Will This T5 Fixture Suffice for an SPS Quarantine System?

[nickkohrn]

I recently ran into AEFW, so I picked up a 24g AQUATOP all-in-one aquarium. I’ll be pulling all 48 Acropora frags from my current system and placing them into the quarantine system. I realize that I’m going to have to be diligent with maintenance because of the small volume, but live in an apartment, and space is quite limited since I already have a display system. I’ll be installing an Apex, a DŌS, and a Trident on it to try to keep everything as stable as possible.

I have a six-bulb ATI T5 SunPower over my display system, so I’d like to have the same type of lighting over the quarantine system as well. My friend has a T5 fixture that will fit on top of the tank perfectly, but I want to get your opinion of whether it will be strong enough. It’s a two-bulb fixture, and I would get the same bulb combination as what is currently over the corals, which is only Blue Plus and Coral Plus bulbs.

Do you think this will be enough for an 18”x18”x18” (minus depth of tear chambers) system?

I can also build an egg crate platform is needed. I was planning on simply cutting everything from the grow-out tiles, keeping only live tissue. I planned to then glue the frags to new, smaller tiles so they will fit into the quarantine system. This would allow me to more easily remove them for weekly dips.

 

[dwest]

I recently ran into AEFW, so I picked up a 24g AQUATOP all-in-one aquarium. I’ll be pulling all 48 Acropora frags from my current system and placing them into the quarantine system. I realize that I’m going to have to be diligent with maintenance because of the small volume, but live in an apartment, and space is quite limited since I already have a display system. I’ll be installing an Apex, a DŌS, and a Trident on it to try to keep everything as stable as possible.

I have a six-bulb ATI T5 SunPower over my display system, so I’d like to have the same type of lighting over the quarantine system as well. My friend has a T5 fixture that will fit on top of the tank perfectly, but I want to get your opinion of whether it will be strong enough. It’s a two-bulb fixture, and I would get the same bulb combination as what is currently over the corals, which is only Blue Plus and Coral Plus bulbs.

Do you think this will be enough for an 18”x18”x18” (minus depth of tear chambers) system?

I can also build an egg crate platform is needed. I was planning on simply cutting everything from the grow-out tiles, keeping only live tissue. I planned to then glue the frags to new, smaller tiles so they will fit into the quarantine system. This would allow me to more easily remove them for weekly dips.

I think you would be ok if you built the platform like you mentioned. Obviously a PAR meter could help you out here.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Ime, setting up a qt tank to treat acros for flatworms causes more problems than dipping from your display which works just fine with fragments especially. If you already have a stable tank to use as a qt/treatment tank then that’s another story. But setting up a quick tank and putting all your acros in it is asking for trouble. The corals need to be stable and not stressed to fight off the aefw. I would be worried about the tank being too new before I worry about how much par they are getting.
Why did you choose this instead of pulling all the frags out of the display once a week to dip and put back? You can keep them all on frag racks and just pull a whole rack and dip at one time which is very simple.
Whatever you do don’t rush it. Flat worm stop works great over about a 6 month period or little longer. It will break their cycle and rid them from your tank if done right. So will using wormwood powder if you haven’t seen that thread.

 

[nickkohrn]

Ime, setting up a qt tank to treat acros for flatworms causes more problems than dipping from your display which works just fine with fragments especially. If you already have a stable tank to use as a qt/treatment tank then that’s another story. But setting up a quick tank and putting all your acros in it is asking for trouble. The corals need to be stable and not stressed to fight off the aefw. I would be worried about the tank being too new before I worry about how much par they are getting.
Why did you choose this instead of pulling all the frags out of the display once a week to dip and put back? You can keep them all on frag racks and just pull a whole rack and dip at one time which is very simple.
Whatever you do don’t rush it. Flat worm stop works great over about a 6 month period or little longer. It will break their cycle and rid them from your tank if done right. So will using wormwood powder if you haven’t seen that thread.

I chose to get a separate quarantine system because I plan to take down the display system and moving everything into a frag system (downsizing due to apartment-living restrictions), which was going to be happening until I found AEFW. So, I figured I’d use the MarinePure brick that’s has been the sole filtration media, other than a skimmer), for my display system over the past 1.5 years, move everything into the quarantine system, and treat from there. I ordered the pond version of Melafix, which I planned to dip everything in weekly. All of my corals are on 3” tiles for grow-out purposes, which makes it difficult to dip because of the space required. Also, if I cut the frags from the tiles/plugs, that should help reduce the chances of moving eggs into another system.

With that information, do you still recommend keeping everything in the current system and pulling them from there to dip?

 

[C. Eymann]

+1 with what @Pedoconfuego said, just dip them from display, re base or completely seal up/encase any non living substrate with superglue glue post dipping.

 

[SeaDweller]

48 pieces might be ok to handle.

If you do set up a QT, regarding the light, I’m sure you’re fine. my buddy runs a fixture with 2 year old bulbs and everything survives, but they don’t color up there obviously. PAR is low, but it’s enough to keep them alive in QT.

 

[TheHarold]

I hate AEFW

Tried salifert exit yesterday, saw a bunch come off.

also killed all my micro brittle stars and pods in the Refugium

 

[NanoDJS]

I would say no , I used to run a via aqua 8 gallon with 2x18w bulbs and they could barely keep coral had to make a fixture but 18x18x18 is the perfect prime footprint , sucks the small t5hos suck so bad keeping it all the same would be nice,is the fixture free ?> cant hurt to try

 

[SeaDweller]

I hate AEFW

Tried salifert exit yesterday, saw a bunch come off.

also killed all my micro brittle stars and pods in the Refugium

You tried flatworm exit for AEFW? That generally only works for planaria, I’m sure you meant flatworm STOP?

