Freshwater Dip/Hyposalinity process

[saabore]

I recently lost all but 1 fish due to an Ich outbreak and have cleaned up the tanks - both the display tank and the acclimation tank. My dispaly tank is a 135 and my acclimation tank is 46 gal. i do not plan on adding any fish to my 135 display tank for at least two months but want to start acclimation of new fish. BTW, i di remove the fish that survived and he is in the acclimation tank. I did not perform a freshwater dip on him.

I have read that it is a good practice to perform a freshwater dip prior to placing them in the acclimation tank and know that I need to use frash water of the same temp and alkinity of the salt water. Now, the questions, do i need to be concerned with the PH of the freshwater? I use Ro/Di water. also can I use the same buffer thtat I use for satlwater?

I has been many years since i last kept any frshwater tanks.

Question 2, do I prep my saltwater tank with salinity of 1.009/1,010 and introduce the fish after the fresh water dip or do I prep the acclimation tank at say 1.020 and bring it down slowly/ If that is the case, It could prove to be labor intensive for each time I add new fish to the acclimation tank. Some of my questions may sound stupid but I would rather ask then to kill new specimens. :mixed:

 

[papagimp]

I would not add a single fish in that Acclimation tank until the current occupant is Ich free for at least 4-8 weeks. You add a fish now, even if the current fish doesn't show whtie spots, and you'll likely infect all the newcomers as well. i would also slowly drop the salinty down for the sick fish. I took 5 days to lower it last time I hypo'ed a clownfish for ich. Then let him sit in there for 6 weeks, than raised it back up to normal salinty (another 5 days). Better safe than sorry when dealing with ich.

Yes you want to match PH as well. Infact, I'd be more worried about matching PH than ALK as far as freshwater dips are concerned. Both both are important. match all parameters as closely as you can to help reduce the stress involved.

 

[saabore]

Hey, tahnks for the input. what about buffer? do I use the same as for saltwater or do I need to get something for freshwater?

 

[papagimp]

As long as the buffer used will match PH should be fine. I don't think they are specifically tailored to saltwater or fresh, just to PH range. (although some add other stuff specifically for saltwater reefs and whatnot)

 

[Icefire]

I wouldn't do a freshwater dip.

Personnally I would buy all the fish you plan to buy for the next 6 weeks, put them in the qt tank and lower the salt for 6 weeks.

Then bring back the salinity and put them in the 135.

Ich free fish and 135.

Then for each new fish, do the same routine, 6 weeks hyposalinity @ 1.009

 

[saabore]

Thanks IceFire and Papagimp. makes sense. I think fish are already stressed enough from shipping to put them through two separate procedures.