If you cannot qt coral/ inverts...

[Twodogsnnc]

...what should you do? Are there safer places to buy from (online?)? Dips, etc? What is the best approach outside of a stand alone qt?

 

[James M]

I’ve never qt anything. You can also dip with something like coralRX

 

[RJinPV]

+1. Just dip the corals. I use Revive by Two Little Fishies as a coral dip

 

[Twodogsnnc]

Anything outside of dips? Do you remove the frag plug?

 

[RJinPV]

Removing the frag plug depends on the species and what they are attached to. If the coral is an SPS or other type with a hard skeleton then removing them from the plug is easy and my preferred method. Softies like zoas and mushrooms then no, unless they are attached to a rock that is glued onto the plug. The you can separate the rock from the plug. If they are attached to the plug directly then I clip the bottom of the plug off so I can attach the flat part of the plug to the live rock where I want it

 

[Twodogsnnc]

Dumb question, how do you clip the plug? What do you use to cut it off?

 

[ScottR]

Dumb question, how do you clip the plug? What do you use to cut it off?

You can use bone cutters. I use wire cutters actually. They’re easy to clip

 

[RJinPV]

I use a fragging tool like this bone cutter: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-sps-coral-bone-cutter.html

 

[KrisReef]

If you can't remove the plug completely, then inspect it for life: eggs, aptasia, etc. and remove everything that looks suspect or that you can't positively identify as being a good hitchhiker. Some people will cover the frag plug or rock base with superglue to smother anything that might be lurking on the plug. If you have a good power saw or a Dremel tool those can be used to remove excess plugs, but remember to protect your hands and eyes when using power tools.

And some of the Palys (often called Zoas) have neurotoxins in them that can cause severe medical issues if you get their juices on you when handling them. Make sure you know what you are handling before you start cutting and keep safe!

 

[Wildreefs]

Skip the aforementioned dips and head to Lowe’s for Bayer. Works like its supposed to at a fraction of the cost

 

[bluprntguy]

A five gallon tank and a light is all you need to quarantine inverts. Why chance it?

 

[Twodogsnnc]

A five gallon tank and a light is all you need to quarantine inverts. Why chance it?

No filter? Heater?

 

[bluprntguy]

No filter? Heater?

Yes, a heater probably required. No filter really needed if you do regular water changes. You’ll want something for flow with corals.

Point is, it’s a really low investment to protect your tank. I’ve had hitchhikers get into my quarantine tank even with dipping. Dipping also doesn’t prevent ich/velvet/brook from riding in on the back of a snail or coral.

 

[lion king]

Find a source that does not keep fish in the same system as their corals and inverts; THAT"S the way it's suppose to be done. Sloppy, lazy, cheap, or just ignorant lfs and suppliers will plumb everything together today. You may be lucky enough to find a lfs that knows what they are doing. This makes sure no fish diseases attach themselves to corals or inverts just long enough to get to your tanks.

 

[Marco S]

No filter? Heater?

Yes, you would need a heater and some kind of filter as well as either rock or egg crate to set the plugs in, (if they are frags). For a 5 or 10 gallon you may be able to get away with an over sized HOB filter for flow, but anything 20 and over I would get a power head to match whatever flow demands of the coral you are getting. All of this can be done for around $100 or under if you are on a budget or as expensive as you want if money isn't an option. I am using a 20 gallon IM AIO tank with rock and egg crate and I got a Prime HD LED and a small IM power head and I spent a bit over $500 on my coral QT, but I will be QTing coral for many months to a year before I fill my DT and I plan on using it as a nano or frag tank after that, so I got a little higher priced equipment. Also, I already had the IM Nuvo Fusion 20 Tank so technically I only spent $300 to setup the QT, but I included it here to reflect the total amount included.

Whatever you do, good luck!