Drying rock to kill ich

[Fishboy9227]

Details:
120lbs of ReefCleaners dry rock, 80lbs of aragonite sand, 150g tank. NO CORAL.

Fish:
Regal Tang
Kole Tang
Sailfin tang
Clownfish pair
Trio of anthia
Pair of Melanurus wrasses
Pair of Flame Angels

Ich entered the tank via user error with TTM. I will be pulling all fish and completing the process again, correctly.

I feel my options are to either let the tank sit fallow for 12 weeks OR dismantle the tank and dry out the rock and sand. Keep in mind that the rock is not really "live rock", but dry rock purchased from Reefcleaners. It only contains bacteria. I am avoiding hypo in the display tank as I'm not sure I can retrieve all snails and hermits in the tank.

Question: how long must the rock and sand sit dry to kill all cysts? I don't believe I have found a decisive answer. I understand that during the TTM, one allows the equipment to sit dry to kill any stages of ich that may have come in contact with it. Is this applicable to the rock and sand as well?

 

[Fishboy9227]

After doing a bit more searching in this forum, it appears that ich can stay alive in rock for weeks as it is so porous. Only way to kill it for sure is to boil it. Appears I will be going fallow for 12 weeks.

 

[Maritimer]

Sorry to hear that, Fishboy . . .

Hope it works for you, and if it makes you feel better ... you're not alone.

~Bruce, with two saltwater tanks, across the room from one another . . .

 

[kmbyrnes]

If the tank is up and running and you like how things look, leave it fallow. It will be a good time to let your pod population grow.
I decided to redo my 125 last year when I got ich. By the time I bleached and air dried the rocks, restained the stand, repainted the back of the tank and got it nicely cycled, I was at about 12 weeks anyway.

 

[Fishboy9227]

Sorry to hear that, Fishboy . . .

Hope it works for you, and if it makes you feel better ... you're not alone.

~Bruce, with two saltwater tanks, across the room from one another . . .

Either user error with TTM or the 150g was contaminated via tank proximity.:facepalm:

 

[Sk8r]

If you kill the bacteria in the rock, it's dead rock. Just sayin'.

 

[Dmorty217]

After doing a bit more searching in this forum, it appears that ich can stay alive in rock for weeks as it is so porous. Only way to kill it for sure is to boil it. Appears I will be going fallow for 12 weeks.

IF you have no corals or other inverts then I would suggest leaving the fish in the tank and using chloroquine phosphate. It won't absorb into the rock and also will kill it on your fish and in the rock and sand. This way you don't have to tear your tank apart and leave it fallow for 73 days. Am treating CP in my 625g as we speak to ensure that all fish and rocks are ich free. When i say "other inverts" I mean anything without a exoskeleton

 

[Fishboy9227]

IF you have no corals or other inverts then I would suggest leaving the fish in the tank and using chloroquine phosphate. It won't absorb into the rock and also will kill it on your fish and in the rock and sand. This way you don't have to tear your tank apart and leave it fallow for 73 days. Am treating CP in my 625g as we speak to ensure that all fish and rocks are ich free. When i say "other inverts" I mean anything without a exoskeleton

Thank you for the idea, Dmorty217. I do have some snails and crabs in the tank. I'm afraid that I would not be able to get all of the snails and crabs out and it would cause a spike in ammonia.

However, I'm wondering if it is an option to pull all of the rock and sand and treat it with chloroquine phosphate. That might be an option.

 

[Dmorty217]

Thank you for the idea, Dmorty217. I do have some snails and crabs in the tank. I'm afraid that I would not be able to get all of the snails and crabs out and it would cause a spike in ammonia.

However, I'm wondering if it is an option to pull all of the rock and sand and treat it with chloroquine phosphate. That might be an option.

Get as many snails as you can, any thing with a exoskeleton isn't effected by CP (hermits,shrimp,amphipods, ect) Put the snails in a tank with small filter for 73 days. Much less stress on you and the fish If you pull the sand and rock thats still significant work and you will still need to get all other surfaces (glass, overflow, pumps,heaters, inside of pvc ect) disinfected and completely dry

 

[Fishboy9227]

Get as many snails as you can, any thing with a exoskeleton isn't effected by CP (hermits,shrimp,amphipods, ect) Put the snails in a tank with small filter for 73 days. Much less stress on you and the fish If you pull the sand and rock thats still significant work and you will still need to get all other surfaces (glass, overflow, pumps,heaters, inside of pvc ect) disinfected and completely dry

After reading up on CP, I'm a bit apprehensive that it will work. It seems that letting the tank sit fallow for 12 weeks is the closest to 100% eradication that one can get. I don't mind it too much. quarantining coral for that long will be a huge pain, though.

