Hospital tank lighting and filtration?

[backlash]

Hey guys,
I'm gonna set up my old 100 gallon tank tommorow to treat my fish for ich. Do I need anything special for lighting? I have some 50/50 normal output bulbs - will they work? Also I have an old power filter that I'm gonna set up- will this be adequate for bio-filtratation?
The big question- should I use copper or hypo?
Thanks

 

[Puffer Queen]

You don't have to have any special lighting. The bulbs you have are fine.

You can use your old power filter, but what are you going to use for the biological filtration. You need something that is cycled already - i.e. air driven sponge that has been in your system for a couple weeks, bioballs currently in your system for at least 2-3 weeks.

I prefer hyposalinity if the diagnosis is ich.

Best of luck,

Kelly

 

[backlash]

Thanks,
I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes.

 

[backlash]

Well, I decided not to use my 100g and instead bought a 20H to use as a hospital tank. I'm going to try to catch the regal tang to put in this tank so I can at least buy a little time while I take the next step- either setting up my 100 or trying a UV sterilizer. I'm putting about 20 lb of live rock and useing some sand from my sump as well as useing the Emperor400 for bio-filtration.
Any advice on catching the tang? I hope the move alone doesn't do her in.....

 

[backlash]

Oh, and I'm keeping the 20g for QT in the future.

 

[Puffer Queen]

Brent,

A good thread on catching fish: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=707656

A good article on QT: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-10/sp/feature/index.php

A QT or hospital tank should not have live rock or substrate. Hyposalinity will kill off the microfauna in the live rock & will cause water parameter changes.

Copper will also kill off the microfauna. Copper will be absorbed by the rock & the substrate and can be leached back into the water later. This will cause copper levels to be very inconsistent which will affect the cure rate or life of the fish. Use of copper with live rock will leave the rock potentially unuseable in a reef tank or a tank with inverts in the future.

Kelly

 

[backlash]

Thanks for the links. I did not realize that Hypo would kill live rock. I'm glad I didn't put the rock in yet.
Again thanks!

 

[backlash]

Well, I was able to catch my regal tang and she is now in my hospital tank and seems to be doing OK.. I used mostly water from my main display and also took a sponge bubble difuser out of my sump for biofiltration. (thanks Kelly )
My LFS guy. recomended that I get a UV sterilizer for my main display. I have been doing some research after talking to him and have found an inexpensive ozone system that would be easy to use with my skimmer. Would this be as effective as using UV?

 

[Puffer Queen]

Brent,

I would take an ozonizer over a UV any day.

The ozonizer will also increase your OPP and oxygen levels which will improve the overall quality of your tank.

Are you using a sponge filter or just an air bubbler/air stone type diffuser?

Kelly

 

[backlash]

Thanks for the info on the ozone- I just ordered it.
The sponge I have in the quarintine tank came from my sump where my skimmer outlet and overflow water entered the sump. It got a pretty good mixture of air and water so It ought to be pretty full of bacteria. Right now I have the sponge set up in the emperor 400 where the biowheels would normally go with the water sprayers on it kinda like a mini wet-dry. Do you think that is adequate?
Thanks
Brent

 

[Puffer Queen]

Should be an adequate biological source - check water parameters daily though as things can go bad in a hurry.

Best of luck,
Kelly

 

[backlash]

Thanks
I'll take all the luck I can get!
Brent

 

[backlash]

Update

Update

So far so good! I'm treating the regal tang with copper and she has almost completely cleared up. Thanks for the advice!