Requirements for an SPS Quaratine System?

InsaneClownFish · #1 10/14/2007, 05:08 PM

The title says it all.

I'm starting a 16g custom built acrylic, shallow cube(sps and clams only) for my main display with a 40 gallon sump.
My quarantine setup will only need to house 1-3 small frags at any given time(or possibly a clam).

Everyone says that the simplest of setups can serve as a quarantine, but is this sufficient for SPS?
I'm thinking of using a 5g AGA with a heater, a small maxijet, and some type of inexpensive pc or clip on for lighting. Sufficient?

How long can I keep frags isolated like this?
Since I'll be using the tank to dose and dip for red bugs and flatworms, should I just leave one small fish in the tank to keep it cycled rather than some live rock?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

InsaneClownFish · #2 10/14/2007, 10:46 PM

Selfless bump

rkl303 · #3 10/15/2007, 12:13 AM

I'd say PC is fine for the short/quarantine run but nothing like a couple of months. Odds are you will lose some color though. I had a slimer in PC light for a long time...eventually lost it to a crash but color was decent(nothing like it was whne it was in my friends tank though)

InsaneClownFish · #4 10/16/2007, 01:20 AM

Hmm so about a week to 10 days should be sufficient, and frags should be fine under pc for that duration?

Thanks rkl..

Anyone else have any thoughts on this subject...or tips...thanks!

tacocat · #5 10/16/2007, 03:20 AM

We use 10g or 20g tanks. I like using an Ehiem Liberty HOB, a heater, and a maxijet. Lighting is provided by t-5 or a small MH setup.

As far as biological filtration goes, I keep some live rock in my sump. I rob my display tank of 10g of saltwater, and throw the live rock in QT (forces me to do a small water change too).

After QT is over, I rinse the live rock in fresh water. I dry it out for a couple of days, and chuck it back into the sump.