i have yet to find a good copper test kit. i have used everything in the market. i even have a handheld copper meter worth $400 online but worth ZERO to me.
i am currently using seachem copper test kit.
Guide to setup a Quarantine Tank (QT).
- Thread starter Dr. Reef
- Start date
i have yet to find a good copper test kit. i have used everything in the market. i even have a handheld copper meter worth $400 online but worth ZERO to me.
i am currently using seachem copper test kit.
I have a 220 DT with 12 fish. Also have some snails and hermit crabs. Would like to treat DT tank with hypo-salinity method because I know I can never get all the livestock out. will this kill the snails and crabs? And what is the best way to go about this? How long does this method take? Is the proper salinity aboit 1.009?
hypo in main tak will kill everything except fish so i dont recommend doing it in a main tank. pull the fish out and put them in qt with few rocks from ur main tank this will give u instant cycle. then lower salinity 1-2 points every day till u reach 1.009 and hold it there. once last ich is gone and fish start breathing normal(not visible ich in gill) then count 2 weeks, and after those 2 weeks start bringing the salinity up to 1.025-26 with 1-2 points each day.
good luck
Just a heads up, this is true if you bring in live rock, but not for dry rock.
If you start new with dry rock, bacteria (Dr. Tims), Ammonia dosed thoughout, Nitrite will showup in about 3 days, but will not go to zero for almost 3 months.
idflyfisher
New member
transfer ?
transfer ?
I decided to go with the transfer method to get rid of the ich rather than hypo for the flame Angel. I have had the fish out of the first QT and in a 2nd QT for three days now. Planning on moving them back into the 1st QT tonight now that it has been cleaned and back up and running. How many transfers do I need to make to be sure the Ich is gone?
transfer ?
I decided to go with the transfer method to get rid of the ich rather than hypo for the flame Angel. I have had the fish out of the first QT and in a 2nd QT for three days now. Planning on moving them back into the 1st QT tonight now that it has been cleaned and back up and running. How many transfers do I need to make to be sure the Ich is gone?
i personally have not done any tank transfers but a great person/fellow reefer/RC team Steve (snorvich) has a great article/advice on this method. I will post his words.
"My suggested protocol is to use tank transfer for all new specimens to insure against cryptocaryon irritans. 12 days and two 20 gallon tanks is all it takes.
The initial receiving tank is temp and SG adjusted to the bag water( SG a few points couple of points lower than the bag water is ok but not higher) This obviates the need for drip acclimation and prolonged stays in bag water where pH can rise and ammonia toxicity can increase once the bag is opened. This is particularly important after prolonged stays in the bag.
During the 12 day tank transfer process ( 3 day stays 4 transfers, move fish on the morning of days 4,7,10,13) observe for other maladies. Since there are no meds to interact with in the transfer tanks which contain freshly mixed salt water aged and aerated overnight , use an ammonia detoxifier during each 3 day period. Bound copper products for example can't be safely used with ammonia detoxifiers as more toxic free copper occurs with lethal copper toxicity,even though total copper measures the same.
If there is reason to suspect infestation with brooklynellosis, velvet or flukes , do a formalin bath before starting treatment with copper for velvet, formalin for brooklynellosis or prazi pro for flukes.
Since not all maladies will present symptoms in the 12 days( flukes can easily be missed, velvet can take up to 30 days to present), use a larger cycled QT tank for an additional 2 to 4 weeks of observation depending on the condition of the fish with treatment as necessary.
Most fish receive no medications yet all are effectively prophylactically treated for ich,the most common killer
Ammonia is monitored and has never been an issue during the 3 day stay but a detoxifier is added just in case, The cycled tank takes care of itself.
BTW there is no need to worry about nitrite or nitrate. "
"My suggested protocol is to use tank transfer for all new specimens to insure against cryptocaryon irritans. 12 days and two 20 gallon tanks is all it takes.
The initial receiving tank is temp and SG adjusted to the bag water( SG a few points couple of points lower than the bag water is ok but not higher) This obviates the need for drip acclimation and prolonged stays in bag water where pH can rise and ammonia toxicity can increase once the bag is opened. This is particularly important after prolonged stays in the bag.
During the 12 day tank transfer process ( 3 day stays 4 transfers, move fish on the morning of days 4,7,10,13) observe for other maladies. Since there are no meds to interact with in the transfer tanks which contain freshly mixed salt water aged and aerated overnight , use an ammonia detoxifier during each 3 day period. Bound copper products for example can't be safely used with ammonia detoxifiers as more toxic free copper occurs with lethal copper toxicity,even though total copper measures the same.
If there is reason to suspect infestation with brooklynellosis, velvet or flukes , do a formalin bath before starting treatment with copper for velvet, formalin for brooklynellosis or prazi pro for flukes.
Since not all maladies will present symptoms in the 12 days( flukes can easily be missed, velvet can take up to 30 days to present), use a larger cycled QT tank for an additional 2 to 4 weeks of observation depending on the condition of the fish with treatment as necessary.
Most fish receive no medications yet all are effectively prophylactically treated for ich,the most common killer
Ammonia is monitored and has never been an issue during the 3 day stay but a detoxifier is added just in case, The cycled tank takes care of itself.
