Two-part ich QT tank question

cfgenesis · 04/24/2010, 10:36 AM

I started my 72-gallon mixed reef tank two months ago. I made the mistake, due to space restrictions, of not setting up a QT tank from the beginning. Over the course of the second month, I introduced a coral beauty angel, a kole tang, a royal gramma and some blue/green chromis. Well of course someone brought ich into the tank and the kole tang died within a couple weeks. I then found a spot to set up a QT tank and the royal gramma died in the DT before I could switch him over to QT. I managed to catch the coral beauty and get him into the QT, and he died after one day - that will be part two of this post. Anyway, now I am down to two chromis, neither of which has shown any symptoms of ich. Is it my understanding that unless I remove them both from the DT and leave it fallow for 8 weeks the ich will continue to live in the DT?

Part two, the dead angel. I set up a 10 gallon QT tank, running with a Fission nano-skimmer, and then treated the water with Mardel Coppersafe per the instructions. The angel had pretty severe ich spots when I transferred him in, but he was swimming fairly well. The next day he was dead, so I removed him. A couple days later I tested the water in QT for pH and ammonia to make sure it was OK for trying to add the chromis, and found the water to have a pH of 8.2, but ammonia at 1.0 ppm. The skimmer seems to be working properly, so would the dead angel have caused the increase in ammonia? Does Coppersafe raise ammonia? The dead fish has been out of the tank for three days now and I still have a 1.0 ammonia result.

cham · 04/24/2010, 11:14 AM

You're correct. You must leave the DT fallow for 6 to 8 weeks to starve out the ICH.

Sounds like your QT needs to cycle. I'd trade your remaining chromis back to the reef store and start over. Allow your QT to cycle for a couple weeks and try again. If you're going to use copper I would buy a test kit for it.

cfgenesis · 04/24/2010, 12:04 PM

Catching the chromis is next to impossible. I have 70 lbs of rock with corals attached that I do NOT want to have to remove from the tank to catch the fish.

cham · 04/24/2010, 01:03 PM

Then learn to live with ICH, if you think that's the only parasite you have.

Many reefers have ich in their system and very healthy fish will fight off ich. But the introduction of new and weak fish often causes outbreaks.

Still use your QT to build up new arrivals health, fat & immune systems. Once they're happy & healthy they will be much more able to try and fight off ich.

Jstdv8 · 04/24/2010, 02:30 PM

Did you cycle your Qt tank? or take a sponge filter or something and hang it on the DT or sump for a few days and then transfer it to the Qt tank so you will avoid a cycle?
Speaking of cycle, did you cycle your DT?

Once you kick this Ich thing always Qt everything you get for a minimum of 4 weeks and do your corals, LR, LS, CUC for 4 days+

No you will not have ich in your tank for weeks and weeks if you removed all the fish. Ich needs a host within 72 hours or it dies. If there is no fish in the tank then it will not be able to host.
However the fish (if there are any left) that make it to the QT must not be added in for 6+ weeks or they will just reintroduce it back into your DT.

cfgenesis · 04/24/2010, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jstdv8

Did you cycle your Qt tank? or take a sponge filter or something and hang it on the DT or sump for a few days and then transfer it to the Qt tank so you will avoid a cycle?
Speaking of cycle, did you cycle your DT?

Once you kick this Ich thing always Qt everything you get for a minimum of 4 weeks and do your corals, LR, LS, CUC for 4 days+

No you will not have ich in your tank for weeks and weeks if you removed all the fish. Ich needs a host within 72 hours or it dies. If there is no fish in the tank then it will not be able to host.
However the fish (if there are any left) that make it to the QT must not be added in for 6+ weeks or they will just reintroduce it back into your DT.

The QT tank cycled for a few days but I guess I didn't realize that I would need a long cycle when I started with R/O water and nothing else in the tank but a pot for cover.

The display tank did cycle fully before I added anything.