 

[TheHarold]

You tried flatworm exit for AEFW? That generally only works for planaria, I’m sure you meant flatworm STOP?

I have already been dosing flatworm stop.

I tried flatworm exit, and saw a bunch come off. They definitly have been eating acropora- typical bite marks and eggs. But perhaps I am mixing up the name.

 

[C. Eymann]

I have already been dosing flatworm stop.

I tried flatworm exit, and saw a bunch come off. They definitly have been eating acropora- typical bite marks and eggs. But perhaps I am mixing up the name.

Interesting, how big were the worms may I ask?

To my knowledge there several species in the turbellaria family known to be strictly predatory towards acropora. most commonly amakusplania sp.
Maybe Saliferts FW exit is effective at only certain species/genuses? but not the common amakusaplana acroprae- common AEFW.

 

[nickkohrn]

Is there any harm in using Flatworm Stop and dipping weekly? Would that be too harsh? Would it be best to choose a single method?

The main reason that I want to put everything into the quarantine system is that it will be far, far easier for me to pull all of the corals to dip them. Also, if I transfer the MarinePure brick, which has been the sole filtration method in my bare-bottomed grow-our system, the only change should be the volume of water.

Honestly, I want my Waterbox out of my apartment because it has felt like a cursed system over the last six months (AEFW, pyramid snails, colonial hydroids, Acoel flatworms, MEN). I just want to move things into a smaller system that I can maintain during this treatment period. If I lose some expensive corals, then so be it. I’m just losing my passion for the hobby, and I need a reprieve. I really think that the smaller system will give me that.

 

[hatfielj]

That light fixture will likely be underpowered. Moving them to a tiny system, changing their flow, and lighting all while periodically dipping them is likely to result in a lot of losses. Just be prepared for that mentally. I recently went through a tank move and treated AEFW in the process. Some pieces just simply couldnt handle the stress. Others did ok and are now thriving. Others did ok but still haven’t fully recovered. I am AEFW free though, so glad I did it. And I will not be adding any new livestock to this tank...ever (aefw free and ich free with a very healthy achilles means I’m not taking any chances)

 

[TheHarold]

Interesting, how big were the worms may I ask?

To my knowledge there several species in the turbellaria family known to be strictly predatory towards acropora. most commonly amakusplania sp.
Maybe Saliferts FW exit is effective at only certain species/genuses? but not the common amakusaplana acroprae- common AEFW.

Here are some photos- I would appreciate any knowledge about them. Flatworm stop does not appear effective. UWC purge has no effect but browning out the acropora.
Ahh sorry @nickkohrn , should I take this to PM?

Bites are characteristic and clear for flatworms

Eggs

Small flatworms after bayer dip

 

[nickkohrn]

I’m okay with the fact that I’ll have losses. I’ve considered tossing everything and starting over completely, losing $1,000s in livestock, so that’s not my worry. I can use the same ATI SunPower that’s over that tank now. Sure, it’s going to be 2x the length of the tank, but I don’t care. I can keep most of the environment quite similar. The big change would be the water volume — 100g down to 24g.

 

[nickkohrn]

Ahh sorry @nickkohrn , should I take this to PM?

No; we are learning, and I would much rather have the knowledge shared. This is such a nightmare, so any and all information is appreciated.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I would still treat from the tank. Moving the brick over sounds good enough but ime you will have to wait a few months for the new tank to stabilize while feeding it a few times and such. Don’t rush it, the double dose of fws will get rid of them eventually no need to rush.

Theherold those are defiantly aefw. Big infestation too. I would be the flatworm exit just floated some planaria into the water Coloumn that you mistook for aefw. That stuff doesn’t really affect aefw.

I would suggest anyone with aefw right now to try the wormwood method and help us show that it actually works. The fws worked so good for me I don’t even care if I get them again almost!

 

[nickkohrn]

I would still treat from the tank. Moving the brick over sounds good enough but ime you will have to wait a few months for the new tank to stabilize while feeding it a few times and such. Don’t rush it, the double dose of fws will get rid of them eventually no need to rush.

Theherold those are defiantly aefw. Big infestation too. I would be the flatworm exit just floated some planaria into the water Coloumn that you mistook for aefw. That stuff doesn’t really affect aefw.

I would suggest anyone with aefw right now to try the wormwood method and help us show that it actually works. The fws worked so good for me I don’t even care if I get them again almost!

Is the wormwood method simply using Flatworm Stop?

 

[TheHarold]

I would still treat from the tank. Moving the brick over sounds good enough but ime you will have to wait a few months for the new tank to stabilize while feeding it a few times and such. Don’t rush it, the double dose of fws will get rid of them eventually no need to rush.

Theherold those are defiantly aefw. Big infestation too. I would be the flatworm exit just floated some planaria into the water Coloumn that you mistook for aefw. That stuff doesn’t really affect aefw.

I would suggest anyone with aefw right now to try the wormwood method and help us show that it actually works. The fws worked so good for me I don’t even care if I get them again almost!

I have been dosing the recommended dosage for the last few weeks. Haven’t seen much difference.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

We are guessing wormwood is what’s in flatworm stop or at least the main part that works. The fws method will take about two months to see reduced numbers of worms. Just baste your acros at least weekly to keep the numbers and damage to the corals down until it kicks in and affects the worms. Don’t give up on it and use a double dose.