Mini-quarantine tank project

[LockeOak]

I wanted some outside opinions on a mini-quarantine tank I'm considering. My display is a 10G nano, I'd like a quarantine tank for individual frags. So far I haven't used one because I haven't had much in the tank to lose, but as it becomes more established I want a line of defense between a potentially pest-infected frag or snail and my display tank. I don't keep SPS or clams (not even any fish at the moment), so this would only be used for LPS and softies and maybe inverts, generally easy stuff. I was thinking either a 2.5G AGA tank or a cheap 5G tank with a 25-50W heater (whatever will fit) and a 13W PC lamp, bare-bottom. I have questions about the water movement and filtration, could I use a small maxi-jet and some floating chaeto, or do I need to buy a small aquaclear HOB? I have an AC modded into a refugium on my display, would an AC20 with the sponge and some chaeto work? Any other options that people would recommend? Is a 2.5G tank too small to be worth it?

 

[starrfish]

I use 2.5 gallon tanks for QT. It works fairly well. The corals certainly are not happy by the end of the QT period, but many have survived. I think this would be fine for LPS and softies. I've used them for mostly SPS and it's the best solution I've found. I have lost some corals, but much less than other methods I've tried. I don't have any filtration in the tanks - the key for me is daily water changes from my display. I just wouldn't be able to get a sponge filter ready every time I want to QT something. IME, a 25-50w heater is way too much for such a small tank. I cooked many corals before I found something better. Hydor sells these mini heaters that are meant for goldfish or beta bowls. They never bring the temp higher than a few degrees above room temp. For circulation, I use mini-jets. They are made by maxi-jet, but with much less flow and they are very small. For lighting, I place the small tanks next to my frag tank and they get the spillover light. The great thing about these tanks is they are so small you can put them anywhere. But the daily water changes is key. I also feed the corals cyclop-eeze while they're in QT to help make them healthy.

HTH