help me save some fish!!!

[michaeltwana]

I have been asked to help a local company take care of their fish only tank due to the lack of service of their current company...the tank has had many many fish die in the last year 30-50 or so maybe more...the response of the person that set up the tank is that "happens"...I think they claim to have ICH problems as well. I need help with the following questions:

1. What kind of filtration is necessary?
2. Do they need a cleanup crew of some kinds, at least for the the detris on the bottom?
3. What else should I be looking for?

I have yet to see the tank from the filtration part of it, but just looking at it it looks overstocked, under filtered, and not enough current...

It is roughly 300-400 gallons, with no current down low, has fake live rock and corals and a rock like--like that of freshwater--on the bottom with no clean up crew...they have a lot of brown algae buildup all the time...the shape of the aquarium is in the shape of an upside down "u"...hope this helps

any info or suggestions on what to look for would be great...

thanks

will update asap

michael

 

[AnimaliA]

Michael,

What types of fish are in the aquarium now? are there only fish? any inverts? what are the water parameters? How is the water quality maintained now? A little more information will help Thanks!

 

[Lion_Babe]

Until you get more info about the tank it is really hard to answer anything.
I'll be waiting for an update.
Good luck

 

[PatMayo]

It sounds like a challenge that unless someone is willing to spend money to upgrade, may be a losing battle.

Regards,

Pat

 

[dendro982]

michaeltwana: I assume, that you have own saltwater tank too, then you know requirements and standard procedure for keeping it.
I'm not the expert, but have for an year the difficult 90g tank; make it work is expensive, but doable.

From the first glance, for this big tank:
Sufficient amount of LR or biomedia, more sources of flow, big protein skimmer (or low bioload), keep the tank clean (check Bare-bottom tanks 101 or something like that, even if this tank is with sand - this may help). If the sand - it may need cleaning.
What tests are showing?
For the itch in a smaller tank (no first-hand experience, still considering this) - the Vortex diatom filters.

All this - expenses, if they can afford them.
The top level of keeping tanks of this size, could be seen through the search Tank of the month, or 400g FOWLR or 300g tank.

Post more details, and what is of interest - and more particular details will follow.

 

[mushumatt]

A diatom filter will only keep the parasite from spreading. It shold in theory collect the ich after it falls of the fish at the send of stage 2 and before it implodes to spread throughout the tank in stage 3.

If you really want to deal with the fish then copper is the way to go but you would have to place the fish in a QT tank. Search on reefkeeper for "ich" there is a 2 part article about curing ich.

 

[PatMayo]

Here is the article.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

Regards,

Pat