First battle with ich, please help.

[Ryand63]

So here is where I'm at. Currently have a 29 AGA w/ misbar clown, flame angel and bangaii cardinal. CUC consists of various snails, hermits and a skunk cleaner. The other day I saw a few dots on the angels back fin and now it has gotten a tad worse. So here is my plan along with a few questions:

I have a brand new 55 gallon i bought to transfer everything over, guess that's on hold lol. But I was thinking, set up the 55, transfer half the water and all of the Live rock along with the CUC. Keep the fish in the 29 and treat with either copper or hyposalinity. Let the 55 go fallow for 8 weeks.

My questions are:
1. How much of the old sand do I transfer over along with some new sand?
2. Which is easier to treat, copper or hyposalinty? Which is easier on fish?
3. Should I be atleast using a filter with floss during the treatment?

Thanks in response for all the responses. I really hope to get a few by tomorrow since I want to start this process ASAP.

 

[snorvich]

I suggest reading the stickies. The best and easiest way of curing your fish is tank transfer. The only way of curing your tank is to leave it fallow for 9 weeks. I would definitely NOT transfer anything from an infected tank to a tank intended to remove ich (i.e. tank transfer) or cure them using copper.

 

[Ryand63]

I was planning on upgrading to,a 55 that I just bought so I was going to transfer my rock, and inverts to the new 55 and letting it sit fallow for 8+ weeks, is that not a good idea? Than I was gonna treat fish in old tank with copper

 

[snorvich]

I was planning on upgrading to,a 55 that I just bought so I was going to transfer my rock, and inverts to the new 55 and letting it sit fallow for 8+ weeks, is that not a good idea? Than I was gonna treat fish in old tank with copper

That is fine (9 weeks fallow) but if you have anything left in the old tank (sand, rock, etc) which can absorb copper, maintaining a therapeutic dose will be difficult.

 

[Ryand63]

Ok well I'll transfer the rock to the new tank and try and get alllllll of the sand out and then treat with copper. Thanks snorvich!

 

[snorvich]

Ok well I'll transfer the rock to the new tank and try and get alllllll of the sand out and then treat with copper. Thanks snorvich!

And test nightly (ideally using a test kit matching the copper vendor) to insure a therapeutic dosage is maintained.

 

[h2so4hurts]

Listen to snorvich.

 

[Ryand63]

haha I always do, I've been creeping around the forums for years and have always been taking his advice whether it was directly to me or not!

 

[Ryand63]

If i go hypo way, what's the best way to keep ph up?