QT ???'s

[ReelRednekReefer]

So my cycle seems to be done. Way earlier than I expected....so my QT's aren't ready 29g for fish and a 10 for inverts and corals. Ive got filters soaking in my sump to get em cycled but they not ready yet. I want to start with CUC but wanted to quarantine them, but I don't want to starve out my new established cycle. So a couple questions.

1) Would I be endangering my DT if I added a CUC to DT and cheato to sump and left it with just that for 72 days?

OR....

2) Should I just feed the tank while CUC and cheato is in QT for 72 days.

Please advise as to best method. I wiped out 5 fish in 3 days in my last tank by not QTing and do not want a repeat. Thus far my tank is pristine, using dry rock and dry sand.

 

[Humblefish]

I would take a small rock or two out of the DT, put it in the 10 gal and QT your CUC in there. Snails/hermits don't produce a lot of waste, so they don't need a lot of filtration. After 72 days, your CUC will be ready to go into the DT. You will probably need to supplement feed your CUC in the 10 gal with things like nori and algae wafers.

Just my 2 cents on CUC but ... don't go buy a ton of snails/hermits right now. Also, I'd suggest doing one or the other, not both (hermits usually end up eating snails.) Buying CUC is a never ending thing, you purchase what you need on an "as needed" basis. Because if you dump a lot of CUC in (especially in a newly cycled tank), most of them will just starve.