Acclimation/Quarantine set up questions.. Professional help Please!

[Jdubbs]

Acclimation Quarantine set up Professional help Please!

Hey All,

I've been in the hobby for a little more than a year with a 75 gallon and 30 gallon sump, MSX octopus, vortech powerheads, aquamedic spacelight halidies + actinics, 110 pounds of fiji rock, a new 1/4 hp current chiller, 15w uv sterilizer, carbon/phosban reactors (AKA the whole kit and spent way more than I planned which I'm sure we all have)

I have been having great success with my corals, dose daily calc and alk (some sps not getting the full color I have been looking for but still really nice) but AWFUL luck with ALL my fish. I had been buying from Saltwaterfish.com and other MR reefers - I've heard good reviews about SWF.com but I have always gotten ich that wiped everything out 3 times (I'm about $600 in the hole with fish). I have speculated that it was temp flucuation (hence the chiller), then shipping stress, tried quick freshwater dips.. I haven't gotten it right and I'm really frustrated and hesitant to buy. Should I just buy from stores local?

I REALLY want to get this right this time. I have a 30 gallon tub from target, some rock, a powerhead, heater, and just ordered a penguin hang on bio filter for a quarantine tank. My plan is to fill the QT tank with 15g of tank water from my display and 10 gallons of fresh salt water (an ok ratio?). Drip Acclimate the fish for 45 or so to the QT tank water measure ph and salinity, and keep an eye on them for a week. (Is just a heater enough to keep the temp right? Do I need any lights? I have also heard that dipping them in quick cure before putting them in new water is a good way to kill parasites. Any truth to this?)

If they are eating and look alright I will temp acclimate to my tank and put them in.. Please give me suggestions on this!!

Merry Christmas!

J

 

[NYreefNoob]

you more then likely have ich in your system, if starting a qt tank no need for rock, and dont use water from your system, ich is always present in a system, and a stressed out fish will get it easily, you can use a 10g tank or bigger pending type of fish your getting, a hob filter, a heater and a ph, i drip acclimate my fish for an hour too two, after i had floated the bag for a little while to equal temps out

 

[Jdubbs]

Don't fish need to have cycled water? I can just put completely fresh RODI salt water in the QT tank and it's fine?

 

[NYreefNoob]

u can run the system for a week or so to get it going, and i may be wrong but the cycle comes from bacteria from the rock and or sand, so no cycle for just water

 

[masterswimmer]

J,
The best path for you to take at this point is to let your display tank run fallow for 6-7 weeks. No disrespect intended, in case you're unfamiliar with the term, running fallow is NO FISH, zero.

The ich parasite needs a host in order to reproduce (the host is the fish). The ich cysts that are already present in your system will hatch and find no host (assuming you're running it fallow) and die. The next ich cyst in the cycle will hatch and they will also find no host and die. This will continue to happen until there are no more ich cysts left in the tank. It takes about 5-6 weeks for this cycle to complete. That's why it is suggested to leave the system fallow for 6-7 weeks, to guaranty that the cycle of all the cysts hatching is complete.

Yes, this is a long time to go without fish. However, it is very costly, and quite frankly a bit inhumane (knowing that all fish introduced to your system will perish to ich) to continue to add fish without treating the problem first.

When you're done running fallow for 7 weeks, then you can start your QT and use the percent mix of tank water to freshly made R/O saltwater.

Hope this helps,
Russ

 

[aznt1217]

What everyone else said is great but if you want a quick and dirty method.

Having been through this myself. I think many will agree that garlic is going to be the best remedy if you are battling ich currently with fish that are eating but have ich present.

For your QT "tank" keep your salinity low at like 1.020, parasites cannot live in that but fish can and temperature relatively high. You can use your tank water but just drop the salinity level. If you have a UV Sterilizer I say run it on the safe side.

 

[masterswimmer]

Ich won't live in SG of 1.009 (hyposalinity). If you keep it above 1.009 (including 1.020) ich will still live.

Garlic is said to be a good way to improve the immune system of fish. It will not cure ich though.

J, the BEST way to get rid of it is as I mentioned above. Run your system fallow for 6-7 weeks. Don't try any shortcuts. You'll wind up throwing MORE good money after bad.

The best remedy is time and patience.

swimmer

 

[prattreef]

Ich won't live in SG of 1.009 (hyposalinity). If you keep it above 1.009 (including 1.020) ich will still live.

Garlic is said to be a good way to improve the immune system of fish. It will not cure ich though.

J, the BEST way to get rid of it is as I mentioned above. Run your system fallow for 6-7 weeks. Don't try any shortcuts. You'll wind up throwing MORE good money after bad.

The best remedy is time and patience.

swimmer

Very sound advice.

 

[Bob 1000]

Ich won't live in SG of 1.009 (hyposalinity). If you keep it above 1.009 (including 1.020) ich will still live.

