Worth quarantining live rock?

[PotatoPig]

I’m considering adding actual live rock to an aquarium started with seeded dry rock to try add some biodiversity with sponges, hopefully beneficial algae, etc.

Is it worth sticking the rock in QT for a while to see if it’s contaminated with GHA/Aiptasia/Critters I don’t want?

Current system is working OK, so not in a rush.

 

[t5Nitro]

Yup. Its going to come with hitchhikers. That's inevitable, but the LR is worth it.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

If you have a place to keep it at around 80F, and Lighted, then yes for 16 to 30 days. I first recommend a 15 to 20 minutes dip, in Chlorine free fresh water. Have someone help you with a net to fish any Crabs, Shrimp, Starfish and Fish; out of the fresh water and place them in a separate Saltwater Container for sorting.

 

[AydenLincoln]

If you have a place to keep it at around 80F, and Lighted, then yes for 16 to 30 days. I first recommend a 15 to 20 minutes dip, in Chlorine free fresh water. Have someone help you with a net to fish any Crabs, Shrimp, Starfish and Fish; out of the fresh water and place them in a separate Saltwater Container for sorting.

This will also kill the beneficial bacteria and other critters defeating the purpose of spending the money on and using live rock from the ocean! Bottom line is you don’t quarantine, dip, etc. live rock. You can cure it though which just means you leave the rock in heated and aerated saltwater in a dark location for a few days.

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

LOL, I guess you need to tell my Live Rock, it’s Dead Rock, as I’ve done at least three of these Dips since 2002.

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

My recommendation is to quarantine it for 45 days (minimum) at 81F - this runs it fallow so it won't carry ich or velvet into your tank, and it gives you ample time to observe it for hitchhikers (both wanted and unwanted) including things like invasive macroalgae/tunicates/sponges/anemones/etc.

 

[PotatoPig]

My recommendation is to quarantine it for 45 days (minimum) at 81F - this runs it fallow so it won't carry ich or velvet into your tank, and it gives you ample time to observe it for hitchhikers (both wanted and unwanted) including things like invasive macroalgae/tunicates/sponges/anemones/etc.

Two follow up questions…

1. Would 78 degrees be OK? I’m running a FOWLR and my tanks at 77, midrange for the fish in there, and the QT tank has a preset heater at 78, or is there something critical about the 81F?

2. Out of curiosity- could I simultaneously QT fish/inverts in the same tank, I assume without copper treatment…

 

[ISpeakForTheSeas]

Two follow up questions…

1. Would 78 degrees be OK? I’m running a FOWLR and my tanks at 77, midrange for the fish in there, and the QT tank has a preset heater at 78, or is there something critical about the 81F?

2. Out of curiosity- could I simultaneously QT fish/inverts in the same tank, I assume without copper treatment…

The 81F is critical to ensure that the life cycle of the parasites like ich and velvet are over within the 45 day period - basically the higher the temp, the shorter the life cycle of the parasites, but you don't want to run the temp too high because that could cause problems for other critters on the rock. So, you can run it at 78F, but you would need to run it longer than 45 days to ensure the rock isn't bringing in ich/velvet at that temp (the general recommendation is 76 days if you're not doing the 45 days at 81F).

You could QT inverts in the same tank, but not fish - the fish are the ones at risk from parasites like ich and velvet. The 45 day countdown should start with the last thing added to the quarantine though (so if you put the rock in the tank, wait a week, that would put you at 38 days; if you then add some hermit crabs, however, the 45 day countdown would reset with the hermit crabs - so you'd be starting over at 45 again).