Quarantine Questions

[MOsborne05]

I have a few days off work in March, so I am getting my tank drilled at an awesome lfs in Michigan, that is about two hours away. I've been buying stuff for the tank every payday, so I should have everything that I need by the time I get the tank drilled. I plan on having everything ready to go when I get home from the lfs, including the baserock structure. I want to pick up some live rock and some live sand at the lfs, and then when I get home I can just set everything up and get it running.

My dilemma is, that this lfs has some awesome flasher wrasses that I can't find around here. So, can I keep one in my 5.5 gallon quarantine tank until my tank cycles? The quarantine tank will be a new set-up though, so am I going to have cycling problems? I guess I could make another trip up there in a few months, but I would like to get the wrasse now.

Also, with the quarantine tank, do I just run a normal hob filter like I would for freshwater? Then I would have a heater, powerhead and some pvc pipe in it, and that's it?

And, would a flasher wrasse be a good first addition to my tank as far as temperament? Eventually, I would like to have a pair of false percs, a yellow watchman goby, a firefish, and the flasher wrasse. I know I should add the clowns last, but does it matter what order I add the others?

My only other dilemma is a protein skimmer. I'm leading towards a Corallife Super Skimmer, but if you think its worth it I will get the Tunze Nano Doc. Any thoughts on skimmers?

Thanks in advance, sorry for so many questions

 

[Lorna]

The flasher wrasse would be fine in the qt tank for a short time.....you could start up the qt tank and let it cycle by using some fish food to start it with.....and then use a hob filter with water changes until you can move it into the main tank......

I would lean toward the tunze skimmer over the coralife....

 

[MOsborne05]

OK thanks Lorna. I might get a 10 or 20 gallon to use as a quarantine instead of the 5.5, just because I'd feel much better about leaving him in there for a few weeks. Or, I could just make a trip up there in a few months, and pick up some nice corals while I'm there

I think I'll go with the Tunze skimmer then. I've heard that they are top-of-the-line, and I just got a big raise so money isn't really an issue anymore.

 

[Lotus]

He should be fine in a quarantine for a while. Just keep a good eye on the ammonia and other parameters. Give him some PVC tubing or plastic ornaments to hide in.

Keep the tank really well covered. For the main tank, eggcrate isn't enough to keep these guys in. You'll need to get a mesh cover, or something else that is escape proof.

 

[Lorna]

second with Lotus.....I had my secretive wrasse jump right through egg crate......still not sure how he did it but I was pretty upset when I lost him......

 

[MOsborne05]

I plan on getting a new Versa-top for the tank. The one I have now is in pretty bad shape, and its missing the back plastic slide-on pieces. When I get a new one, I am going to cut out just enough space for the heater, so there shouldn't be any spots that are uncovered.

 

[Lorna]

The reason most will use eggcrate or keep an open top is to provide better gas exchange and release heat as you may find your tank heating up too much come summer

 

[CAPSLOCK]

A flasher wrasse would be fine as the first fish, to answer that question... they don't mess with anyone. The firefish, wrasse, and goby are all pretty much as peaceful as they come and indifferent towards other fish (although the wrasse will like to examine new visitors, they're curious little fish).

 

[MOsborne05]

Ok, so the clowns will definitely be added last (as hard as that is!).

I just got our RO/DI filter yesterday, and haven't even opened the box yet. I'm still debating on which skimmer to get. And we are going to start construction on the sump next weekend. The first week of March I am going to drop off the tank with a fellow reefer to get it drilled and attach the overflow. I'm picking it up on March 22nd, along with some live rock and I will be good to go! I can't wait

 

[wayne]

You might want to get a larger skimmer than the nano DOC from Tunze - what's the next model up? Beware they are awful finicky on water level so be prepared to get an autotopup at the same time - usually these are sold in Europe as a 'bundle' with the skimmer, atopup and a powerhead packed in a bucket as an all in one filtration kit.

 

[MOsborne05]

I actually ended up getting a used Aqua C Urchin with a MJ1200 pump from a fellow reefer. I've read that they are pretty good, any experiences with them?