04/24/2010, 10:36 AM	#1
cfgenesis Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 170	Two-part ich QT tank question I started my 72-gallon mixed reef tank two months ago. I made the mistake, due to space restrictions, of not setting up a QT tank from the beginning. Over the course of the second month, I introduced a coral beauty angel, a kole tang, a royal gramma and some blue/green chromis. Well of course someone brought ich into the tank and the kole tang died within a couple weeks. I then found a spot to set up a QT tank and the royal gramma died in the DT before I could switch him over to QT. I managed to catch the coral beauty and get him into the QT, and he died after one day - that will be part two of this post. Anyway, now I am down to two chromis, neither of which has shown any symptoms of ich. Is it my understanding that unless I remove them both from the DT and leave it fallow for 8 weeks the ich will continue to live in the DT? Part two, the dead angel. I set up a 10 gallon QT tank, running with a Fission nano-skimmer, and then treated the water with Mardel Coppersafe per the instructions. The angel had pretty severe ich spots when I transferred him in, but he was swimming fairly well. The next day he was dead, so I removed him. A couple days later I tested the water in QT for pH and ammonia to make sure it was OK for trying to add the chromis, and found the water to have a pH of 8.2, but ammonia at 1.0 ppm. The skimmer seems to be working properly, so would the dead angel have caused the increase in ammonia? Does Coppersafe raise ammonia? The dead fish has been out of the tank for three days now and I still have a 1.0 ammonia result. __________________ Chris temp 78-81, pH 8.3, kH 10, calc 440, magn 1330, sal 1.025, amm 0, phos 0 72-gal bowfront, CPR Aquafuge Pro sump skimmer/refugium, Sundial T5HO 4x 54, PC 2x 55 with 50% daylight 50% actinic blue bulbs, BRS GFO/Carbon Reactor, 80 lbs combined live rock 2 blue/green chromis, 2 true perc clowns, flame angel, yellow tang, royal gramma, clown fairy wrasse, mixed SPS, LPS and soft corals

04/24/2010, 11:14 AM	#2
cham Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Winter Garden, FL Posts: 3,632	You're correct. You must leave the DT fallow for 6 to 8 weeks to starve out the ICH. Sounds like your QT needs to cycle. I'd trade your remaining chromis back to the reef store and start over. Allow your QT to cycle for a couple weeks and try again. If you're going to use copper I would buy a test kit for it. __________________ The more I learn about reefing the less I know. Current Tank Info: -SPS-120g Rimless Starfire, Garage sump/equip room with rimless frag tank, reefkeeper & Apex Jr, Reeflo Super Dart Gold return, ATI Powermodule, four Vortech MP40's, SRO XP3000 cone w/self cleaning head, two reefbrite LED, AF three part balling

04/24/2010, 12:04 PM	#3
cfgenesis Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 170	Catching the chromis is next to impossible. I have 70 lbs of rock with corals attached that I do NOT want to have to remove from the tank to catch the fish. __________________ Chris temp 78-81, pH 8.3, kH 10, calc 440, magn 1330, sal 1.025, amm 0, phos 0 72-gal bowfront, CPR Aquafuge Pro sump skimmer/refugium, Sundial T5HO 4x 54, PC 2x 55 with 50% daylight 50% actinic blue bulbs, BRS GFO/Carbon Reactor, 80 lbs combined live rock 2 blue/green chromis, 2 true perc clowns, flame angel, yellow tang, royal gramma, clown fairy wrasse, mixed SPS, LPS and soft corals

04/24/2010, 01:03 PM	#4
cham Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Winter Garden, FL Posts: 3,632	Then learn to live with ICH, if you think that's the only parasite you have. Many reefers have ich in their system and very healthy fish will fight off ich. But the introduction of new and weak fish often causes outbreaks. Still use your QT to build up new arrivals health, fat & immune systems. Once they're happy & healthy they will be much more able to try and fight off ich. __________________ The more I learn about reefing the less I know. Current Tank Info: -SPS-120g Rimless Starfire, Garage sump/equip room with rimless frag tank, reefkeeper & Apex Jr, Reeflo Super Dart Gold return, ATI Powermodule, four Vortech MP40's, SRO XP3000 cone w/self cleaning head, two reefbrite LED, AF three part balling

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04/24/2010, 02:30 PM	#5
Jstdv8 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Wasilla, Alaska Posts: 1,420	Did you cycle your Qt tank? or take a sponge filter or something and hang it on the DT or sump for a few days and then transfer it to the Qt tank so you will avoid a cycle? Speaking of cycle, did you cycle your DT? Once you kick this Ich thing always Qt everything you get for a minimum of 4 weeks and do your corals, LR, LS, CUC for 4 days+ No you will not have ich in your tank for weeks and weeks if you removed all the fish. Ich needs a host within 72 hours or it dies. If there is no fish in the tank then it will not be able to host. However the fish (if there are any left) that make it to the QT must not be added in for 6+ weeks or they will just reintroduce it back into your DT.