Sump as a qt?

nova65ss · Apr 23, 2014

So I am sitting here on vacation 5 hours from my tank and of course it is in my mind

I set up my sump backwards for the sole purpose of using it as a small frag tank. I am now trying to figure out if there is a way to use it as a coral qt as well? I know aefw are great swimmers and I also know alot of people have frag tanks plumbed into their main displays and wonder how they do it?

I might could take a long filter sock and place it in front of the overflow teeth going into the skimmer section of my sump? Got to figure out a way my garage qt will not last once the summer heat rolls around. Any ideas? Here is the sump

nova65ss · Apr 24, 2014

Talking to myself here

Ok so as you can see I have two drains one into the sock one into the fuge side of my sump. I can turn the valve completely off when I want to use as qt and just put a powerhead and heater in there and it will act as a stand alone tank. I figured when I do a water change I can take water from the fuge/qt and then replenish by draining display water back into the fuge/qt not allowing any to get into the return side. When I am done with qt I can drain the water clean and either leave empty or use as a standard fuge or frag tank.

Benefit to me is no additional tank in house wife is happy and I am already using water that I know is good and similar to where it will be when moved to the display?

Thoughts?

booth2010 · Apr 24, 2014

Using as a QT wouldn't be advised. If I remember reading correctly even though diseases such as ich will not affect coral it can still reside on them, if the coral in this introduced to your sump/qt the disease can easliy be put into the DT infecting all your fish. QT tanks are supposed to be 100% separate for that reason and so you can medicate.

nova65ss · Apr 24, 2014

Sorry not a fish qt it would be used for coral only to ensure no pests. Also in the way I am talking it would be completely seperate from the main tank. Thanks!

booth2010 · Apr 24, 2014

if i not mistaken you could always just dip the corals to kill the pests

Squishie89 · Apr 24, 2014

I understand what you are saying. However, I think due to those open notches to the regular drain side, it is just too risky. Not to mention, things can crawl. I think you would be better off with a different system. Use that section as a refugium or frag area, not as QT.

Tradewinds · Apr 24, 2014

booth2010 said:
if i not mistaken you could always just dip the corals to kill the pests

I don't believe dipping will kill the eggs that pests may have laid.

Squishie89 said:
I understand what you are saying. However, I think due to those open notches to the regular drain side, it is just too risky. Not to mention, things can crawl. I think you would be better off with a different system. Use that section as a refugium or frag area, not as QT.

I agree with Squishie, by definition a QT is separate from the rest of the world.

Squishie89 · Apr 24, 2014

Tradewinds said:
I agree with Squishie, by definition a QT is separate from the rest of the world.

Yes this is true, my quarantine tanks are currently on the space station. XD XD XD

ReefMadScientist · Apr 24, 2014

The purpose of a Quarantine Tank is to have is secluded to its own water sources. Just because it is a "sump" and away from the DT does not mean its safe. You are still sharing the same water so anything can still be spread. Sure...it would be cool to say, check out my sump/qt system...but it defeats the purpose of a QT system.

booth2010 · Apr 24, 2014

ReefMadScientist said:
The purpose of a Quarantine Tank is to have is secluded to its own water sources. Just because it is a "sump" and away from the DT does not mean its safe. You are still sharing the same water so anything can still be spread. Sure...it would be cool to say, check out my sump/qt system...but it defeats the purpose of a QT system.

My thoughts exactly, water could splash through the teeth on the baffle and contaminate the rest