converting main display to coral quarantine

[sharklover]

Having a hard time finding valueable data/threads on turning main displays into quarantines. I'm upgrading from my 7.7ADA to an IM 10g and I'd like to convert my 7.7ADA to a coral quarantine when it's all done (or transition over time to a full quarantine). I've read up "do's and don'ts" but mostly talks with respects to fish.

Right now I have inverts and live sand in my main display along with Live rock and a HOB refugium with Chaeto. From reading it sounds like inverts are a no-no. any other feedback?

 

[bevo5]

If you are just going to be quarantining corals and inverts - then the set up you have works just fine. The way you QT anything non-fish is by letting it sit in a fallow (fishless) system for 74 days.

Since you won't have fish, you won't be treating with things like copper - which would kill the inverts.

So all you need to do is remove the fish, and put in whatever you want to QT. Then wait the full 74 days before adding them to your DT. If you add anything into the QT during that time, the clock starts over.

Remember to feed your inverts and corals during this time and still keep an eye on nitrates etc.

Of course don't use any of the same buckets or siphons - I wrap my QT gear in blue tape so I know which is which.

 

[Mattman1977]

What are you quarantining for? Fish disease, coral hitchhikers or??? Hitchhikers I suggest going bare bottom and removing rock since won’t have much of a bioload the live bacteria on the equipment and tank should be plenty. Less places for the hitchhikers to hide the easier they are to spot

 

[sharklover]

atm i have bristleworms, hydroids, acoel flatworms, Spirorbis spp, cyano in my fuge and white sponges that i'd like to get rid of when I transition over to the IM 10g.

I have 1 fish, a nano goby
a sexy shrimp, sand sifting snails, dwarf blue leg hermit crabs and a electric blue leg hermit crab
couple encrusting monti's, an acan and the rest are zoa's.

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The ultimate goal would be to move them all safely to the new tank without bringing over the stuff i mentioned above. so how do i clean up this infested main display to turn it into a quarantine for corals in the future?

 

[Mattman1977]

Well bristleworms, Spirorbis spp, are nothing to worry about in my opinion. cyano is a natural thing that will always be present in your system. hydroids and acoel flatworms definitely could do without. Would want to get rid of them before you moved them over. I would suggest you cycle the new tank with new rock. Add the fish from the old tank to the new. Then work on getting rid of the hydroids and flatworms.

Matt

 

[sharklover]

im in week five of letting the bleached rock dry out naturally. definitely will not be transferring over the live rock.

my plan is ...
(2 week to dry)
(2 weeks to bleach)
(24 hour vinegar soak)
(48 hour bleach)
(2 weeks to dry from bleach) *Currently at this stage*

 

[Mattman1977]

I did a similar soaking for my nano. Week in bleach, week to dry out, 2 weeks in rodi drained and dried another week. Then filled with saltwater and cycled with a shrimp for a weeks with lights out.

definitely suggest after you move the fish first then work on removing the unwanted hitchhikers.