Living in the SHU, aquarium style

[Krux]

After getting a chance to talk to @LavenderTi and a few others about quarantine practices, I was inspired to look at my own process.  My plan was to stop "rolling the dice" and actually get serious about mid-term housing for fish and corals, and I thought this might be a good topic for discussion.

 

Currently I dip corals in Polyp Labs Reef Primer, I like this as it is in little pre-measured bottles so mixing it up is easy.  For smoothies I use a light lugol's solution (30 drops instead of 40).  For fish I have been using Safety-stop which is a two step formalyn and methylene product.

 

Really though, I have no excuse not to set up a couple of 10-20 gallon tanks with basic filtration and lighting to allow for a longer quarantine period.  After doing some reading and video watching, I have a concept of how to simply implement separate coral and fish quarantine systems in my home, but I was hoping to learn from all of you what your processes and setups look like if you have a more robust system.  I really liked the write up and parts list that @obrien.david.j put together, and thought producing a similar super basic setup that most people could follow for a basic quarantine process could be of value to a lot of folks.

I saw first hand the insane damage an infection can wreak in just a week in another member's tank, and I don't want to experience that myself, nor see any other reefers go through it.

 

If people choose not to quarantine that is on them, but I think we can carefully remove the informational barriers if we group think this!  The news of a new acro eating nudi make me more than a little nervous in trading corals...

 

What are your systems, your process, your reasons, your excuses, and your experience with supermax housing for your reef?

[obrien.david.j]

I'm guilty of not QT'ing.   A red bug outbreak years ago caused me to become religious about my dipping Every coral that goes into the tank.  But not fish.

My coral dip procedure is:

1. 10-12 minutes in Bayer dip
2. rinse in clean salt bucket, rinse in 2nd clean salt bucket
3. 10-12 minutes in CoralRx (more in a second)
4. rinse in clean salt bucket, rinse in 2nd clean salt bucket
5. 10 minutes in Revive

Each of my steps is in a dedicated 1 gallon plastic bucket (paint store), and a cheapo Amazon tiny pump for water flow in the bucket.

Recently I've decided I'm going to replace Dip#2 with Exodus.  But haven't decided if 10-12 minutes is really enough.   

I here Potassium Chloride is a great dip too.  Who's got mixing instructions, and length of time?

[LavenderTi]

I originally did not QT when I had only a nano. That was 3 fish total and just 12 corals. Once I went larger the “stakes” become greater. I actually introduced ich to the nano with that 3rd fish. The close quarters of the tank and the aggression from the clowns caused that 3rd fish to present an ich infection after a month of being introduced. From that point I knew I’d have to be more careful and QT everything when moving to a new larger tank. 
 

CORALS:

I do 76 days for each frag through the coral QT. I also plan to QT CUC in that same tank. I dip in coral RX. I’m likely going to start Bayer dips and possible potassium chloride after @Lexinverts convincing case.

 

FISH:

For fish, I don’t plan to bring new fish often once I get this initial batch established. I keep ceramic media in my sump in the event I need to start up the QT tank. It’s a 20 tall (width restraint, I wish I could have done a 20 Long) with a hang on back filter, plastic rock structure, and heater. I’m hoping to keep these fish alive for years and years.

My method is based on Marine Collectors and Humblefish:

 

methylene blue bath

formalin bath

2-3 days of observation and ensure they’re eating, eating is very important  

copper power @2.3 ppm for 30 days

formalin bath again

metro in their food for 3 weeks

2 weeks observation

I agree in theory of the philosophy of having healthy fish with strong immune systems. What concerns me is large stress events becoming an outbreak if ich is being “managed” in the tank. A power outrage is my main worry.  

 

 

 

 

 

[Krux]

Here is a good overall intro to medications from HumbleFish:

 

and here is a thread with equipment info: 

https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/quarantine.2/

Edited January 30 by Krux