Please spare the lecturing about a quarantine tank, I already realize the error of my ways. I am new to the hobby. I have three tangs: yellow belly hippo, yellow, and a kole. They have all come down with some nasty ich and are in my reef tank. I also have a clown in there with no visible symptoms. This has been going on for about 4 days now and has gotten worse. They are all still eating nicely and I've been supplementing with garlic but the infestation looks horrible. How do I quickly set up a hospital tank. I cant really allow time for a biofilter to build up before I use it. Can I just use a simple hot carbon filter? I think I'm gonna run out and get a 20 gallon tank but filtration is my main concern right now. I feel awful. Please someone link me up or give me your knowledge please.
Help! time is of the essence
- Thread starter PHIN FAN
- Start date
adnup
New member
Make (or buy) 20gals of saltwater. Take like15-20 out of your display tank for the qt. All you need and an air driven sponge filter. They cost under $10. Then obviously replace the new water into your display tank...Have saltwater ready to do changes on the QT, the water quality changes quickly in the qt's
I'm not an expert but thats just my 2cents..
Good Luck!
I'm not an expert but thats just my 2cents..
Good Luck!
Steven Pro
New member
See if you can find some of Marineland's saltwater Bio-Spira. It should allow you to quickly cycle your new quarantine tank.
If you have some mature filter media in your ST you should consider transferring that to your QT filter ... should help mitigate water quality issues.
With that many fish in a relatively small QT you should count on having to make frequent large water changes (mature filter media or not) .. as such you should consider a small investment in a large Rubbermaid trashcan and make up a large batch of SW now.
I would suggest using hypo as your ich treatment method ... a 40 gallon barrel of std SW will produce about 120 gallons of "hypo" water (2/3rd FW, 1/3 SW).
Additionally ... maintaining a "clean" tank will go along way on helping to mitigate water quality issues. As such .. I suggest you go "barebottom" on your QT. If you paint the outside bottom of the QT white you will find that it is easy to spot any fish debris or uneatened food .. this "crap" can be readily removed with a turkey baster which will help maintain water quality.
You should also consider purchasing some Prime or other ammonia conversion product .. will help convert toxic ammonia into less toxic ammonium. Use of these products often makes ammonia test kits inaccurate .. as such you should purchase an inexpensive Seachem ammonia alert badge .... will accurately measure ammonia even when using a conversion product and makes monitoring ammonia levels easier.
Heres a link hypo .. might help.
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html
With that many fish in a relatively small QT you should count on having to make frequent large water changes (mature filter media or not) .. as such you should consider a small investment in a large Rubbermaid trashcan and make up a large batch of SW now.
I would suggest using hypo as your ich treatment method ... a 40 gallon barrel of std SW will produce about 120 gallons of "hypo" water (2/3rd FW, 1/3 SW).
Additionally ... maintaining a "clean" tank will go along way on helping to mitigate water quality issues. As such .. I suggest you go "barebottom" on your QT. If you paint the outside bottom of the QT white you will find that it is easy to spot any fish debris or uneatened food .. this "crap" can be readily removed with a turkey baster which will help maintain water quality.
You should also consider purchasing some Prime or other ammonia conversion product .. will help convert toxic ammonia into less toxic ammonium. Use of these products often makes ammonia test kits inaccurate .. as such you should purchase an inexpensive Seachem ammonia alert badge .... will accurately measure ammonia even when using a conversion product and makes monitoring ammonia levels easier.
Heres a link hypo .. might help.
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html
