Albertan Reef Quarantine & Conditioning Standards

Quarantine has become a common term in the hobby — but not all quarantine programs are equal.

At Albertan Reef, quarantine means proactive, therapeutic-level treatment combined with progressive observation. Every day a fish remains in our care, it is becoming cleaner, stronger, and more stable.

We take an uncompromising approach. We would rather lose a fish in our system than send one that could introduce disease into yours.

Our goal is simple: reduce risk before it ever reaches your aquarium.

The 14-Day Clean Standard

At Albertan Reef, we operate under a structured 14-Day Clean Standard.

To pass our protocol, fish must remain in our systems and be visibly healthy and symptom-free for a consecutive 14-day observation period while undergoing preventative treatment.

If at any point signs of illness or infection appear, the 14-day observation period resets once the fish has stabilized and shows no further symptoms.

For example, if an Achilles Tang displays signs of ich through day 8 and symptoms resolve on day 9, the 14-day clean observation period begins on day 9. In that case, total quarantine time would extend to 22 days.

This is why most fish require 2–6 weeks from the time an order is placed before they are cleared under our 14-Day Clean Standard.

We do not rush livestock through this process.

Proactive Treatment Protocol

Over time, our quarantine program has been refined and strengthened. The majority of fish we offer undergo preventative protocols designed to address common marine pathogens, including:

• Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans)
• Marine Velvet (Amyloodinium ocellatum)
• Flukes (Monogeneans)
• Brooklynella (Brooklynella hostilis)
• Uronema (Uronema marinum)

Our primary quarantine systems operate with chelated copper sulfate (Copper Power) maintained at approximately 2.65 ppm, slightly above minimum therapeutic levels to provide a controlled safety buffer.

Copper is paired with Nitrofurazone, an antimicrobial agent used to help prevent secondary bacterial infections and support gill health during treatment.

In addition:

• Systems receive controlled formalin treatments as a secondary preventative measure
• Fish may undergo additional formalin dips during quarantine when appropriate

These measures are designed to proactively address parasitic infections while maintaining fish stability.

Our goal is not simply to observe fish — but to actively reduce risk before livestock enters your aquarium.

System Design & Biosecurity

Our quarantine systems are engineered around one core philosophy:

Water quality determines quarantine success.

Each independent system includes:

• Oversized protein skimming
• Dedicated equipment to reduce cross-contamination
• Segmented systems to improve biosecurity

We intentionally operate multiple smaller systems rather than one centralized system. This allows better control, isolation, sanitation, and risk management.

Maintenance & Water Quality Control

Every system undergoes:

• Full manual scrubbing prior to water changes
• Weekly 100% water changes
• Pre-medicated replacement water to maintain stable treatment levels
• Controlled draining and refilling without removing fish

This approach allows us to maintain therapeutic consistency while providing extremely clean water conditions.

Clean water allows fish to better tolerate quarantine treatments and recover from transport stress.

The result is conditioned, stable fish that transition more successfully into customer systems.

Release & Shipping

Upon successful completion of quarantine, we will contact you to coordinate a shipping or pickup date.

Each fish is thoroughly inspected prior to release, carefully packed using professional shipping methods, and sent to its new home with attention to stability and safe transit.

Healthy livestock transitions better.
Proper preparation makes the difference.