Question on my coral QT

Mydoghasfleas · Apr 13, 2017

For the 76 days to guarantee tomont free additions, the articles I have read have me slightly confused. Sorry if it's a silly question.

So the info I have flipped through says 76 days is the magic number. But states you can add corals at anytime, and don't need to add in batches. Just that each individual piece needs 76 days.

So the question here is in regards to the tomonts. There is no risk of one coming free and landing on a piece already through the 76 days? Also, how long can the parasites live once hatched and in the water column? Does this mean a dip, and thorough rinse before moving to DT would be enough to guarantee the possibility of hatched parasites are eliminated?

"The good news here is that you don’t have to introduce the corals and inverts in batches. Each individual coral needs to be in the QT for 76 days. Adding another coral later doesn’t restart the clock for the first coral. I like to add them in small groups (mostly because they are like potato chips, how do you just buy one?) and keep a list of which corals or inverts went in the QT on what date. It helps keep track of which ones can be added to the display so I don’t accidentally add one that hasn’t been in quarantine for the full 76 days."

Sorry, maybe some noob questions.

Source:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-quarantine-coral-and-inverts.288859/

DLHDesign · Apr 13, 2017

Mydoghasfleas said:
There is no risk of one coming free and landing on a piece already through the 76 days?

A tomont that comes free is either dead, or is more than likely too unhealthy to breed theronts. Yet even if it were able to do so, it would not matter - the location of a particular tomont is irrelevant. The tomont (wherever it is) will complete releasing all it's theronts into the water column within 72 days.

Mydoghasfleas said:
Also, how long can the parasites live once hatched and in the water column?

Those theronts (assuming there are no fish for it to attach to) will survive no more than 4 days - which is where 76 days come from. With all of them dying without converting to be trophonts, the lifecycle ends.

Mydoghasfleas said:
Does this mean a dip, and thorough rinse before moving to DT would be enough to guarantee the possibility of hatched parasites are eliminated?

After 76 days in a fish-free tank; yes - that would do it. If you've added nothing new in the past 76 days (and have been ultra-careful about cross-contamination), you could even skip this step, in theory. I, personally, wouldn't suggest skipping that step, but it could be done that way.