Awful Problems

[Tervos]

Hey guys awful news had a hippo tang got ick died and took my other two clown fish with it, they were the only fish I had. I tried to treat them with reef safe kick ick, because I have some acans, zoos, and ricodeas, but it didn't work. I feel awful, now I just don't know what to do? What is my next move on trying to restart this tank do I need to do a water change. If I put new fish in there will they get ick ? I don't know what to do from here.

My tank parameters are also strange and I don't know how to control them my PH is at 8.2 Ammonia is at 0.0 nitrate is at 0.0 nitrite is at 0.0 Phosphate is at 0.0 Calcium is high this is at 560 I don't know how to get this down into the mid 400 range? Also my KH is at 10dkh or 179. anything would help.

Thank you very much

[slief]

Sorry to hear about that. Unfortunately Kick Ich doesn't work in my experience. Leave the tank fish-less for several weeks so the ich can complete it's cycle and die off without a fish to host. After about 8 weeks, you should be safe to start adding fish again. Did you happen to have a large temp swing that triggered the outbreak?

[Tervos]

it would fluctuate from 77 to almost 81 buy the time the lights shut off

[Tervos]

Any ideas about the high calcium is that ok or do I need something to lower it ?

[phillrodrigo]

What salt are you using. What are you using to check your salinity. Is it calibrated correctly. Also what are you adding.for supplements. Some salts have high alk and calcium or it could be your salinity is higher than you think since the higher the salinity the higher your mag alk and Cal will be

[slief]

I'd probably get another test kit but that has nothing to do with your ich issue. I'm guessing your temp swings may have something to do with it. Especially if it swung more than a couple degrees in an hour. Did you happen to do a large water change with water that was a different temp than your display temp? FWIW, I avoid Hippo Tangs in my tanks as they are always the first fish to break out in ich. How long did you have that fish for?

[Chrisq0904]

Originally Posted by Tervos

Any ideas about the high calcium is that ok or do I need something to lower it ?

Are you dosing anything to your system?

[Tervos]

My LFS says to add 8.4 from aquavitro this is because my ph was dropping to around 7.8. For my salt I buy my water with salt from my LFS so I do not know what type of salt they use my fluval sea hydrometer to check my S.G that is at 1.025 33PPT

[Tervos]

Also you guys think I should just wait now like a couple of weeks or so before adding new fish and this will hopefully resolve my ick problem just waiting.... Also that hippo tang I had for almost 3 weeks before he died sucks to no refund after 14 days I think I had him for 19

[slief]

I'd suggest going back and reading my first post. You need to wait several weeks before adding more fish unless you want to introduce the new fish to ich as well. Ich goes through stages. When you see them on the fish, that is just one of the stages. They parasite falls off and will lie dormant in the sand bed for up to several weeks waiting for a new host.

You should also consider a QT system that you can treat with copper to avoid this issue in the future and also research your choices of fish. A Hippo tang is a very poor choice in an unestablished system. Especially if you don't QT the fish and do preventative ich treatment. As I said, they are prone to ich outbreaks.

[slief]

I'd suggest you take some time and read this.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1985626

[slief]

More reading on the subject. I'm guessing you are new to the hobby and I think you should do more homework so as to save yourself money and decrease the likelihood of killing more fish. This is important stuff if you want to avoid killing more fish as a result of something is somewhat avoidable.
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/11/mini
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/12/mini
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/1/mini
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2004/2/mini

[Tervos]

Thank you for the links they helped a lot. Is it ok to have high Calcium like I have now ?

[slief]

Originally Posted by Tervos

Thank you for the links they helped a lot. Is it ok to have high Calcium like I have now ?

I don't think that is much concern at this point however, I would get an alternate test kit just to verify your results. What kit are you using to test your Ca? How old is the test kit?

You mentioned low PH, I assume you are using a protein skimmer? If it's under the tank with the doors closed, opening the doors and even opening a window will increase your PH without having to chase it with things like Aquavitro. FWIW, I don't really consider 7.8 to horrible for nighttime PH anyway but some fresh air can go a long way in improving PH. Also a refugium with the lights running opposite of the display lighting will also help to decrease the drop in PH when the display lights are off.

[wrott]

Originally Posted by Tervos

Also that hippo tang I had for almost 3 weeks before he died sucks to no refund after 14 days I think I had him for 19

I bet that you'd have much greater success in the future if you understand that fish are pets as much as a dog or cat is, and fish can live >10yrs. So please keep this in mind when considering adding any new fish, each one is very special, no matter how much $ it cost. A $5 clown can become your best friend for 15yrs! no kidding

And definitely go fishless for 8-12 weeks, or you will have the same problem again.

[Fibinotchi]

In my experience, it's near impossible to keep ich out of a display tank, but if you keep your fishes stress level down and feed them mixed healthy foods like frozen mysis and other things, they can often beat ich and keep it at bay. It will usually rear it's head down the road but again, keeping them healthy and stress free, they often beat ich.

[SwampyBill]

For starters, read the 'how to set up a quarantine tank' sticky & get one. As others have said, leave main tank fallow for 8--12 wks or you'll continue having the same ich problems with whatever fish you add.

[Nina51]

the fallow (fishless period) is 72 days. not 2 weeks or 8 weeks or 10 weeks. 72 days. anything less and you will be right back where you started.

[Tervos]

Yes I am using a protein skimmer and for my test kit I am using the reef master test kit and it is basically brand new.