BTW there is no need to worry about nitrite or nitrate. "
idflyfisher
New member
thank you. I found his info a little while after posting. Great info there. Thanks again
CorbetJackson50
New member
cupramine for a flame angel??? or hypo? i have 7 fish total in a 46 bowfront qt tank.
angels are sensitive to copper but cupramine is a weak safer form of copper. i dont recommend it but people have reported success. due to sensitivity one has to stay on top of everything like salinity temp and ato.
i rather see a new hobbyist go hypo than cupramine on angels. just my 2 cents.
CorbetJackson50
New member
Im on the fence... i need to start tenor the other soon. if it wasn't for the angel id use copper but this angel make it difficult
if u do go copper route, dose the medicine over several day and not in one day like the bottle says. also keep the strength at 0.35ppm and no more like the bottle suggests (0.5ppm) this practice along with good water quality will get u by. if the qt is well established then u wont need to worry much about bacteria getting killed by cupramine. but if its a qt u just setup and its not fully cycled then u need to watch for ammonia and do water changes. no products like amquel or prime etc this will react with copper and make water toxic.
tanzer16
Member
bnumair......thanks for all of your advice on qt . i'm just getting mine going.....DT is about done being cycled, and i was hoping to have qt up and running by now. just got in ceramic rings to throw in hob filter as well as the prazipro which you spoke of earlier. what's best method to kick off cycle now.....shrimp? pure ammonia? bottle of nitrifying bacteria?
and i would use two weeks of prazipro on all fish i get from LFS right?
thanks again for all of your posts and help
and i would use two weeks of prazipro on all fish i get from LFS right?
thanks again for all of your posts and help
i am glad to hear ur in right direction and ur welcome for ur kind words.
to start cycle i always used shrimp from walmart frozen section. placed it in tank for few days and pulled it out. usually gives ammonia a reading of 2ppm.
never tried pure ammonia never found it when i needed it. i personally dont believe in bacteria in bottle but technology has advanced a lot i am old school.
yes 2 weeks of prazipro for all fish no matter where u get them lfs or online or fellow reefer.
then 4 weeks of observation for all fish.
if ur treating tangs i always do cupramine right after prazipro as they are ich magnets and i dont wanna leave anything to chance.
Good luck keep me posted.
hypo in dt is not recommended but now that ur already in it and cant catch fish might as well follow through with it. i would leave everything running as it is the back bone of ur system. make sure u keep salinity at 1.009 dead on and have ato attached to ur system if not already.
cal reactor can come off if u dont have any corals. btw corals will not survive hypo not inverts.
cal reactor can come off if u dont have any corals. btw corals will not survive hypo not inverts.
cool u have same stuff i use, renew storm rvoc and i also use milwaukee digital refrac.
anyways yup just hold salinity there and when last ich falls off and breathing get back to normal (due to ich in gills unseen) count 2 weeks. after 2 weeks raise salinity 1 point each day to match dt then transfer if no ich is observed.
Good Luck and Happy Reefing.
anyways yup just hold salinity there and when last ich falls off and breathing get back to normal (due to ich in gills unseen) count 2 weeks. after 2 weeks raise salinity 1 point each day to match dt then transfer if no ich is observed.
Good Luck and Happy Reefing.
Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but do people quarantine live rock/sand, corals ect?
Just curious because, now that I am battling c. Irritans it seems as if people suggest that letting a single cyst into the tank will cause an outbreak. Is it totally impossible for a cyst to reside on a piece of rock/coral? Or do dips such as Coral Rx kill such cysts?
Just curious because, now that I am battling c. Irritans it seems as if people suggest that letting a single cyst into the tank will cause an outbreak. Is it totally impossible for a cyst to reside on a piece of rock/coral? Or do dips such as Coral Rx kill such cysts?
MrClam. i personally dont qt rock or sand nor corals. some do. i am dry stuff guy. i always setup with dry rock dry sand as i been burned by hitch hikers from live rocks before several times.
Anyways yes there are procedures for that. you can search for it. its generally same thing as curing the rock. u place the rock in plastic tub place saltwater run heater/chiller and water movement via powerheads and skimmer. while they are curing u can observe them on daily basis and remove any pests. ich is had to see on rock like that but if u leave such rock and sand in tubs for over 8-9 weeks chances are ich will be dead as there is no living host fish for it to complete its cycle.
Corals can be qt'ed too in similar fashion in a tank that have not seen copper. u will have to keep up with water changes water chemistry etc and a good lighting source. after 8-9 weeks of fishless coral qt u can assume to safely move them to main tank.
Dipping rock in some solution is not a good idea. dipping in coral rx will not rid ich.
Anyways yes there are procedures for that. you can search for it. its generally same thing as curing the rock. u place the rock in plastic tub place saltwater run heater/chiller and water movement via powerheads and skimmer. while they are curing u can observe them on daily basis and remove any pests. ich is had to see on rock like that but if u leave such rock and sand in tubs for over 8-9 weeks chances are ich will be dead as there is no living host fish for it to complete its cycle.
Corals can be qt'ed too in similar fashion in a tank that have not seen copper. u will have to keep up with water changes water chemistry etc and a good lighting source. after 8-9 weeks of fishless coral qt u can assume to safely move them to main tank.
Dipping rock in some solution is not a good idea. dipping in coral rx will not rid ich.
