Would it be safe to use old DT water in an invert QT?

Joe31415

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I have a invert only (corals and general CUC) QT that I keep all my new frags in when I get them. Lately, there's been very little going on in that tank and it dawned on my that the nutrients are probably fairly low since, what is in there, doesn't get fed on that regular of a basis.

My thought was to move the outlet of my auto water changer on the DT so that instead of going down a drain, it just pumps the water into the QT. I'd probably even let the QT's AWC keep running as well.

My thinking is that since the water is going from the DT to the QT, *technically* I should be safe. If, however, the DT were to have an outbreak of something, stopping the water transfer and resetting the 76 day clock would be like putting brand new corals, fresh from the LFS into the QT.
I think the risk of an outbreak DT, which is passed to the QT, in order to pose a problem, would have to go unnoticed by me (very possible), but then not only be eradicated from the DT, but also finally result in the coral or other invert reintroducing it when it's moved the to DT.

Or maybe it's just a bad idea and I should get back to testing (this tank) more often than I currently do and dosing nutrients as needed.
 

Tamberav

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I would use DT water on the QT since the DT should be clean. I am guessing the corals in QT are destined for the DT anyway?
 

Nemo&Friends

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I have done the same thing to start a new macro tank, with the same reasoning. I think it should be ok.
 
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Joe31415

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I would use DT water on the QT since the DT should be clean. I am guessing the corals in QT are destined for the DT anyway?
Yup, that's the plan.

Help me understand what the purpose of stopping water transfer is during an outbreak?
So I'm not deliberately pumping infected water into a quarantine tank.
 
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Joe31415

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Would this not just put the same fallow period on both tanks since they're now one system? Unless you are using one qt for multiple dt?
It's not really one system. Waste water from the DT would flow into the QT, but that's it. Water from the QT never ends up in the DT. It's not like having one sump for two tanks.
Look at it like this. If I put red food coloring in the DT, the QT will slowly turn red as well. However, if I put red food coloring in the QT, it won't dye the DT. So any type of illness/bugs/algae in the DT could make it into the QT, but if I end up with something in the QT, it can't spread to the DT.
 
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