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Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/6/2008 9:35:31 AM
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| 3) Quarantine: It is and has been repeatedly stated that quarantine of all new livestock is essential.It is mandatory for public aquariums such is the importance of not introducing disease or parasites. Corals today are rife with pest species - from algae, sponges, nudibranchs, flatworms, snails, and crustaceans that are ridiculously difficult to eradicate and should never be introduced into a tank. Quarantine is the best and perhaps only way to deal with this issue, and no coral should simply be acclimated and put into a display without quarantine. Given the long acclimation time potentially required when the history of the coral is not known, quarantine is an excellent place to allow the coral to acclimate prior to display introduction. Of course, quarantine tanks have to be places where the specimen can thrive, and not be a makeshift holding container that ultimately results in deterioration of health, causes stress, or is even farther from the display in terms of water chemistry and light parameters I am interested in the statement above, and specifically this: "and not be a makeshift holding container that ultimately results in deterioration of health, causes stress, or is even farther from the display in terms of water chemistry and light parameters" My question is this... What would be considered acceptable, or otherwise " not makeshift " Thanks, Nathan
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| Also, is it useful to use refugia as a quarantine spot, or will the pests make it to the display? Could I make a small container that can tie into the sump, just for acclimation/quarantine... Then take it down in between these practices... Maybe, pump water slowly into and out of the container while lighting it Thanks, Nathan
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I would not want to take a chance on something getting through the refugium into the main tank. Even with a good UV some things could make it through. I would suggest a separate tank. My thoughts on the statement are that you want to be sure your QT system is reliable and robust as to not kill its inhabitants. I keep a sponge filter that has been cycling in the display tank fuge and move it to the QT to help keep the ammonia/nitrites spikes to a minimum and filling the QT with display tank water would be ideal. You would want to have the QT constructed with quality equipment as well. Use a properly sized heater and pump and do regular water changes on it using display tank water. Lighting too should be similar to the display but I could see getting away with some T5s for the short term and acclimation the coral to the display lighting when it is pest free. Just because it is temporary does not mean that you want to have it be really cheap. The Biocubes are nice since they have just about everything included and you can pick them up used for a good price if you keep your eyes peeled. You also may need to nuke the tank with some form of pest treatment and many of those solutions can kill off any beneficial bacteria so you need to have a plan in place in that event. Could just be have a couple of sponge filters in the fuge. Bob Fenner has some thoughts about allelopathy in regard to QT and acclimation. He suggested that once the coral is free of nasties, to add water from the QT to the display as well as from the display to the QT several times over a few days. This way the inhabitants can adjust to each other in regard to toxins and defense mechanisms. I have been trying to come up with an efficient method to try this out. Just my 2 cents. I am sure the regulars here can add some details. Faz
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Can I get back to this post a bit later? It will take some time I don't have right now to compose. thanks, fazgood, for the comments to the question.
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Eric Borneman
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>>My question is this... What would be considered acceptable, or otherwise " not makeshift "<<
Again, I think it's important to distinguish between a treatment tank and a quarantine tank. Many hobbyists and even facilities consider quarantine as a tank filled with water and some minimal form of filtration. This is also what is considered quarantine for other animals -a waiting area to check for disease, etc. The problem is that such unnatural conditions can cause stress and actually exacerbate the likelihood of disease/parasite manifestation. For a wild organism, getting into a more natural environment without exposing other species that could contract potential diseases/parasites and that caters to its health is quarantine. Treatment tanks, on the other hand, because of the use of medications, etc., must almost by necessity be nearly devoid of anything but treatment water and basic filtration. I consider a proper quarantine tank to have all the characteristics needed for the organism - shelter, good water quality, plenty of food, proper light, no predators. I think a small matured rock-only, well-lit reef tank just running without livestock is an excellent quarantine tank. It is not fed much except a sprinkling of maybe phytoplankton or fine particulate food every once in a while to keep diversity up, and some snails to keep algae in control. I don't think it needs skimming or filtration, just water flow and top off with kalkwasser or whatever is normally used to maintain calcium and alkalinity. When the fish or coral is quarantined, you then feed well for whatever species it is, and if water changes need to be done, do them with the water from the display tank, replacing that water with freshly made seawater. I would not introduce newly prepared seawater into a quarantine tank. I think the same could be done with a rubbermaid container and one of the 65 watt or so outdoor PC fixtures from Home Depot that are about $30. That's enough light and the opaque walls may actually be less stressful than an aquarium with its clear glass and interior reflections. Water flow with a small wide-flow powerhead is great - The smaller Tunze, Hydror Korallia, Seio, Maxijet with retrofit kit, etc. are great.
>>Also, is it useful to use refugia as a quarantine spot, or will the pests make it to the display?<<
Yes, they very well could. You could do this if you ran all the outflow of the refugium through a UV sterilizer and cut the risk, but I think its more complex and with more risk and expense as you will then also be killing the production of the refugium.
>>Could I make a small container that can tie into the sump, just for acclimation/quarantine... Then take it down in between these practices... Maybe, pump water slowly into and out of the container while lighting it
I would not want to take a chance on something getting through the refugium into the main tank. Even with a good UV some things could make it through. I would suggest a separate tank.<<
agreed
>>Bob Fenner has some thoughts about allelopathy in regard to QT and acclimation. He suggested that once the coral is free of nasties, to add water from the QT to the display as well as from the display to the QT several times over a few days. This way the inhabitants can adjust to each other in regard to toxins and defense mechanisms. I have been trying to come up with an efficient method to try this out.<<
Not to rain on Bob's parade and correct advice, but I think I proposed that first. I mention it above, as well. I am more hesitant to suggest adding QT water to the main tank and it also depends on tank volume as to how effective this is to the display (i.e a few cups of QT water to a 180 is not the same as a few cups of 180 water to a 10 gallon QT.) There is also some risk as without a microscope one can't be sure if the risks of adding QT water outweigh any benefits.
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Eric Borneman
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