 

[Dmorty217]

After reading up on CP, I'm a bit apprehensive that it will work. It seems that letting the tank sit fallow for 12 weeks is the closest to 100% eradication that one can get. I don't mind it too much. quarantining coral for that long will be a huge pain, though.

CP works just fine providing you get fresh meds. Its your tank and ultimately your choice but your fish won't be happy in some makeshift tank for 12 weeks while you let the DT go fallow. Much easier to treat the snails fallow then taking all the fish out and letting them sit in a undersized tank for 12 weeks. But again its your choice. I have used CP to treat ich 10 times or more and my buddy who has a 250g has too, never had failures except with old already opened and been sitting meds. I buy a new bottle of ich shield powder every time I use it and have had no problems after adopting this practice

 

[Fishboy9227]

CP works just fine providing you get fresh meds. Its your tank and ultimately your choice but your fish won't be happy in some makeshift tank for 12 weeks while you let the DT go fallow. Much easier to treat the snails fallow then taking all the fish out and letting them sit in a undersized tank for 12 weeks. But again its your choice. I have used CP to treat ich 10 times or more and my buddy who has a 250g has too, never had failures except with old already opened and been sitting meds. I buy a new bottle of ich shield powder every time I use it and have had no problems after adopting this practice

You obviously have much more experience in this hobby than I do, and I very much appreciate your expertise. I will continue to look into this practice before making a final decision. As you stated, leaving the fish in the aquarium would be a much better option for the sake of the fish.

 

[Dmorty217]

You obviously have much more experience in this hobby than I do, and I very much appreciate your expertise. I will continue to look into this practice before making a final decision. As you stated, leaving the fish in the aquarium would be a much better option for the sake of the fish.

The fish and you but I understand not wanting to try something you haven't before. Not sure what other tanks you have available to put the fish in for the fallow period? Would think that you would need 2 different ones for the stock you have in the 150g. Just remember that having all of your fish in a 75g for almost 3 months or in two smaller tanks may not be the better alternative. I have been down this road before so I know its no fun for anyone involved. Good luck with whatever you decide

 

[Fishboy9227]

The fish and you but I understand not wanting to try something you haven't before. Not sure what other tanks you have available to put the fish in for the fallow period? Would think that you would need 2 different ones for the stock you have in the 150g. Just remember that having all of your fish in a 75g for almost 3 months or in two smaller tanks may not be the better alternative. I have been down this road before so I know its no fun for anyone involved. Good luck with whatever you decide

I have a spare 75g that I planned on setting up for QT. Also, I am planning to sell the Kole and Sailfin tangs after using the TTM to treat them. I'll keep researching. Another issue is that I have quite a few snails in the sand bed of the tank. It would be near impossible to remove those little guys.

 

[Dmorty217]

I have a spare 75g that I planned on setting up for QT. Also, I am planning to sell the Kole and Sailfin tangs after using the TTM to treat them. I'll keep researching. Another issue is that I have quite a few snails in the sand bed of the tank. It would be near impossible to remove those little guys.

Rehoming the tangs would help things. Some snails dying from treatment shouldn't mess with water quality providing you get as many as you can.

 

[manitu71]

cp

cp

there

i have just seen that you have succesfully cured ick using cp
i have converted my reef to a fowlr and wanted to change my stock to a butterfly only tank
ok out went all coral and reef save fish and i ordered in 7 butterflys unfortunatly lfs pressured me in picking up fish on the day of the big change
so all was a mega rushed and result was bad i lost all to velvet it seems
so i went 3 months fallow and and the end of the 3 months i bought 1 kleini butterfly i had him now exactly 2 weeks he has spots but feeding fine just hiding most of the time unless i feed him anyway he is the only fish
my tank has a 100gal and i have orfered 4 more from a

 

[Louis Z]

Not to hojack thread but what fish do not do well in cp

 

[lagatbezan]

Not to hojack thread but what fish do not do well in cp

Don't use CP on Anthias, wrasses or hippo tangs.

 

[Dmorty217]

Don't use CP on Anthias, wrasses or hippo tangs.

+1 pipefish and seahorse too

 

[Louis Z]

You obviously have much more experience in this hobby than I do, and I very much appreciate your expertise.

. I 2nd that and to you to lagatbezan. That’s why I come here too