Quarantine question please help!! ICH

sks4613 · 03/01/2010, 09:59 AM

Seems the powder blue tang I purchased and QT'd somehow still got ich into my DT. My question is this, if I take some LR from my DT and place it in a newly set up QT tank, any cycle I would experience would be minimal if it occurred at all. For example, a 40 gallon tank with 30 pounds of good live rock in the tank would minimize any cycle from being a new tank? I think if i did this then I could allow my DT to go through a normal cycle to get rid of the Ich and I could treat the fish before returning. Since the treatment most likely would have copper in it would I have to trash the LR or if it was rinsed soaked etc, could it be returned to the DT afterwards? Dt is reef tank. The fish all look ok except a blue hippo who appears healthy but clearly is infected.
Thanks for the input.

Michael · 03/01/2010, 11:04 AM

once the qt has been treated with copper, you wont ever be able to add that rock back to the dt, a wet dry filter is a good method for a qt, or a large sponge filter.

Chiefsurfer · 03/01/2010, 11:10 AM

^Agree. The rock will no longer be able to be put in the DT, and the copper might kill the bacteria on it, so it may be futile. I would set the tank up and run it. Get the pvc pipe hiding spots in place, the whole time, have a plain sponge added to your DT right now. Give that time to colonize with Bacteria, may take a week or so, then you can take the sponge and put that in the QT tank, and use that bacteria to process ammonia for the QT. LR is too expensive to be throwing in the QT.

bertoni · 03/01/2010, 06:21 PM

If you're desperate, and willing to ditch or acid-dip the live rock, you could try using it as the filter. I would worry about the copper killing enough animals in the live rock to cause an ammonia spike, but that might be relatively low risk. Otherwise, I agree that setting up a QT filter is a good approach.

If you're willing to do a lot of water changes and dose Amquel, you might be able to move the fish immediately, but you might need 80% water changes per day or more to keep up with ammonia.

03/01/2010, 09:59 AM	#1
sks4613 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Newburgh Posts: 100	Quarantine question please help!! ICH Seems the powder blue tang I purchased and QT'd somehow still got ich into my DT. My question is this, if I take some LR from my DT and place it in a newly set up QT tank, any cycle I would experience would be minimal if it occurred at all. For example, a 40 gallon tank with 30 pounds of good live rock in the tank would minimize any cycle from being a new tank? I think if i did this then I could allow my DT to go through a normal cycle to get rid of the Ich and I could treat the fish before returning. Since the treatment most likely would have copper in it would I have to trash the LR or if it was rinsed soaked etc, could it be returned to the DT afterwards? Dt is reef tank. The fish all look ok except a blue hippo who appears healthy but clearly is infected. Thanks for the input.

03/01/2010, 11:04 AM	#2
Michael NTTH Rookie Help Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gloucester, England,UK Posts: 7,808 Blog Entries: 6	once the qt has been treated with copper, you wont ever be able to add that rock back to the dt, a wet dry filter is a good method for a qt, or a large sponge filter. __________________ Don't be afraid to ask questions, we in the new to the hobby are here to help you [For My Tank Spec,Photo Album,Articles and website, click on my name] MY Very Kindest and Warmest Regards , MIKE Current Tank Info: I have a 92 gal Corner Tank, and way too many pieces of equipment to list really, (proud member of the reef central corner club)

03/01/2010, 11:10 AM	#3
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	^Agree. The rock will no longer be able to be put in the DT, and the copper might kill the bacteria on it, so it may be futile. I would set the tank up and run it. Get the pvc pipe hiding spots in place, the whole time, have a plain sponge added to your DT right now. Give that time to colonize with Bacteria, may take a week or so, then you can take the sponge and put that in the QT tank, and use that bacteria to process ammonia for the QT. LR is too expensive to be throwing in the QT. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

03/01/2010, 06:21 PM	#4
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	If you're desperate, and willing to ditch or acid-dip the live rock, you could try using it as the filter. I would worry about the copper killing enough animals in the live rock to cause an ammonia spike, but that might be relatively low risk. Otherwise, I agree that setting up a QT filter is a good approach. If you're willing to do a lot of water changes and dose Amquel, you might be able to move the fish immediately, but you might need 80% water changes per day or more to keep up with ammonia. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni