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Post by Matt in Lewiston on Aug 14, 2013 11:26:29 GMT -5
I plan to start quarantining any new corals and inverts in a 10 gallon tank. I am doing this mostly to give any fish parasite hitchhikers a chance to die off. Would a regular cheap flourescent light meant for a freshwater system be enough for the corals to survive and stay healthy enough so there aren't any long term problems? I am planning 4 weeks like this before going to the display tank. I would only use coralrx if I saw anything problematic to the corals themselves.
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Post by foggman on Aug 14, 2013 11:46:18 GMT -5
I would think you still need the correct lighting or the corals will die they need light everyday to survive, I don't think I have ever heard of QT corals only fish you should coralrx everything to be safe but I'm far from an expert
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Post by Tucker on Aug 14, 2013 11:51:53 GMT -5
I agreee with foggman, a coral dip does the trick, but for a fish qt then yes a reqular bulb would do just fine.
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Post by oceangirl2009 on Aug 14, 2013 12:29:37 GMT -5
+ 2, coralrx dip will take the place of quartine and will kill any unwanted critters. You don't need any special lighting for most other inverts (shrimp, snails, crabs) or fish.
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Post by Matt in Lewiston on Aug 14, 2013 16:28:56 GMT -5
I don't want to use coralrx unless I need to, the tank is young and I want the beneficial hitchhikers. After losing $400 in fish due to either ick or velvet, and not knowing what is swimming in the same water as the corals I don't want to add directly to the display tank. Especially if I add something that cannot be exposed to air like a gorgonian, as some of the fish store water would get in the tank.
What sort of lighting would be a minimum for survival? Would a single tube of the correct spectrum be ok? Reef sun 50/50 perhaps? I'm not looking for lots of growth, just enough so they stay healthy.
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Post by Matt in Lewiston on Aug 14, 2013 16:33:11 GMT -5
Also this tank would not be used to quarantine fish, I have 55 gallon I use for that, and will now be treating every fish with copper (those that can tolerate it anyway).
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Post by oceangirl2009 on Aug 14, 2013 17:43:54 GMT -5
This is just my opinion so take it as you will, but that's a lot of work for something a quick 5 min dip can accomplish. I dip every coral I get, not only does it help with parasites but it helps with any bacterial infection that might have happened when it was fragged/transported. Unless you are buying coral on large pieces of live rock you won't be getting enough good hitch hikers on a small frag to warrant such a set up.
BTW I've exposed my gorgonian to air many times with no ill effect.
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Post by Matt in Lewiston on Aug 14, 2013 17:53:06 GMT -5
As far as the gorgonian, I'm sure it depends on what kind it is. That's a very good point regarding most frags, but anything from AquaCorals is loaded with hitchhikers. But buying there is what killed all my fish (and not being set up to properly treat the first fish before it spread to the whole tank).
So I think I will dip most things, but I still want to be able to quarantine certain specimens instead... Any thoughts on the 18" 50/50 bulb?
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Post by Tucker on Aug 14, 2013 19:39:15 GMT -5
If you are dead set on a qt for coral a 10 gallon would do fine, 18 inch fixture is coincidentally 18 watts so that's about 1.8 watts per gallon but you are closer to the coral because it is only 12 inches tall so you could most likely get away with it. Normally it's 3-5 watts for 18+ inches tall tank and you could make a frag rack to raise it up. So you would be pretty close to that. You could also get a cheap led spotlight off eBay that would put out the equivalent of 75 watts for under $20.
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Post by Matt in Lewiston on Aug 14, 2013 20:01:34 GMT -5
Part of the reason I wanted to do it, its basically already set up as a hospital tank...of course I'd drain it and scrub it first. Auto top off and everything. Eventually I would upgrade the lighting and use it as a frag tank.
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