's referring to a 76 day fallow to eliminate the possibility of hard corals carrying ich on their skeleton or other hard attached surface. This is admittedly regurgitated info. However I recognize your time on these forums so I trust you've heard this as well.

That said, I've decided to assume that risk and don't fallow hard corals for 76 days myself.

 

[Idoc]

I

coral or invert qt is nothing i have done nor will do. For corals, i give em a dip then a rinse in tank water then off to the tank

I understand many take the risks of not quarantining corals...i may end up going that direction as well by dropping the entire 76 day thing. But i will definitely keep using one for at least a few weeks. I initially dipped my corals in Coral Rx...still caught a few fireworms that lived through the initial dip. By monitoring, I also caught a few aptasia and a lot of bubble algae that didn't show easily for almost a month.

 

[Idoc]

I will be guilty of my own accusation here but I believe he's referring to a 76 day fallow to eliminate the possibility of hard corals carrying ich on their skeleton or other hard attached surface. This is admittedly regurgitated info. However I recognize your time on these forums so I trust you've heard this as well.

That said, I've decided to assume that risk and don't fallow hard corals for 76 days myself.

Yes, my main reason for the coral/invert QT was to minimize possible fish diseases encysted on the plugs, skeletal systems, and snail shells.

 

[Skep18]

Yes, my main reason for the coral/invert QT was to minimize possible fish diseases encysted on the plugs, skeletal systems, and snail shells.

I think we're on the same page in terms of QT desires.

100% follow your gut but I've decided to give my SPS a day or two in QT to recover from shipping. Based on what I've read, I choose to believe ich won't encyst on fleshy skin. (This might be false) With that assumption, I cut the SPS off the plug it came on and apply super glue to any non-flesh surfaces remaining. That should be near fool proof and where it falls short, I figure the odds of ich coming in on a coral anyways should be slim. There is obviously dipping involved but not mentioned here.

I do choose to fully QT snails/crabs/etc.