Garlic is said to be a good way to improve the immune system of fish. It will not cure ich though.

J, the BEST way to get rid of it is as I mentioned above. Run your system fallow for 6-7 weeks. Don't try any shortcuts. You'll wind up throwing MORE good money after bad.

The best remedy is time and patience.

swimmer

I 3rd that advice,,lol..

 

[Jdubbs]

Thanks Russ and everyone

I will keep the fish out for another 4 weeks at least then.. (been empty for three before I went to South Africa).. So the ratio of 3 tank water to 2 new RO water is appropriate? lighting isnt needed in the QT tank?

 

[Jdubbs]

any truth to the quick cure dip method?

 

[masterswimmer]

You can throw an incandescent bulb over the QT if you want.
Avoid the quick cure dip. Just another avenue for stress induced ich.

Go fallow. Use QT. No need to dip. Wait the full 6-7 weeks. Exercise patience. Introduce the fish to your display. Enjoy.

Russ

 

[KathyC]

J,
The best path for you to take at this point is to let your display tank run fallow for 6-7 weeks. No disrespect intended, in case you're unfamiliar with the term, running fallow is NO FISH, zero.

The ich parasite needs a host in order to reproduce (the host is the fish). The ich cysts that are already present in your system will hatch and find no host (assuming you're running it fallow) and die. The next ich cyst in the cycle will hatch and they will also find no host and die. This will continue to happen until there are no more ich cysts left in the tank. It takes about 5-6 weeks for this cycle to complete. That's why it is suggested to leave the system fallow for 6-7 weeks, to guaranty that the cycle of all the cysts hatching is complete.

Yes, this is a long time to go without fish. However, it is very costly, and quite frankly a bit inhumane (knowing that all fish introduced to your system will perish to ich) to continue to add fish without treating the problem first.

When you're done running fallow for 7 weeks, then you can start your QT and use the percent mix of tank water to freshly made R/O saltwater.

Hope this helps,
Russ

Great advice Russ, but I'd like to add my 2 cents to this..

Best to add NO rock to a QT..for a couple of reasons:
1- If you do discover the fish needs to be treated with meds, you would need to remove & kill the rock.
2- it will cause the QT to cycle due to the amount of bacteria in it.
Use small sections of PVC piping instead

IMO a QT tank should NOT be set up until you need to use it. It should be filled with NEW water as the principal behind QT'ing is to provide the fish with optimal water and observe it for any signs of illness, parasites, etc.

That means water changes should be performed daily on it to remove any food, fish waste. If you allow them to accumulate, you will cause the QT to begin cycling and that will stress out the fish.
-------
If you have added discarded tank water to the QT, you are adding the following:
1- water with bacteria in it that will begin to cause a cycle in the QT quicker than if you hadn't.
2- water that is already at least partially degraded in quality.

------
Always be sure to have an ammonia test kit on hand when using a QT tank, and please test daily.
Add a thermometer to your list

..and lastly, unless you are QT'ing all corals, sand, rock that you add to your tank, you are taking the chance of adding Ich from someones elses tank.

OR... (and I was asked to add this by a reefer whom I greatly admire...)
IF you have the room to keep a dedicated QT tank running ALL of the time (including doing regular maintanence on it), that is fine too. Just be aware that if you use medication in the take (antibiotics in particular), you WILL kill the bacteria and the tank WILL start a new cycle.

 

[Jdubbs]

so I add ONLY new water? no existing water from the tank (after 7 weeks) ?? It wouldnt be cycled at all.. does that not matter

 

[masterswimmer]

Justin, after 7 weeks, the ich cyst should be dead. That is the whole reason for running fallow. If you're referring to Kathy's post, she must be referring to the existence of other parasites or pathogens besides ich.

swimmer

 

[Jdubbs]

I've almost been running fallow for 8 weeks. I have a couple of ???
What ratio of tank water to new RO water should I use if I am using a 30gallon bucket from target?

I will keep a powerhead and a heater in the tank. I also have a penguin filter to remove amonia. Do I need this and should I run it before putting the fish in? Should I put some damsels in the qt tank first to get the penguin going?

When setting up the quarantine tank, what else should I take into consideration? Is any lighting besides natural light necessary?

Is a week enough to wait before transferring to the new tank? Should I keep the salinity the same as my Show tank?

Please give me some advise as I've never set up a QT tank before and reaaally want to do this right

 

[Jdubbs]

anyone??

 

[nyc reefer]

Jdubbs, are you just starting the quarentine tank?

 

[Awibrandy]

Russ/Masterswimmer has already given you the answers! You can trust his recommendations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Marteen]

Run the penguin off your sump for a week that will seed it and then you can place it in your QT tank. When you aren't using your QT tank just keep your biowheel in your sump so it stays wet.

Try ordering fish from somewhere else, try liveaquaria.com I have only heard good things about their fish and they also have a 14 day guarantee on most of their fish.