Frag swap: have your qt ready!

[ripped tide]

Hey guys, as we all know, our annual frag swap is approaching. This is going to be an awesome event! Lots of coral trades and sales will be taking place. With trades and sales, comes PESTS!!!

A lot of the seasoned reefers know that no one is immune to pests.

To the noobs: set up a coral QT!

Coral qt set up: 20 gallon(or less) aquarium, appropriate size heater, hang on filter or power head.

Coral dip set up: I use a 1/2 gallon tuberware with a lid. This allows me to swirl the container and "pull" pests from the coral.

My reccomended qt dips or meds: coral Rx, melafix marine, seachem reef dip, two little fishies dip(forgot the name), interceptor, and prazi pro.

Dip vs prolonged bath

Dips

Melafix marine, reef dip, coral rx, and sprung's stuff are generally used as a dip(1-10mins). They are potent remedies that naturally repel pests. When you dip a coral in one of these, you can watch the critters jump off. They are good for worms, pods, nudis, sometimes aptasia, crabs, snails, cyano bacteria and some algae.

Baths

Prazi pro effectively kills flatworms, bristle worms... Any worm really.
The recommended dose is 5ml per 20 gallons. Allow coral to bath in the qt tank for 5-7 days. This medicine can be acquired at most LFS

Interceptor is a medicine perscribed by a vet that prevents dogs from getting heart worms. In an aquarium, it kills pods, crabs, bristle worms, some shrimp, and (most importantly) RED BUGS! 23mg of interceptor treats ~100 gallons. 4.6mg treats ~20g, 2.3 for 10, so on and so forth. The pill should be adequately portioned and crushed to a for powder. Dissolve the powder completely in the wt tank and soak the coral between 6-12 hrs minimal. Red bugs carry the eggs until the larvae hatch, so one treatment should be adequate.





If anyone has some additional techniques, please share! Happy and safe reefing, Dylan

 

[sewer urchin]

This post was a smart idea, I'm sure a lot of people other than myself are gonna start asking about QT procedures. I would like to hear what other people are doing.
-Thanks RT

P.S. What sponsors stock QT supplies or is this covered in a previous post (I was thinking "Useful items and where to get them" in Reef Discussions, but didn't find it.

 

[ripped tide]

You should be able to get most supplies at any of our local sponsors.

Edit: Maybe we can talk to Seth, and arrange a sponsor to sell qt set ups at the swap.

 

[sewer urchin]

Cool idea. If that doesn't work, maybe before the next frag swap the group buy coordinator could arrange for a buy (or if he did i might have missed it). Do you think there would be time to organize one?
I saw one sponsor selling QT kits I think it was SEA- I didn't see a price however.

 

[ripped tide]

I bet Jenn at imagine ocean would be crazy enough to put together some qt set-ups at close to cost. She might want a pre order and pre pay, but at least you could pick up at the swap.

** I have not talked to Jenn about this, so I can't garauntee that she will be interested.

 

[hud3339]

Got a bottle of coral rx ready

 

[gnashty]

Sewer Urchin;733972 wrote: Cool idea. If that doesn't work, maybe before the next frag swap the group buy coordinator could arrange for a buy (or if he did i might have missed it). Do you think there would be time to organize one?
I saw one sponsor selling QT kits I think it was SEA- I didn't see a price however.

We are a little too close to put together a buy before the swap. SEA does have them available.

Maybe a sponsor will chime in if they want to bring a set up or two to the swap to sell.

Good thread Dylan

 

[ripped tide]

I just re-read my OP... Any mod care to touch up my typos?

Edit:

gnashty;733978 wrote: We are a little too close to put together a buy before the swap. SEA does have them available.

Maybe a sponsor will chime in if they want to bring a set up or two to the swap to sell.

Good thread Dylan

Thanks Gary! I'd like to give someone else the chance to provide the qts (assuming I will have my hands full at the swap) but if all else fails, I'll see if I can bring some qt set-ups. I'm not promising anything yet, I'd have to discuss with the higher-ups before I make a call, but I may be able to pull together an unofficial group buy... I bet my boss would be interested assuming I could get an appropriate number of people interested. I'll talk to him on Sunday, and go from there.

 

[db366]

Petsmart has a sale on there tank kits. I think a 10 gallon with everything you need (heater, filter, hood) is about $45.

 

[rdnelson]

I keep a media bag full of Matrix in my sump that I plan to use for my QT. The plan was to use a HOB Biowheel type filter but remove the biowheel and filter pad. I would then put the medea bag full of matrix in and have a cycled QT whenever I need it. I assume, I would want to do the same for a Coral QT correct? I further assume that because of the coral dips, it would be best to trash the matrix after I have finished the QT period. Tell me where I am going wrong here please?

Edit: BTW.....Anyone have a HOB filter they want to get rid of cheap???? That is the one missing link in my plan.

 

[jennm]

You don't need to discard the Matrix if you haven't medicated the tank proper. In fact, even if you have medicated the tank proper, you may not have to get rid of the Matrix (depends if you use the QT for fish *and* corals).

Pre-conditioning Matrix or other biological media in the display is a good idea - gives a new QT a head start.

Jenn

 

[rdnelson]

So basically, if I dip everything in a separate container, then move it to the QT tank, I wouldn't be importing enough medication to fowl the matrix. Killer. Next problem, I only have a 10 QT. I figure with all the frags I am going to scarf on I will need at least a 125. hehehehehe

 

[redstang]

Anyone dipping in hydrogen peroxide? There are a couple threads on NR and RC using hp to clear off unwanted algae and it seems to be effective with bristle worms too.

I HAVE NOT tried this. Just read about it.

From what I've read it will certainly kill some corals but is very effective at qt'ing many others. I'll be testing it soon. Maybe even tonight as there's some yellow algae that keeps growing from a plug that I have some ricordea's on.

 

[rdnelson]

Hey Dylan/Jenn. Couple other questions I didn't see in the OP.

1. Recommended time to QT the coral before moving to display tank.
2. Lighting. I didn't see that mentioned in the equipment list. Is it a concern to have proper lighting while the frags are in the QT?

 

[jennm]

Yes, you'd need adequate lighting for corals in a QT. Fish, not so much.

Time... 2 weeks to a month. I would think that any issue that would crop up, would do so in that time frame. If a problem arises, then at least 2 weeks after the problem is resolved. I'm sure there will be other opinions on this - I suppose it might depend on your confidence in the source of the corals, and what the problem is.

Jenn

 

[rdnelson]

Well then, I need to work on a DIY light apparently. LOL Would the self ballasted compact fluorescent reef lamps in clamp on fixtures do the trick? If so, would one be enough or would it need two?

 

[ripped tide]

I am going to leave the descision on the duration of the qt and lighting up to the operator. I would thouroughly examine all new corals and try to diagnose any potential issues. If there is no plug envolved, there will be less chance of hitchhikers.

If your corals will require a prolonged stay in qt, I would chose a light that is just slightly less intense than your DT light.

I personally like to get stuff out of qt and into my stable DT as quick as possible, if a coral is monitored for a few days, and you have done the preventative treatments, I would acclimate it over.

 

[jennm]

Lighting needs would depend on what corals you have.

 

[ripped tide]

JennM;734120 wrote: Lighting needs would depend on what corals you have.

Indeed. I wouldn't use a standard flouresent if you are planning on holding sps long term. :doh:

 

[ripped tide]

Bump